Category Archives: SIDE DISH RECIPES

CHAMP (MASHED POTATOES WITH GREEN ONIONS)

Since this recipe is part of my St. Patrick’s Day food series, I felt duty bound to tell you a little bit about the history of the infamous solanum tuberosum. According to a potato article written by Linda Stradley of What’s Cooking America, “The potato was carried from South America to Italy and England about 1585, to Belgium and Germany by 1587, to Austria about 1588, and to France around 1600. Wherever the potato was introduced, it was considered weird, poisonous, and downright evil. In France and elsewhere, the potato was accused of causing not only leprosy, but syphilis, narcosis, scrofula, early death, sterility, rampant sexuality, and of destroying the soil where it grew. There was so much opposition to the potato that an edict was made in the town of Besancon, France stating: “In view of the fact that the potato is a pernicious substance whose use can cause leprosy, it is hereby forbidden, under pain of fine, to cultivate it.” In 1589, Sir Walter Raleigh, British explorer and historian known for his expeditions to the Americas, first brought potatoes to Ireland and planted them at his estate in Myrtle Grove, Youghal, (near Cork), Ireland. Legend has it that he made a gift of the potato plant to Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603). The local gentry were invited to a royal banquet featuring the potato in every course. Unfortunately, the cooks were uneducated in the matter of potatoes, tossed out the lumpy-looking tubers and brought to the royal table a dish of boiled stems and leaves (which are poisonous), which promptly made everyone deathly ill. The potatoes were then banned from court.” (All I can say to that is thank God France eventually came to its senses.  After all, where would French haute cuisine be without pommes frites? Or McDonalds for that matter!)

So now that we know the historical roots of the potato in Ireland (and elsewhere in Europe), let’s continue with Ireland’s current use of the simple potato. (And yes I know I skipped over one of the most devastating times in Irish history by omitting any reference to the Great Potato Famine (1845-49), but it is simply too sad to even mention in an otherwise light hearted blog.) Potatoes, especially when they are mashed, are high on the list of Irelands favorite method of preparing this lovely tuber. In some cases, kale or cabbage is mixed with the mashed potatoes (Colcannon). My personal favorite is called Champ. Champ is simply creamy mashed potatoes laced with plenty of green onions. Yum! A little story about me when I was a very young child.  According to my mom, at the ripe old age of two or so, given the choice between a bowl of ice cream or a green onion, I would invariably choose the green onion. And at about the same age, and because of my passion for them, my parents nicknamed me Patti “mashed potatoes” Merz (my maiden name). So, do you think it any wonder that I find Champ to be absolutely delicious? Feel free to bet your last penny whistle on that one!

  • 2 lbs. gold or red potatoes, peeled or unpeeled, cut into same size pieces
  • kosher salt
  • 1 c. whole milk (or part half and half)
  • 3/4 c. thinly sliced green onions
  • 6 T. butter, divided
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • fresh chives, opt. garnish

Place potatoes in a large covered pan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Add a liberal amount of kosher salt, cover, reduce heat and cook until tender. Meanwhile, pour milk into a small saucepan, add green onions and simmer together for 4-5 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons of the butter and remove from heat. Stir in a few grinds of pepper. When potatoes are tender, drain and mash them together with the milk and butter mixture. Adjust seasoning and serve immediately topped with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and garnished with chives. Great with corned beef or anytime a creamy, rich, decadent side dish is required.

MEXICAN RICE

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I don’t like Spanish rice or the rice served in most Mexican restaurants. (I know, that’s tantamount to saying I don’t like chocolate!) But, in fact, with the exception of a particularly delicious paella I once enjoyed in Spain and a fine recipe I have for cabbage rolls, I don’t like rice and tomatoes cooked together! And I know, once again I am in the minority. (I’m actually quite OK with that!) So when I wanted to serve Mexican food before one of our in-home concerts, I realized I was going to have to go on an internet search for the perfect Mexican rice dish, sans tomatoes. (Remember, it’s really just all about me!) And there, in living color on a web site entitled Creative Culinary, I found the perfect side dish rice recipe. To my thinking it is absolutely the quintessential rice dish to serve with Mexican food. (I did make a couple of changes, but the bones of the recipe are from my web search.) This rice is not what I refer to as a “filler” dish. In other words, it can stand proudly by itself and need not feel inferior to the other dishes I may be serving. (I truly want all my dishes to feel equally loved.) And, as is so often the case with fabulous dishes, it is also lovely with other types of cuisine. So if you too happen to be in the minority on tomatoes and rice being well suited for each other, I promise you will not be disappointed with this recipe, unless of course, you can’t abide cilantro. If that’s the case, and I understand because I too did not appreciate cilantro until a few years back, you are just plain out of luck today. But stick around; tomorrow’s recipe could be exactly what you have been searching for your entire adult life. Well, it could!!

Rice: 

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 T. minced Serrano chili
  • 2 c. long-grain white rice
  • 3 1/4 c. chicken broth
  • 3/4 tsp. kosher salt

Heat oil in a large covered saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add garlic, Serrano, and rice; sauté until onion is translucent, about 3 minutes more. Mix in broth and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until rice is just tender and broth is absorbed, about 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover, and set aside until lukewarm, stirring occasionally. When ready to serve add Cilantro Dressing. If the rice seems too dry after it has been dressed, add a tad more olive oil. Rice can be prepared 2 hours ahead without refrigeration. (If you are making the rice way ahead of time, refrigerate before you add the dressing. Remove from refrigerator a couple of hours before you plan to serve.

Cilantro Dressing:

  • 1/2 c. (packed) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 1/2 T. white wine vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp. minced seeded Serrano chili
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in food processor; blend until almost smooth.   (Can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature and whisk before adding to cooked rice.) Serve rice warm or at room temoerature.

 

WHITE CHEDDAR CHEESE GRITS

So, you’re asking yourself, why is Patti, the highly sophisticated world traveler and lover of the arts, posting a recipe for something as ordinary as grits? I believe that to be a very fair question and worthy of a dignified answer. Because they’re darned good honey, that’s why! Allow me to elaborate. A few years ago when Mr. C. and I were visiting daughter Eden and her family, Eden fixed grits for us one morning for breakfast. This was about the same time polenta started appearing on every menu in America. I had tried polenta several times while dining, and frankly had not been very impressed. So I wasn’t coming to the table (so to speak) with much hope that grits would taste any better. Ho baby, was I wrong! And I have to tell you when I am wrong, I am usually very, very wrong. This time was no exception. Eden’s grits were so amazing I could not stop eating them.  I was absolutely blown away. I immediately begged for the recipe. As soon as I checked out the ingredient list I knew why this dried ground hominy dish had stolen my heart. Butter, heavy cream, and sharp white cheddar cheese! The unholy trinity of health conscious people everywhere. So, needless to say, White Cheddar Cheese Grits do not grace our table on a frequent basis. But when I want to impress the socks off guests or am feeling particularly in need of a good pampering, I fix this recipe. And for those readers who love polenta, I must confess that over the years I too have come to love it as much as I do any other starchy food. That is to say, with a passion!  I just know that had “carbohydrate” been one of the 12 signs of the zodiac, I would have been born under it (with “dairy” ascending, of course)!

  • 2 c. milk
  • 1 c. water
  • ¾ c. quick grits (like Albers)
  • 1/3 c. butter
  • ¾ c. heavy cream or evaporated milk
  • 2 ½ c. grated sharp white cheddar cheese
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • 6-12 drops hot sauce
  • 1/3 c. chopped fresh chives, opt.
  • paprika

Bring the milk and water to a boil in a medium sized covered sauce pan. Slowly whisk in the grits. Cover pan and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter, cream, cheese, salt, and pepper to taste. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, hot sauce, and chives. Gradually add the egg mixture to the hot grit mixture, stirring vigorously to prevent eggs from curdling. Pour into a buttered casserole dish, sprinkle with paprika, and bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and puffy. Serve for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

PASTA WITH BUTTER AND SAGE SAUCE

When it comes to pasta, I am a sucker! I like everything pasta. Plain, fancy, smothered in sauce, meatless, in soup – you name it. And because I am such a huge fan, I have made many pasta dishes over the years. One of my favorites is this incredibly unpretentious, meatless pasta that can be served as either a main or side dish. And the most amazing thing, besides of course how wonderful this pasta tastes, is how easy and inexpensive it is to prepare. (I love that!) So if you can’t think of anything to fix for dinner some evening when you only have the strength for about 20 minutes in the kitchen, give this recipe a try.

A quick word about sage. Although most grocery stores carry fresh sage leaves, you might consider growing your own sage bush. Sage is extremely easy to grow, and it over-winters very well, at least in the areas around the Pacific NW that are fairly mild. In fact, sage grows almost as well as many of our more aggressive and sinister weeds! God bless them. (And I mean that in the most sarcastic way possible!) And while you are at it, think about planting some oregano and a bay tree also. Just pay very close attention to your oregano plant. Oregano can turn against you and become as much of a problem as those darling weeds I referenced above. And I think I made myself pretty clear on how I feel about them! So keep oregano contained in a planter or in an area where it can’t become a nuisance. Think mint!

  • ¼ lb. to 1/3 lb. pasta*
  • 4 T. butter (don’t even think about using anything but real butter)
  • 8-9 fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped
  • 4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese
  • freshly ground black pepper

While your pasta cooks to al dente’, melt butter in a medium sized sauté pan.  Cook until the butter is a light golden brown. Quickly add the chopped sage leaves and remove from heat. (I say quickly because brown butter can go to burned butter in the twinkling of an eye!) Add the lemon juice. Drain the pasta, reserving about ¼ cup of the cooking water. Carefully pour the drained pasta into the sauté pan and return to low heat. Add the cheese, a grind or two of pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water. Toss to coat and let cook until water absorbed, about a minute. If pasta appears too dry, add another tablespoon or two of cooking water. Serve immediately.

*Linguini is lovely with this sauce, but pumpkin or butternut squash ravioli is absolutely divine.

Side Dish Suggestions (when serving pasta as a main dish): a crisp green salad and crusty, chewy baguette slices

Wine Pairing: Pinot Grigio

NOODLES ROMANOFF

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I have been making this pasta dish (my version of an old Betty Crocker recipe) for over 40 years. I love it. It’s rich and ever so creamy. But a dish with a name that literally smacks of Russian aristocracy absolutely demands at least a small nod to its origin. And since my blog is intended for a learned and sophisticated audience, I knew you too would be interested in any information I could glean on the subject. So off to Wikipedia I went (my favorite source for semi-accurate information on the most obscure subjects imaginable).  Like I said above, I really thought the name “Romanoff” must have something to do with The House of Romanov, which was the second and last imperial dynasty to rule (1613-1917) over Russia. But nothing I read seemed conclusive enough to point in that direction. What I did learn however, was that “Noodles Romanoff” was a gangster and head of an evil organization N.A.S.T.Y. (National Association of Spies, Traitors and Yahoos) in an animated  American children’s television comedy series that first aired in 1965. Starring Roger Ramjet and the American Eagle Squadron, the show was known for its crude animation, frenetic pace, and frequent references to popular culture, which allowed the show to entertain various age groups.

Along with the villainous “Noodles”, there was another gangster name in the series that caught my eye – Tequila Mockingbird. So once again it was off to my favorite search engine to learn if “Tequila Mockingbird” produced any results. Turns out it’s a drink containing (you guessed it!) – rum! Well no, but it does sound like a drink that could either be really, really delicious, or absolutely horrid. (I think this might be one of those drinks you either love or hate!) As there were quite a few recipes for a “Tequila Mockingbird” provided on line, I felt absolutely duty bound to pick one and share it with you. The concoction that sounds the most appealing, and not coincidentally less lethal than some of the others, contains 1 ½-oz. tequila, ¾-oz. green Crème de Menthe, and the juice of 1 lime. Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Now mind you, I have yet to try this drink, but I plan to put the resident mixologist to work in the very near future. I will let you know how it tastes, if I survive that is! And if per chance you are a fan of this drink and have the perfect recipe you are willing to share, please send me an email with preparation instructions. Can’t promise I will post your recipe, but I am always willing to perform empirical research, at least when tequila is involved! Cheers!

  • 2 T. butter
  • 2 T. flour
  • 1 ¾ c. milk
  • ¼ c. dry white wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
  • 2 T. dehydrated chopped onion
  • 1 tsp. granulated garlic
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 c. low fat sour cream
  • 1 c. grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 2-3 c. dry noodles cooked al dente

Melt the butter in a medium large saucepan. Add flour and let cook for about 2 minutes. Whisk in milk, wine, onion, garlic, and pepper. Add sour cream and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in cheese and cooked noodles. Serve immediately or spoon into a buttered casserole and keep warm in the oven set on the lowest temperature.

Side Dish Suggestion (if serving as a Main Dish): green salad, steamed veggie, and a crusty baguette

Wine Pairing: Well that should be obvious – the rest of the Pinot Grigio you used in the recipe!

 

 

REFRIGERATOR MASHED POTATOES

So, you might be asking yourself, what the lowly potato, and one made into such a non-gourmet dish as “mashed potatoes” could possibly be doing on the Chez Carr Cuisine blog? After all, isn’t this a blog about fine food, entertaining and “the good life”? Well first of all, let me begin to address your concerns by stating unequivocally, that I love potatoes! And without the ever so comfortable and delectable potato, especially when it is mashed, I’m not so sure my life would be half so good. Now don’t get me wrong. We don’t eat potatoes every day. In fact, they are not Mr. Cs favorite starch. But when I do serve them, especially mashed up with yummy additives, he enjoys them and I totally resemble that cartoon dog that floats in the air whenever he is given a dog bone (I think it was a dog bone). Whatever, you get the picture. I believe the term is rapture. And I guess while I am at it, I should go into full disclosure mode and clear up a misconception some of you might have about me. You may think I am a gourmet, but I am not. I was disqualified years ago when I went public about my passion for cheeseburgers. Not any cheeseburger you realize, but a really good cheeseburger with all the trimmings and a sauce that pulls all the wonderful flavors together. (If the saucy stuff isn’t dripping off my elbows by the time I am half way through the burger, then demerits are given and the maker is out of the will.) I take my cheeseburgers that seriously!  So am I the stuff from which gourmets are made, I think not. Are you going to find more recipes like this one on my blog, I think so!

  • 2-1/2 lbs. potatoes, cubed
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • kosher salt
  • 3-oz. cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 c. sour cream
  • ¼ c. butter, room temperature, divided
  • 2 T. freeze-dried chives, plus more for garnish
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • milk

Place cubed potatoes, garlic, and about a tablespoon of salt in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Mash potatoes and garlic cloves together with cream cheese, sour cream, 2 tablespoons of the butter, chives, pepper, and enough milk to bring to desired consistency. Taste and add salt if required. Spoon potatoes into a buttered baking dish, dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. Remove dish from refrigerator 30 minutes or so before you place, uncovered,  in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes,  or until heated through. Sprinkle with additional chives and serve immediately.

Note: I like to use a combination of red and yellow potatoes in this dish, and depending on how formal the occasion, I decide whether or not to peel the potatoes. (Actually, most of the time I leave the skins on). I like to get as many nutrients in my old body as I can. And potato skins are fairly replete with the same little devils as in the potatoes themselves.

Another Note: This is a great buffet dinner or holiday dish. It can be made well ahead of time, even the day before, and heated just before serving.