Parmesan Oven Fries

Simple is good.  In fact simple can be great.  There are nights while cooking when I look at the little man and think... he is going to have a melt down before this dish is done cooking.  And if we happen to make it until the food actually gets on the plate he probably won't eat it anyway.  He is not a big fan of meat.

So while I was roasting a chicken tonight, and realized it was going to take much longer than planned, I quickly improvised with some scrambled eggs, veggies and fruit for his dinner.  He then proceeded to ask for yogurt and black olives.  And yes while I served them separately he combined them.  How are kids picky eaters when they will eat a combo like that I'll never know.

Not being a fan of the yogurt/olive combo.  I finished the chicken and made these potatoes as a side.  However, I was rushing to get dinner on the table and forgot to season the chicken.  Not one speck of salt, not one flake of pepper.  It was not very tasty and is not scheduled to be turned into chicken salad.

Since everyone one else was accounted for I was tired I just ate the potatoes as a meal.  Not very nutritious I know but there are those days when fed equals good enough.  And trust me these are good enough.  They were terrific.  The only change I would make in the future is less parsley, I think I will dial it down to only 1 tablespoon next time.  I also threw them back in the oven for a minute or two to melt the parmesan.

Oven Fries
slightly adapted from Tyler Florence 

Ingredients
4 small russet potatoes, cut into 8 wedges each
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Method

Preheat the oven to 425.  Preheat a baking sheet in the oven for at least 5 minutes (I did about 20).  While the baking sheet is heating, toss the potatoes iwth the olive oil and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.  Then dump the potatoes out onto the hot baking sheet.  Spread into a single layer.  Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, shaking the pan every now and then (I admit I didn't and with a little force they still came off the pan fine) until the potatoes are cooked through, brown and crispy.  Toss the fries in a big bowl with the parsley and cheese.  Return to oven for 2 minutes to melt cheese.

Vegetarian Potato Leek Soup (or not)

I have a secret.  I wish I had the willpower to be a vegetarian.  I LOVE most vegetarian food, and when I go out to restaurants I try to order vegetarian food because it always tastes so good, and I didn't have to cook it, or listen to complaints from the teenager for daring to serving something vegetable based. 

When I lived in Vermont there was a vegetarian restaurant called The Horn of the Moon Cafe in Montpelier.  The restaurant is gone now but the cookbook lives on.  This was one of my first cook books that I purchased while in college, and living as a vegetarian (it was short lived).  I used to make this soup once a week in huge batches and freeze it.  It tastes the same out of the freezer as it does fresh.  I will admit to you up front that when I went to make the soup I was still getting over the flu and when I opened the pantry I found beef stock and no vegetable stock so mine isn't vegetarian but I almost think it taste better with vegetable stock.  Either way, it's warm and filling and fantastic with fresh bread to clean the bottom of your bowl when you're done, it's so much more refined than licking it clean.

                              

Potato Leek Soup

Horn of the Moon

Ingredients

6 cups of water or stock
6 cups diced potatoes
4 tablespoons butter
2 cups thinly sliced leeks (washed well and just the white part)
1 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon dried leaf thyme
1 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons unbleached white flour (leave out for gluten-free it will still be thick)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

Method

Bring water or stock to a boil in a soup pot.  Add potatoes.  Cover and cook until tender (20 to 25 minutes).  Turn off heat.

In a 10-inch fry pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter and sauté the leeks, celery, thyme, and dill weed until the leeks are well coated with butter.  Cover and cook on low heat until the leeks are tender (10 to 15 minutes).  Add to the potatoes and broth.  Blend in a blender, if you want lumpy soup only puree about 2/3rds of the vegetables.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

In the same pan in which the leeks were sautéed, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, then add the flour.  Brown for 1 minute on low heat.  Whisk in cream and turn off heat.  Add to the soup, then add parsley.  Simmer 10 to 15 minutes, uncovered. 

If you're leftover soup gets too thick add a little more water or stock to thin it out as you reheat it.