Jacques Pépin’s Potato Salad with Fresh Herbs

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While scrolling through Facebook the other day, I ran across a couple of videos from that French, culinary charmer, and award-winning chef, Jacques Pépin. I think I have been a little bit in love with this guy all of my life. He was making a very simple potato salad that looked so refreshingly good. By the time I had finished his short video, I was in the kitchen boiling potatoes and chopping herbs. I added dill to mine, and changed up his dressing a bit by adding a hint of sugar, and a splash of vinegar. I thought this was very good -- easy, fresh, and so delightfully French. It’s best when served warm; I found it a delightful and surprisingly good accompaniment to morning eggs. Mix things up a bit! Have fun, and keep cooking. It will keep you sane.

Jacques Pépin’s Potato Salad with Fresh Herbs

  Slightly adapted from the original.

Dressing
2 T. mayonnaise
2 T. Dijon mustard
2 T. water
¼ c. olive oil
1 t. sugar
½ T. cider vinegar

Copious amounts of salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place all ingredients into a jar, screw on the lid, and shake for all you’re worth.

Potatoes
2 large red skinned potatoes (1 lb.)
3 scallions, chopped
½ c. chopped fresh parsley
½ c. chopped fresh dill
Salt and pepper

Boil potatoes, skins on, for 30 to 40 minutes until they are fork tender. Drain potatoes, and, when they are cool enough to handle, peel and cut into cubes. Put potatoes into a large bowl along with the scallions and fresh herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour half of the dressing overall, and stir gently to combine. Serve warm.

Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup

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We have had a week of gray days with intermittent sleet, snow, and freezing rain. Nothing much has come of any of it, so I really don’t mind, but the continuing grayness is starting to get me down. Because this old body tends to react adversely to changes in weather, I make sure I have plenty of chicken soup on hand, consuming it regularly, to ward off any ills that may be planning attack. After a while, however, even my favorite chicken soup becomes a bit dull, so I decided to try a new one.

Using both lemon juice and dill in chicken soup was new to me, but I absolutely loved both! The dill provided a wonderful spring-like taste; the lemon juice a brightness that made this a joy to consume. Orzo in place of the usual noodle was welcome as well, and I ate this soup three days running.

Give it a try, and be sure to use plenty of fresh dill, and squeeze the juice of an entire lemon into your bowl before eating. You won’t regret either. I was so impressed with this soup that I have decided to grow dill in my deck garden this year. I want to make certain I have plenty so that I can make this again and again.

Lemony Chicken and Orzo Soup

Slightly adapted from Bon Appetite

1 T. olive oil

1 lg. Melissa’s leek, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced crosswise ½” thick

1 celery stalk, sliced crosswise ½” thick

12 oz. skinless, boneless chicken thighs

6 c. chicken broth

Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

½ c. orzo

¼ c. chopped fresh dill

Lemon halves (for serving)

Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add leek and celery and cook, stirring often, until vegetables are soft, 5-8 minutes. Add chicken and broth; season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate. Let cool, then shred chicken into bite-size pieces. Meanwhile, return broth to a boil. Add orzo and cook until al dente, 8-10 minutes. Remove pot from heat. Stir in chicken and dill. Serve with lemon halves for squeezing over.

  

Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce

Food bloggers, I think, all have different motivations for starting/writing their blogs. Initially my hope was to be able to teach my two daughters-in-law how to cook. To be able to share with them some special recipes from my (and my sons' -- their husbands') past, and acquaint them with family history at the same time. To provide cheap sustenance that got me through some lean times, easy meals that got me through some frazzled times, and comfort foods to enjoy around the Sunday dinner table. 

I was not entirely successful. It's not, I find, my daughters-in-law who read my blog, but my two sons!  They are the ones calling me from the grocery store asking about recipe ingredients, and they are the ones who often prepare the food. Go figure. 

I've wandered a bit from the point that I was planning to make, albeit not entirely. When I first began the blog, I was more focused on giving recipes for complete meals and main dishes. Something that would make a nice presentation from stove to table, and be welcomed by the family. What I failed to include were some of the key components to these recipes, namely the dips, relishes, condiments, and sauces that can sometimes make or break a dish. 

So today's saucy little post, yes, pun very much intended, is about fresh dill sauce. It's easy to make, and beautifully accompanies salmon, scallops, crab cakes, almost any form of seafood. A dollop can also enhance homemade salad dressings, deviled eggs, egg, chicken, and potato salads.

The secret is fresh herbs and lots of them.  Follow this recipe and you will be scooping it out of the bowl and eating it like a dip. There is nothing like fresh, and there is nothing like this bit of dill sauce perfection. Add it to your recipe repertoire and be prepared to turn plain into fancy.

Creamy Lemon Dill Sauce

2/3 cup mayonnaise

2/3 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons green onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

2 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon cilantro, finely chopped (optional)

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Old Bay (pinch)

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix mayonnaise with sour cream. Add remaining ingredients and whisk until thoroughly blended.  Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. 

In case you are interested, this darling little sauce dish is from One King's Lane.

This post is linked to:

Friday Unfolded
Fabulously Creative Friday
Fridays Flash Blog
Simple and Sweet Fridays

Thanksgiving Side Dishes - Potatoes

I love potatoes and look for any excuse to make them.  I particularly love mashed potatoes (What can I say? I’m a simple girl at heart.), especially when they are submerged under a river of deep, rich, gravy.  But sometimes I like to mix things up a bit, and what better time to do so than when serving a holiday meal?  Here are four different ideas for potatoes, from the elegant to easy make-ahead, that will draw raves from your guests.  You can access the recipe by clicking on the name of the dish beneath the picture.

Brandy and Orange-Mashed Sweet Potatoes in Orange Cups

A real holiday dazzler, everything can be made a day ahead; brandy takes these over the top.

Roasted Potatoes with Bacon and Onions

These can be made two hours ahead and, really, who doesn’t love anything with bacon?

Wild Mushroom Potato Gratin

Thin layers of russet potatoes, sandwiched between a single layer of wild mushrooms, and topped with a mixture of creamy Fontina and nutty Gruyere make this a dish worth remembering.

Baby Potatoes with Cipolline and Dill

Blanch and peel the onions the day prior and these go together in a flash; deceptively easy and dangerously delicious.

This post is linked to:

Tutorials Tips and Tidbits

Be Inspired Friday

Show and Tell Friday

Foodie Friday

Seasonal Sundays

Glazed Rainbow Carrots with Dill

Let’s talk side dishes, shall we?  I know what you’re thinking…vegetables.  Yes, you’re right.  We all know that we’re supposed to have a nice combination of five fruits and vegetables each day.  We also know that it’s not always so easy to work these five servings into the course of three meals (although I am personally campaigning to include the Bloody Mary among this group, what with the tomato juice and celery and all).  Largely vegetables come in green or white.  Dull.  And, also largely, children tend to flee from them in packs.  So the best way to perk up the plate, and your family, is with lots of taste and bursts of color.

I’ve tried for years to grow carrots, with rather sorry results.  My interest was in growing the heirloom variety with multiple colors.  While I can’t seem to manage to do it, Melissa’s Produce can.  I love these colorful carrots!  They are so pretty and deliciously sweet, and look how beautiful they'll be on your table.  Honestly, who could resist these?

I really have no particular recipe, but for the sake of carrot virgins, will jot one below.  My experience is that even non-carrot lovers will quite enjoy these.

Glazed Rainbow Carrots with Dill

1 lb. Melissa’s Rainbow Crunch carrots, cleaned, peeled, and 

cut into ¼” coins

1 tablespoon butter

¼ cup dark brown sugar

1 Tablespoon apricot preserves

Pinch of Kosher salt

Pinch of curry powder (optional)

Pinch of turmeric (optional)

Snippings of fresh dill (or dried, if you must)

Bring a medium saucepan of water to a full boil.  Drop carrots in all at once and return pan to boil.  Cook for 4-7 minutes until just fork tender, and by this I mean barely fork tender as they will continue to cook after draining and you don’t want them to turn to mush; better to err on the crunchy side.  (The cooking time varies with the size of your carrots, so do test them – I use the tines of a pickle fork).  Empty into colander to drain thoroughly; set aside.  In same saucepan in which you cooked the carrots (and that should still be warm) place butter, and melt it over low heat.  Stir in apricot preserves and brown sugar until everything is well blended.  Add carrots all at once and fold together until carrots are glazed.  Throw in a pinch of salt and, if your family likes the taste of curry, a pinch of curry powder gives these a lot of zing, ditto for the turmeric, but I’ll leave both up to you (though do keep in mind that Turmeric is one of the super foods and this is a great way to slip it by your family with no one the wiser).

For more vegetable inspiration, I highly recommend this book:

This post is linked to:

On the Menu Monday

Totally Tasty Tuesdays

Try a New Recipe Tuesday

What's Cooking Wednesday

Wow Us Wednesday

Foodie Friday

Tutorial Tips & Tidbits

Homemade Dill Pickles

See the little dill head at the bottom of the jar?  I grew that too (she said proudly).  The cute little canning jars are Italian and on sale at Tuesday Morning.

Cucumbers abound at our house and it has been a lot of fun trying all sorts of new recipes.  The cucumber recipe du jour was dill pickles.  I love making these because they are so easy, and allow for a bit of creativity when it comes to additional flavor-making ingredients.

EASY DILL PICKLES

8-10 small pickling cucumbers (about 3 pounds)
2 cups white vinegar
2 cups water
2 tablespoons pickling salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
4 heads fresh dill or 4 teaspoons dill seeds
4 small cloves garlic

Place your sterilized jars into the canner and bring the water to a simmer.  Keep them warm while you slice the cucumbers and prepare the pickling solution.

Cut a thin slice from the ends of each cucumber.  Slice into chips about 1/8 inch thick.  A mandolin works great for this as long as your cucumbers are crisp and fresh.  Set aside.

Combine vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  If you prefer a pickle more to the sour side, eliminate the sugar.

Carefully remove hot jars from canner. Place them open side up on a towel on the counter to keep them steady.  Here's where the fun comes in.  You can get very creative with the pickles.  For a basic garlic dill, place 1 head fresh dill or 1 tsp dill seeds and 1 clove garlic into each jar; pack in cucumbers.

You can also try the following additions (when I make pickles, each jar is different):

1-3 slices of Jalapeno peppers
1-2 pearl onions
1/4 teaspoon pickling spice
Sprig of dill weed
2-3 peppercorns

Pour boiling vinegar mixture over cucumbers to within 1/2 inch of the rim of the jar. Screw on cap and lid.  Process 10 minutes for pint jars and 15 minutes for quart jars.  Allow to cool on the counter and be sure to listen for the popping noise that indicates that you've gotten a good seal.  Store for 2 weeks to allow for the infusion of flavors.

This post is linked to:

Seasonal Sunday, Metamorphosis Monday, Made by You Monday, On the Menu Monday, This Week in My Garden, Outdoor Wednesdays and Tuesday Garden Party