Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook (18 page)

Once the potatoes are cooked, transfer them to a large plate to cool slightly and then use a paring knife to peel off the skins and discard. Cut each potato in half.

Put the olive oil in a heavy 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) roasting pan and rub it around the inside of the pan to coat it thoroughly. Layer the onions and lemons in the bottom of the dish. Lay the potatoes cut side down on top of them. Thinly slice the butter and lay one slice over each potato and scatter any extra over the top. Bake for 25 minutes. Rotate the dish and bake until the potatoes are a deep golden brown, about 10 more minutes.

Remove the dish from the oven and scatter the rosemary over the potatoes. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving so that the herb can permeate the dish. Serve from the roasting pan so the potatoes will remain crisp.

BARBECUE POTATO GNOCCHI

THESE GNOCCHI ARE EASY TO PUT TOGETHER AND FOOLPROOF:
There is no fear of overmixing with choux paste as the base. Make sure your potato flakes contain nothing but dehydrated potatoes. You can mix the batter in advance and then cook the gnocchi to order. If you are a fan of barbecue potato chips, you’ll love the surprise of smoky flavor in this pasta.

SERVES 8 AS A SIDE DISH

2 cups 120 grams
potato flakes

7 ounces 195 grams
IPA beer

⅔ cup 165 grams
barbecue sauce

12½ tablespoons 175 grams
unsalted butter

1 tablespoon 6 grams
garlic powder

1 tablespoon 6 grams
onion powder

2½ teaspoons 5 grams
garam masala

1 teaspoon 6 grams
fine sea salt

½ teaspoon 1 gram
freshly
grated nutmeg

½ teaspoon 1 gram
cracked black pepper

1 cup minus 1 tablespoon 140 grams
all-purpose flour

6 ounces 165 grams
Cheddar cheese,
grated (about 1½ cups)

6 large
eggs

4 tablespoons 56 grams
unsalted butter,
sliced

1 ounce 30 grams
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese,
freshly grated (about 5 tablespoons)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Spread the potato flakes on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 minutes, then stir. Continue toasting until they are a deep, golden brown, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature. Once cool, grind in a food processor to make a fine flour.

In a medium saucepan, combine the beer, barbecue sauce, butter, garlic powder, onion powder, garam masala, salt, nutmeg, and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the ground potato flakes and flour and stir until the dough forms a ball and pulls away from the edges, about 1 minute. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute more until a light film forms on the bottom of the pot. Transfer the dough to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and add the cheese. Paddle the dough for 5 minutes to cool and then start adding the eggs one at a time, allowing each to be incorporated into the dough. Turn the mixer off and let the dough cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. It can be used immediately or you can chill it and shape it cold.

Set a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Transfer the dough to a piping bag fitted with a ½-inch (13 mm) plain tip. Working quickly, pipe the gnocchi over the boiling water, using a paring knife to cut off ½-inch (13 mm) portions and letting them fall into the water. Cook until just set and tender, 3 to 5 minutes. You can check by cutting one open and tasting it. Drain lightly and transfer to a large bowl.

Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the gnocchi and sauté until golden brown, 2 minutes. Gently fold the Parmigiano into the gnocchi. Serve hot.

JAPANESE YAM & CHEESE

THIS IS A NEW SPIN ON THE CLASSIC FRENCH ALIGOT—AN
elastic potato puree with Cantal cheese. We opt for Japanese yams for their sweet, earthy flavor and a blend of three different cheeses. The finishing touch of fermented black bean powder adds depth and rounds out the flavor in an unusual way. Using the microwave to pull this dish together makes for a smoother finished dish that has less of a tendency to break and become greasy.

SERVES 8 AS A SIDE DISH

3 large
Japanese yams
(about 3 pounds 1,325 grams total)

7 ounces 200 grams
aged provolone cheese,
grated (about 1¾ cups)

6 ounces 175 grams
aged Cheddar cheese,
grated (about 1½ cups)

¾ teaspoon 4.5 grams
fine sea salt

6.5 ounces 185 grams
Brie cheese,
rind removed

1 tablespoon 9 grams
fermented black bean powder
(optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Poke the yams with a cake tester or skewer in several places. Put on the baking sheet and bake until completely tender, about 2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and let the yams cool for 20 minutes at room temperature. Cut them in half lengthwise and scoop the warm flesh directly into a food processor, discarding the skins. Puree, occasionally stopping the machine to scrape down the sides, until smooth. At this point you can cool the puree down and refrigerate it until you are ready to finish the dish, or for up to 2 days.

In a bowl, stir together the provolone and Cheddar. Put the cold yam puree into a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove the bowl from the microwave. Add the salt and Brie and use a rubber spatula to stir the mixture. Microwave on high for 1 minute more. Remove the bowl from the microwave, add a handful of the grated cheese mixture, and stir to combine. Microwave on high for 1 minute more. Remove the bowl from the microwave and add another handful of the cheese mixture. Use a rubber spatula to beat the cheese into the yams and microwave on high for 1 minute more. Continue heating and adding cheese for a total cooking time of 10 minutes. The mixture should be hot and glossy with an elastic quality.

Transfer to a shallow serving dish and use a fine-mesh sieve to dust the fermented black bean powder over the top.

BEATING THE CHEESE INTO THE YAMS

SMOKED TROUT & SUNFLOWER SEED RISOTTO

PUMPERNICKEL FRIED FLUKE WITH THOUSAND ISLAND DRESSING

SEARED SCALLOPS WITH GREEN SAUCE

FISH TACOS

GINGER SCALLION SQUID

SMOKED MAPLE & MISO GLAZED WILD ALASKAN SALMON

COCONUT STEAMED HALIBUT

SMOKED TROUT & SUNFLOWER SEED RISOTTO

AS KIDS, WE THOUGHT IT WAS SO FUN TO EAT SUNFLOWER
seeds, sucking on the tiny shells and popping out the little kernels. Now as adults, we’ve found that cooking them in the pressure cooker makes them tender, another neat trick. Pureeing some of the cooked seeds and folding them back in with the whole ones creates a texture similar to a good risotto—but one that can be made in advance and reheated, and is filled with protein and fiber from the seeds. When we first came up with this dish in 2005, people were delighted with the unusual flavor and texture. We’ve refined it over the years and it’s become something of a signature. It’s rich and luxurious with a sweet nuttiness that goes beautifully with smoked trout.

SERVES 8 AS AN APPETIZER

4 tablespoons 56 grams
unsalted butter

2 tablespoons 28 grams
extra-virgin olive oil

1 small
white onion,
chopped

½ teaspoon 3 grams
fine sea salt

16 ounces 455 grams
hulled sunflower seeds

½ cup 113 grams
dry vermouth

3½ cups 800 grams
chicken broth
or vegetable stock

¼ cup 15 grams
julienned Kombu

1 whole
smoked trout
(about 1 pound 454 grams)

2 ounces 57 grams
Piave Vecchio
or
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese,
grated (about 9 tablespoons)

Fine sea salt
and
freshly ground black pepper

Grated zest of 1
lemon

4
scallions,
finely sliced

3 tablespoons 45 grams
crème fraîche
,
homemade or store-bought

Melt 1 tablespoon (14 grams) of the butter in a pressure cooker and add the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon (1.5 grams) of the salt. Add the sunflower seeds and continue to cook until the seeds are lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Add the vermouth. Continue to cook until the onions are nearly dry and the seeds are lightly glazed, about 10 minutes.