April Newsletter 2005

Hi!

Last month I commented on Spring having arrived. In the interim it really has! I've got Robins, Mockingbirds, Bluejays and Turtle Doves all over the place. The Turtle Doves are especially nice early of a morning with the windows all open.

I have had such an enthusiastic reaction to the following Pommes Anna recipe by those who have requested it earlier. One gent gently chided me, saying his daughter had become "addicted" to the Pommes Anna. All I can say is I'd rather one be addicted to these than to Macdonald's fries.

It is a lovely and healthy recipe. It is a variation on an old James Beard recipe and it is really simplicity in itself.

I like it made in the Pommes Anna Pan because turning the potatoes is so easy, the browning so consistent and the service onto the dining table is just simply elegant! Of course I have the Pommes Anna pans in three sizes...please check them out, if you will.

POMMES ANNA or POTATOES ANNA

A CLASSIC French dish…a simple preparation of thinly sliced potatoes baked in a shallow dish or a POMMES ANNA PAN.

Layers of potatoes are buttered and sprinkled with salt and pepper. The dish is then covered. After baking the dish is inverted onto a serving plate or the LID OF THE POMMES ANNA PAN. The result is a potato pie or “cake,” brown and crisp on the outside and soft and buttery on the inside. It’s cut into wedges to serve.

POMMES ANNA - Serves Six

6 medium Idaho potatoes
About 1/2 pound butter, melted
Salt (I like to use Lawry’s Garlic Salt…go lightly if you do this.)
Freshly ground black pepper (And, I like to use Lawry’s Seasoned Black Pepper.)

Peel the potatoes and slice them into very thin, even rounds 1/8” thick. A MANDOLINE is great for this since it has an adjustable blade providing great uniformity.

As the potatoes are sliced, drop them into a large bowl of salted ice water until ready to use.

When ready to cook, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Using the POMME ANNA PAN (Or cast iron skillet or casserole dish) brush the bottom and sides heavily with melted butter. (The BUTTER WARMER is great for this.)

Drain the potatoes and dry them thoroughly on a clean cloth or paper towels. The must be completely dry as excess moisture will ruin the dish.

Arrange a layer of potatoes in the bottom of the pan, put one slice in the center and arrange overlapping circles of potatoes around it, from center to sides.

Sprinkle the potatoes very lightly with salt and pepper and spoon a tablespoon of melted butter over them.

Spoon another tablespoon or two of the butter over the top.

Place the POMMES ANNA PAN, cast iron skillet or casserole dish on the center shelf of the oven. Place a baking sheet on the shelf below it to catch any butter that might bubble over. This can save a clean up.

Bake 30 to 45 minutes or until the potatoes are crisp and brown around the edges and tender when prodded with a fork or toothpick. Remove the pan from the oven. Run a knife around the edge of the potatoes to loosen them.

Put a large flat serving platter, big enough to hold the potato pie or cake, on top of the pan and quickly invert it so it un-molds itself onto the platter. Cut into wedges to serve. You can invert and un-mold into the lid of the POMMES ANNA PAN for service in this manner. In this instance you might want to serve it with a large serving spoon as one should not slice within the Pommes Anna pan, otherwise you might damage the tinned lining. Be sure you use something on the order of a Scotch Brite pad to clean the Pommes Anna pan.

This dish is great with meats, roast or chicken dishes. I like it any time I can get it, even just by itself...it's that good!!

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I tried the following recipe because I really love salmon. I lived on the Pacific coast in several different locations and can tell you there is nothing like salmon fresh from the briny cold. It is also really good for you! The parenthetical comments in the recipe are mine.

GINGER HONEY-GLAZED SALMON

1/2 cup orange juice (Fresh is better!)
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
4 to 6 salmon steaks or filets (about 6 ounces each), rinsed and patted dry (I much prefer Pacific Salmon, Coho or Chinook. Steelhead is also great!)
About 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil for the grill

To make the marinade, mix the orange juice, soy sauce, ginger, honey or maple syrup and sesame oil in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer for 5 minutes.
Put the mixture into a bowl and set aside to cool slightly.
Place the salmon in a single layer in a shallow pan. Pour half the marinade on top and turn the salmon to coat all sides.
Set the salmon aside for a couple of minutes or cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Prepare a medium-hot fire for grilling or preheat the broilder. Arrange a rack 3 to 4 inches from the heat. Brush the grill with oil or line the broiler pan with foil and brush it with oil. (The broiler is my choice for this. Cooking is so fast setting up the grill is kind of pointless unless you want that charcoal nip.)
Transfer the salmon to the grill rack or the pan, discarding the marinade.
Cook, brushing with some of the remaining marinade, until opaque throughout, about 10 minutes per inch of thickness.
Serve with the remaining marinade spooned on top. Serves 4 to 6.

SOURCE: Spices of Life; The Washington Post

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I hope you will try these recipes. I think you will enjoy them. I never pass along a recipe, mine or anyone else's, unless I have tried and perhaps even tweaked them a bit. Everyone has their own methods and seasoning styles. That is what makes cooking such an individual and personal expression. I love it!

Let me hear from you if you take a notion. It's a bit quiet in Alvarado, pop. 3000. Just me and the birds, my library and my magical computer which gives me access to my customers/friends.

Sincerely,
Don Shipman,
MyChefsFavorites.com