Baked Oven Fries

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I think potatoes have kind of gotten a bad rap. And, that makes me sad. Yes, while they are wonderful deep fried – they can be great when done with a more healthful approach as well. I’ve been making baked oven fries for as long as I can remember being active in the kitchen. They’re so simple, and make the perfect side to so many meals. You can be simple with the seasonings – going for just salt and pepper. Or, spice it up! I love adding oregano, Herbes de Provence, or Montreal Steak seasoning to switch things up a bit.

The key to the awesomeness of these fries, the uber-crispiness, is a result of a soak in the hot saltwater. The undisputed best place in the world for Boardwalk fries is Thrashers, in nearby Ocean City, MD. They do a soak in salt water, which I always knew was the key to their greatness. They also don’t serve ketchup, which most people might find kind of odd. Salt and vinegar only! Anyways, the original recipe calls for regular hot water. Which, is fine too. But, if you’re a sodium hound like I am, add a little salt to the water as well. Either way, make sure the water is good and hot. I’m no AB, but, I think the hot water starts to break down the starches or something. Helping the fries along in their quest for crispiness. I promise you’ll make these again and again!

Baked Oven Fries

3 russet potatoes (about 24 oz. total), peeled and cut lengthwise into even sized wedges
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Preheat the oven to 475? F and move an oven rack to the second-lowest position.  Place the potato wedges in a large mixing bowl.  Cover with hot water and add 1 tablespoon of salt, stir to combine. Soak for 10-20 minutes.  Put 2 tablespoons of the oil onto a heavy, rimmed baking sheet.  Tilt the sheet side to side to evenly coat the pan with oil (a pastry brush can also help with this).  Set aside.

Drain the potatoes.  Spread the wedges out on layers of paper towels or on clean kitchen towels.  Pat dry with additional towels.  Wipe out the now empty bowl so it is dry.  Return the potatoes to the bowl and toss with the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil, the remaining salt, and pepper.  Arrange the potato wedges on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake until the bottoms of the potatoes are spotty golden brown, 15-20 minutes, rotating the baking sheet after 10 minutes.  Using a metal spatula and tongs, flip each potato wedge keeping them in a single layer.  Continue baking until the fries are golden and crisp, 10 -15 minutes.  Rotate the pan as needed to ensure even browning.

When the fries are finished baking, transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain some of the grease.  Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.  Serve warm.

Source: adapted from Cooks Illustrated; via Smells Like Home, and Annie’s Eats.

Egg Salad

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I can’t believe I’d never made egg salad prior to this. You think it’s something that your grandmother made, and it is, but for good reason! It’s a quick, inexpensive lunch or dinner. I’ve always been a huge fan of deviled eggs, but I never make them for just us. Egg salad is a wonderful way to get those flavors without all the work. Plus, it’s VERY open to adaptation. You could easily make it more healthy by using yogurt for some/all of the mayonnaise. I’m also really looking forward to playing around with the flavorings. I added a bit of curry powder for this batch – but tons of flavor combinations are possible. The sky is the limit! Next time I think I’ll be adding some chipotle peppers to the mix. Mmm, or some of my best friend’s mother’s pepper relish. I’m hoping to score another jar this year!

I served it on rye toast this go round. I wouldn’t suggest toasting the bread as much as I did. For something with a delicate texture ,like egg salad, you need a relatively soft bread. So, if you’re going to toast, heed my advice and tread lightly. It would probably be wonderful in a whole-wheat tortilla with some additional veggies – tomatoes and sprouts, perhaps? Or, there’s always the classic presentation on a bed of lettuce or greens. However you mix it up, or serve it – it’s sure to please. A definite classic that everyone needs in their recipe box!

Egg Salad

Makes about 3 cups (5 sandwiches)

8 eggs
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced red onion
½ stalk celery, chopped fine (about 3 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper

1. Place eggs in medium saucepan, cover with 1 inch of water, and bring to boil over high heat. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with 1 quart water and 1 tray of ice cubes (or equivalent). Transfer eggs to ice water bath with slotted spoon; let sit 5 minutes, peel and dice medium.

2. Mix all ingredients together in medium bowl, including pepper to taste. Serve. (Can be covered and refrigerated overnight.)

Source: adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Bacon Jam

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29 comments

This great little BBQ joint opened on Chincoteague a couple of years ago. They have numerous  wonderful specialty sandwiches, but if I was hard pressed I would have to say my favorite was “The Clipper”. It’s pulled pork, with a fresh fried boneless chicken breast on top, smothered in (get this), bacon jam. It was love at first bite. The sandwich is so large, it feeds you for about 3 days. Sadly, the place is seasonal, so you aren’t able to get this wonderous sandwich in the fall and winter months. I’d been thinking about recreating the bacon jam at home for over a year now. Well last week I finally broke down and took a swing at it, and it turned out wonderfully!

Seemed like the general consensus of the internet pointed to Not Quite Nigella’s recipe. It seemed like a winner to me. I knew the version I had at Woody’s contained bacon, brown sugar, and lots of caramelized onions. The coffee seemed like an interesting addition. Coffee is one of the main ingredients in Red Eye Gravy, which I love. Just like with chocolate, adding coffee doesn’t make it taste like coffee. It just  melds with and intensifies the porkiness. I was a little skeptical of the addition of  maple syrup, but went ahead and went with it anyways.

It is kind of time consuming. It took around 2 hours to cook down to the consistency I wanted. But, once I tasted it, I knew it was well worth the effort. The finished product is not greasy at all. I had expected a ton of fat to settle at the top when I had refrigerated it, but in the morning I was pleasantly surprised to find there was none! Draining most of the bacon grease before cooking the onions takes care of that issue. Since it’s cooked down so much, then pulsed in the food processor, it spreads on toast like a dream. With an over easy or poached egg, and a glass of orange juice it’s an ideal breakfast for the bacon lover without all the mess of frying bacon. It’s also wonderful spread on a crostinis for a quick appetizer.

Bacon Jam

Yields 1 pint

1 pound smoked bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon Sriracha or hot sauce
1 cup coffee
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup maple syrup
Black pepper to taste
extra water

In a dutch oven, fry the bacon in batches until lightly browned and beginning to crisp. Remove to paper towel lined plate and set aside. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease out of the pan.

Fry the onion and garlic in the rendered bacon fat on medium heat until translucent.

Add the bacon to the onions and garlic, and add the rest of the ingredients except for the water. Simmer for 2 hours adding 1/4 of a cup of water every 25-30 minutes or so, and stir regularly.

Jam is done when you can’t tell the onions from the bacon. Cool for about 15-20 minutes and then place in a food processor. Pulse for 2-3 seconds so that you leave some texture to the “jam”. Refrigerate up to two weeks.

Source: Adapted from Not Quite Nigella

Spanish Rice

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This rice has been a favorite in our house for a couple of years now. I got it from my good friend Stephanie, who is a California native, and a wonderful cook. It comes together in under a half an hour, allowing you that time to make whatever main dish you may be making. It goes with anything Mexican of course, but we’ve also had it as a side with grilled chicken. Absolutely love it inside a burrito.

I struggled with rice on the stove top for quite some time when I started cooking. It was always mushy, and clumpy. I hate to admit it here – but, for years my preferred method of rice cookery was the microwave. Finally I picked up the tip to sauté the rice in a bit of butter or oil before adding the water. After that, morale improved considerably. I haven’t tried it with brown rice yet, so if you do…please let me know. I’d like to start incorporating more of it into our diet, and I think it would be a relatively easy swap out. I hope you enjoy it as much as our family does. It’s a great side dish to have in your recipe box!

Spanish Rice

1 cup white rice
1 3/4 cups water
1 cup salsa
1 small red onion, diced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2 cup black olives, roughly chopped
1 tsp chicken or vegetable bullion (powder, cube, or base)
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp butter

Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and peppers to the pan, and sauté until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add rice to the pan, and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes.

Add cumin, black pepper, olives, salsa, chicken bullion, and water. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes. Remove cover and fluff with fork before serving.

Source: Mrs. Stephanie Burke