Giving Taste-Buds Their Due

No politics this time. Merely food, glorious food.

I ran across a recipe for “Crispy Potato Pancakes” in the magazine Fine Cooking (at least I think that is the name) and gave it a test this weekend. These are smoothed potatoes, not hash-browns, and while I plunged in without consulting my audience, I was alert to potential unhappiness. I believe I have noted my breakfast-fetish with the potato in at least one prior post.

But even my first fumbling attempt seemed to go down well. In brief, you grate potatoes (food-processor), add salt, and let sit to give off water, in the meantime mixing an egg, a little flour, baking soda, chopped onion, and S&P to taste. (As it happened, I mixed russet, small red, and Ozette potatoes - an unusual combination.) The hand-squeezed taters are then added, and the whole mess bladed to a relatively smooth mix. The results are then spooned into medium hot oil (1/8”) in a skillet, patted thin, cooked until brown (and crispy!), turned and ditto. More in the latke family vs. hashbrowns, I would say.

Pretty straightforward and readily adaptable to alternative formulations with added components including spices/herbs (heat!). I’d like to try retaining a little more texture (e.g. easy on blending stage, or hold back some of potatoes and onions or something), but am happy at not having to cook potatoes twice, my practice in the past.

We were hostess to Mom’s Night Out here Friday, an event held one night each month except when it isn’t, involving six or eight mothers who bonded over first-borns back in the pre-school days a few decades ago. The hostess is responsible for most of the work, with occasional salad/dessert/beverage contributions. Domestic delegation is apparently allowed for in the bywords – in at least one case the husband routinely does the cooking. I sometimes help when it is “our” turn. This time the entrée concept and execution fell to me (although not the shopping). Manhattan clam chowder. Mmm good. We did stretch the tolerance of the one or two semi-vegetarians in the group, since a chowder without at least a bit of bacon seems like a different beast altogether.

Of course I could not resist plying my "harem" with a little cheese: Cap gris nez, Valle de Azul (terrific Spanish blue), Tomme de Savoie, and Robiola. Truthfully, I was abed with book before their party broke up.

Factor in baby-backs with home-made cherry-Zinfandel bbq sauce, mixed fresh beans, and multi-grains on Saturday, not to mention lemon-garlic chicken breasts with scratch potato-biscuits and roasted veggies on Sunday, and you’ve got yourself something like a gourmet weekend.

Throw in a great PBS special on the Wolves of Yellowstone, and the depressing effects of Sunday night can be fobbed off until the wee hours!

And tonight Eric assembled African Peanut Soup for us with the leftover chicken. He points out that, amusingly, the recipe we work from, despite name, purports to have roots in Bangkok! Whatever, it is terrific stuff.

Upcoming possibilities on my gustatory research program are a couple recipes from Nigela Lawson. I have cranberry beans (also known as Roman beans, I learn from terrific local Mediterranean grocer) soaking and cannellini backstocked as option for "Warm Beans with Garlic and Sage." Seems simple enough to be within my range - and I am a bean person for sure. These beans are dry of course, hence spontaneity is not featured. Started tonight, as full-time working folks, we won't be consuming said beans before night-after-next. But I am also keen on lentils and split peas, which can at least in theory be pulled off in one day.

And the second prospect is Lawson's "Thai Clam Pot." Basically this is asian noodle soup with fresh clams and seasoning including garlic, scallions, chili pepper (easy now!), rice wine/sake, basil, and fish sauce. I'm still assembling ingredients.

Seems easy enough, eh? I admit to having had a run-in or two over fish sauce - an ingredient that demands careful handling. Not something you want to drag every slightly-squeamish diner into, at the very least. At minimum, a little lejerdemain called for!

And it occurs to me that a bowl or two of Thai CP will likely not sate my aggressive appetite. I'd better think about some accompaniments.

bon appetit!