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Posts Tagged ‘potatoes’

  1. Panfried Salmon with Samphire and Beurre Blanc

    January 22, 2012 by Lisa

    Samphire grows abundantly around the salt marshes of the eastern English coast. In the late summer, it’s not uncommon to see householders offering bunches of samphire for free or on the honour system on the roadsides. It looks much like what we called “iceplant” in California, though much smaller, is quite salty and tastes like the seaside. Samphire can be eaten fresh, boiled or steamed.

    This is a very sophisticated meal that is perfectly set off by the samphire, but your heart will not thank you for it!

    Ingredients:

    • 2 salmon fillets without skins
    • 2 handfuls of fresh samphire
    • Boiled baby new potatoes, lightly crushed

    For the Beurre Blanc:

    • 1 cup (235ml) dry white wine
    • 1/2 cup (120ml) white wine vinegar
    • 1 shallot chopped finely
    • 1/2 cube (that’s a UK cube or 125 grams/4.5 oz) of unsalted butter, cold and cubed
    • White peppercorns
    • Salt and fresh ground pepper

    The method for making the beurre blanc is via Jamie Oliver and is dead clever. It means that the sauce can be made slightly in advance.

    Add the wine, wine vinegar, peppercorns and chopped shallots to a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the liquid has reduced to about 3 tablespoons.

    Fill a thermos flask with boiling water to warm it, pour it out, and then sieve the wine mixture into the flask. Add the cold butter cubes, close the flask and shake it vigorously until your can’t hear sloshing anymore. If, when time to serve it’s too thick, add a scant amount of boiling water and shake to loosen it up.

    Pan fry the salmon fillets and place on top of crushed baby new potatoes.

    Wash the samphire thoroughly in cold water and remove any dried stems. Steam for a couple of minutes then place it on top of the salmon fillets. Pour the beurre blanc over the lot of it.

    After dinner, go for a run to loosen up those arteries.

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  2. Southern Stir Fry

    October 7, 2005 by Lisa

    I haven’t enjoyed a meal like this in ages. This is a fairly traditional southern US meal. It’s actually cooked in 2 skillets, both with lids! This served three to bursting, though I think I’d double the juice and cornstarch next time for more sauce.

    • 2 large baking potatoes chopped into cubes
    • 1 head of baby cabbage, sliced thinly
    • 1 medium onion, diced
    • 2 rashers of bacon, chopped
    • 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    • 1 cooking apple, sliced thinly
    • 1 cup apple juice (or mixed apple and orange or whatever – I only had ‘exotic’ – it was lovely)
    • 1 tablespoon malt or apple vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
    • Salt and pepper

    Cook half the chopped onion and bacon in a few tablespoons of oil in a hot skillet until soft and browned. Add the potatoes and cabbage, reduce heat and cook for around 30 to 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Season to taste (though a good generous few twists of freshly ground pepper is highly recommended).

    In the other skillet, cook the other half of the chopped onion and apple in oil. Once the onion is browned, remove onion and apple to a bowl and add the chicken breasts and a couple more spoonfuls of oil and cook about 4 minutes until brown on each side. Add the applejuice and vinegar and reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook about 10 minutes until cooked through.

    Remove the chicken to a plate. Mix the cornstarch and a tablespoon of cold juice until smooth. Add to the hot juice and cook until thick. Add reserved onion and apple slices and heat through. Serve on top of the chicken breasts.

    Sauteed or boiled spinach or greens would be the thing in, say Tennessee, but a green salad was lovely as well.

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