Mashed Potatoes and Celery Root

Recipe by Tyler Florence from Eat This Book

(serves 4)
1 1/2 pound celeriac bulbs, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
Chopped chives and extra virgin olive oil for garnish

Put the celery root and potatoes in a medium saucepan with cold water to cover. Add 1 teaspoon salt, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until very tender. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup liquid. Pass the vegetables through a ricer or food mill into a large bowl. Stir in the cream and butter until absorbed and the mixture is smooth. Add enough cooking liquid to make a soft puree. Season with salt, pepper, garnish with chives and a drizzle of olive oil.

Potato Fritters

Recipe by Deborah Madison from The Greens Cookbook

(makes 8 4-inch fritters)
1-1/2 lbs. potatoes
2 egg yolks
1 small onion, finely diced
salt
handful of herbs (parsley, thyme, basil, arugula leaves) chopped
1 cup grated Muenster, cheddar or jack cheese (optional, but good)
1 cup bread crumbs
4 Tablespoons oil

Cut the potatoes into pieces roughly 1-inch square. Set them in a steamer over a pan of boiling water and steam until tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer them to a bowl and gently break them up using the side of a fork, so as not to overwork them. They need not be smooth. Incorporate the egg yolk, then the onion, herbs and cheese, if using, and combine. Season to taste with salt. Shape the mixture into patties of any shape or size and press them into the bread crumbs so that both sides are coated. Heat the oil in a skillet - cast iron or non-stick frying pan works well - and fry the potato cakes until they are browned on both sides. Serve them with something cool and refreshing, like a sweet pepper chutney or sour cream.

Lentil and Roasted Garlic Soup with Sweet Potato and Kale

Adapted from Bon Appetit, March 2006

The garlic in this recipe takes a little advance planning, but you can make it a day or two ahead while your doing something else in the kitchen and after that, the recipe is a piece of cake. I have also made this with white potatoes or winter squash in place of the sweet potatoes, and every time it is outstanding!

3/4 cup olive oil
10 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
3 cups water
1/2 cup French Green Lentils
2 medium leek (white parts and green parts only) thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
7 cups (you may need 1 more) vegetable broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup red lentils
1 1/4 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
12 ounces kale, ribs discarded, leaves sliced
fresh grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Place the olive oil, garlic and rosemary in a heavy saucepan and cook over lowest possible heat until the garlic begins to brown (about 1.5 hours). Drain and reserve garlic and oil and separately, cover and chill, discard rosemary. (You can do this up to 2 days ahead of time.)

Place 3 cups water and green lentils in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer for 25 minutes, cool and drain. Meanwhile heat 1/4 cup garlic oil in a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add leek and sage and cook until leek is soft, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes. Add 7 cups broth, soy sauce, green and red lentil to pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium, cover and simmer until lentils are almost soft - about 15 minutes. Add potatoes and garlic and cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. (If you need to add more broth to keep veggies covered, do so by the 1/2 cup-full) Add kale to soup and simmer until wilted, about 5 minutes, and season with salt and pepper (won’t need much). Serve with Parmesan cheese, sprinkled on top, and warm bread on the side.

Potato, Leek and Blue Cheese Soup

Recipe by Sarah Foster from Fresh Every Day

For an even heartier soup, stir in some coarsely chopped spinach, kale or other greens at the end and cook just to wilt.

(serves 6)
4 leeks (about 2 pounds, trimmed and split lengthwise, then cut into 1/4-inch rounds
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 pear, cored and chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 pound white or yellow potatoes, peeled and chopped
6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or sage leaves
1 cup crumbled blue cheese (plus more for garnish)

Melt the butter and olive oil together in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring often, until very tender, about 10 minutes. Add the celery and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about

5 minutes. Add the pear and garlic and saute 2 minutes longer, stirring so not to brown the garlic. Add the potatoes, broth, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil over low-medium hat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are tender, about 20-25 minutes. Cool the soup slightly and transfer half to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Add the puree back to the chunky soup and stir to mix. Reheat and adjust salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in the blue cheese and rosemary and serve, topped with additional crumbles of cheese.

Coconut Curry Stir Fry

Recipe by Heather Thomason

This is a deliciously easy week night dish that is a great way to use up any vegetables you have on hand.

(serves 4)
1 head broccoli, cut into florets
1-2 bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3-4 carrots, sliced, 1/4 inch thick
***Be creative and try other veggies: green beans, cauliflower,
potatoes, eggplant or bok choy are all delicious, just cut the vegetables to be a consistent size. You’ll want to have 6-8 cups in total.
1 can coconut milk
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons good curry powder
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
cooked long grain white rice for serving

Whisk together milk, soy sauce, sugar and salt. Heat a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil for 30 seconds. Add the pepper flakes, lemon zest, garlic and curry powder and cook, stirring for 2 minutes, until very fragrant. Stir in the milk mixture and bring to a gentle boil. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly, 2-3 minutes and transfer to a bowl. Wipe out the wok and heat remaining 2 Tablespoons oil over high heat. Add the veggies and stir fry for about 5-6 minutes until crisp tender, if they start to stick add a bit of water (cooking time may vary slightly with vegetables used). Pour the curry sauce over and stir to combine. Cook for 1-2 minutes more. Stir in the basil and serve immediately over rice.

Potato, Leek and Fromage Blanc Frittata

Recipe from Food and Wine, February 2007

(serves 6)
2 medium potatoes, unpeeled (3/4 pound)
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leeks, white and tender green parts, halved and thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground pepper
10 large eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
4 ounces fromage blanc (or crumbled feta or goat cheese)

Preheat the oven to 375˚. In a medium sauce pan, cover the potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool slightly then cut into a quarter-inch dice.

In a 12-inch skillet, heat the butter over moderate heat and saute the leeks until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for 3 minutes more. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl with milk salt and pepper. Pour the eggs over the leeks and potatoes and cook for 5 minutes without stirring. Dollop the top with cheese and transfer to the oven. Bake until the eggs are set in the center, about 18 minutes. Cut into wedges to serve.

Squash and Apple Soup

Recipe adapted by Marian Burros from Out of the Earth, from The New York Times Country Weekend Cookbook

(makes about 10 cups)
3 lbs. winter squash like butternut, buttercup, delicata or hubbard, halved and seeded
olive oil
3 carrots, peeled
2 medium onions, halved but not peeled
salt and pepper
5 cloves garlic, peeled
4 apples, cored but not peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1b. red or white potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices
2 large sprigs thyme
2 quarts chicken or vegetable stock

Preheat the oven to 400˚. Place the squash cut side down on a baking sheet lightly coated with olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss the onions and carrots in a little oil and salt and place around the squash or on another baking sheet. Roast the vegetables until tender, squash - about 1 hour, onions and carrots - about 40-50 minutes. Scoop the flesh from the squash and place in a 6-8 qt. pot with the carrots. Peel the onions and add along with garlic, potatoes, apples, 2 sprigs thyme and stock. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer until potatoes are falling apart tender, about 30 minutes. Puree the soup in batches; return to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Reheat slowly before serving. The soup may be refrigerated or frozen; add a little water or stock when reheating.

Creamy Herbed Potato Soup

Recipe from Moosewood Restaurant Daily Special

(serves 4-6)
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablepsoons butter
3 cups cubed red potatoes
3 cups water
1 Tablespoon chopped, fresh dill (1 teaspoon dried)
1 1/2 teaspoon chopped, fresh marjoram (1/2 teaspoon dried)
1 cup milk
2-4 Tablspoons cream cheese (optional)

In a soup pot sauté onions, celery and salt in the butter for 5 minutes on medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, water and herbs, cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are soft, about 10 minutes. In batches, puree the mixture with milk and cream cheese. Return to the pot and taste for salt and pepper. Reheat gently and serve.

Tomato, Onion and Potato Gratin

Recipe from Chez Panisse Vegetables

(serves 6-8)
1 medium yellow onion, as thinly sliced as possible
2 1/2 lbs. red or yellow potatoes
1 1/2 lbs. tomatoes, sliced 1/8-inch thick
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon chopped thyme leaves
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock

You will need a 9-inch square or oval gratin dish with 2-inch sides. Preheat the oven to 375. Peel and slice potatoes 1/8 inch thick and hold in cold water until ready to use. Lightly oil the dish and distribute the onion slices evenly on the bottom. Drain the potatoes and arrange half of them over the onions, overlapping like shingles. Season with salt, pepper and thyme. Make a layer of tomato slices on top of the potatoes, salt and pepper them and layer with remaining thyme and garlic slices. Finish with a final layer of potatoes, more salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and white wine, and add enough chicken stock to come 2/3 inch up the sides. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover and press down on the gratin, flattening to ensure the top layer of potatoes is moistened. Continue to bake uncovered for 40 minutes until a knife pierces easily and the top is golden-brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.