Farm(er's Market) Fresh Fried Potatoes

This is the only picture I have of the potatoes I made the other night.



Gone. All gone before I even thought to snap a quick pic. This has only happened once before and it was during my early food blogging days (see spinach and artichoke mac and cheese). These potatoes were delightful. They were flavorful with just the right texture: slight crisp to the outside and unbelievably creamy on the inside. Make these now (assuming you have a half bottle of corn oil, fresh sage, artichokes and 3 varieties of potatoes sitting around).

I bought the beautiful variety potatoes and fresh sage for this recipe (unfortunately not pictured) at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market. It is one of my favorite places to be early in the day on a Sunday. It is a big farmer's market that is made up of half farm fresh foods (fruits, vegetables, herbs, cheeses, eggs, nuts, beans, etc) and half prepared or made-to-order hot foods (pancakes, omelets, tamales, quesadillas, sausages, breads, coffee, crepes, corn, etc). There are also some boutique clothing and jewelry vendors sprinkled throughout. It is about a block from the beach in Santa Monica so the breeze is perfect for a hot day. Just ask Stanley...



There are farmer's markets are all over the city. I have seen bigger ones (Hollywood Farmer's Market on Sundays) and smaller ones (Larchmont Farmer's Market on Sundays) that I really enjoy, but the Santa Monica one has got a history with me. It is a big part of what made me fall in love with California the first time I visited. The idea of someday being able to go to the market any Sunday I wanted was just so appealing to me. I also used to dream about taking my dog for a walk around the area after eating a huge breakfast (the omelets are my favorite) because Santa Monica is probably the most dog-friendly areas in the city (even though they are not allowed in the actual market itself or even on the sand at the beach). It is every bit as delightful as I thought it would be, and Stanley looooooooved looking at the kites that were flying as we strolled down the walkway at the beginning of the sand. I still think about how I would love to live so close to the market that I could wake up and just walk there (Someday?).



If you find yourself in Los Angeles, this farmer's market is a must. I recommend the omelets (the biggest you have ever seen); they make it right in front of you as you tell them what you want in it. Oh, and the line is worth it. The pancakes are also huge and delicious with fresh blueberries. I rarely stray from either of those two things, but everything looks amazing so I don't think you can go wrong.



I have been meaning to make these potatoes for a really long time after reading about them on another food blog, Caviar and Codfish. It has a lot of great recipes and pictures that do them justice. You can find an original picture of these potatoes (instead of the one I have after they have been demolished by 6 hungry people) as well as the incredible meal that was made to go with them HERE .

Farm(er's Market) Fresh Fried Potatoes with Sage and Artichokes
(slightly adapted for convenience from Caviar and Codfish)

2 1/2 lbs potatoes, purple, new and fingerling
1/2 jar of artichokes, patted dry (original recipe called for about 8 fresh artichokes, but I didn't want to experiment with trimming them and prepping them properly this time around...the ones from the jar were fine for now, but I would like to try it again with the fresh ones)
1 handful (small), fresh sage leaves
corn oil, however much you need to almost submerge the potatoes in the pot...it was about 3/4 of a small bottle for me.
kosher salt (original recipe calls for fleur de sel which is probably best, but I didn't have any)
Shaved Parmesan cheese (optional - not part of original recipe)

Fill a very large skillet or heavy-bottomed pot halfway with corn oil and place over med-high heat.
Cut the potatoes into thirds or quarters (depending on the size of each - the cut potatoes should all end up as the same size before frying).
After about 5 minutes, add the potatoes to the hot oil (the recipe says the oil should be 350F-375F, but I did not have a way of knowing how hot the oil was so I just put the potatoes in at 5 minutes)
Leave the potatoes in the skillet/pot undisturbed for 5 minutes, and then stir with a long spoon (don't get splashed with hot oil!). The idea here is to shift the potatoes around in the pot so the ones cooking faster can switch places with the ones cooking slower in different positions in the pot.
Leave the potatoes alone again for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, take the artichokes out of the jar, and pat dry with a paper towel (or of course, prep your fresh artichokes).
After the 8 minutes, add artichokes and stir.
Continue to fry the potatoes with the artichokes 10-15 minutes.
When the potatoes start to turn golden and become crispy on the outside (go ahead, take one out, blow on it to cool and give it a try), add the sage leaves for the last minute of frying (they will become crispy really quickly).
Remove everything from the pot and drain on paper towels set out over either a baking sheet or paper bags.
Sprinkle with kosher salt (or better, as the recipe says, fleur de sel).
I also sprinkled some shaved Parmesan cheese over te top of the hot potatoes which i think worked well. The original recipe also suggests serving with lemon wedges which would be nice too.

BONUS! I was also making some jalapenos stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped with bacon at the time, so I scraped a couple chunks of toasted cream cheese that had been left on the baking sheet from that, and plopped them in the potatoes. It probably equaled less than a tablespoon of cream cheese, but I think it added a fun hint of flavor.

The Spin Zone

The spin starts here...



...followed by the artichoke, and the cream cheese, and the Parmesan.

Now, I don't want to alienate any potential blog readers. I just have a strong feeling I won't by saying Bill O'Reilly is an ass. I hope you will notice that this is the first slightly-inappropriate-however-more-and-more-generally-accepted-term I have used during my blogging experience, but I need it for emphasis. I challenge you to find a better word. "The No-Spin Zone" is the term O'Reilly uses to describe his program. Ironically, I would describe him as the least principle-based "news" personality on television. Others in close competition include Keith "anyone-who-disagrees-with-me-is-wrong-just-check-out-my-hip-frames-and-snarky-glances-into-the-camera" Olberman and Sean "I-count-all-my-invalid-points-out-on-my-fingers-to-make-them-seem-more-credible-I-also-whine-like-a-small-child" Hannity. Fox News and MSNBC seem to be competing constantly to see who can get away with the most bias while keeping a straight face.

If nothing else, these shows (The O'Reilly Fcator, Countdown and Hannity's America) are entertaining in an infuriating way. And if there is one thing they all have in common, it is SPIN. So in honor of these fine gentlemen and their spinning tendencies (no matter how far they go to deny it), let's see about another spinach casserole recipe.

This was perfectly prepared by my sister-in-law, Katie, for Christmas dinner this year. Since this girl has joined the family, she has brought nothing but wonderful things: true love for my brother, amazing friendship for me, one adorable little daughter, followed by another and finally this casserole. It was definitely a welcome dish at the table as the dish was wiped practically clean by the end of the meal. In fact, it was the only dish that was spared from becoming "leftovers". This would be a great addition to any holiday meal or potluck dinner. The recipe comes from my brother and sister-in-law's friend, Krista (who is married to one of my brother's best friends). After trying this dish, I would be anxious to see what other recipes Krista has up her oven mitt.

Spinach Artichoke Casserole

(Recipe from Krista Dearolf's family)

2 packs frozen chopped spinach, thawed
8 oz cream cheese at room temp (Reduced Fat if you want)
1 14 oz can of artichoke hearts
2 tablespoons milk
4 tablespoons butter at room temp (sometimes I leave this out for less fat)
1/2 cup (or more if you want!) real grated parmesan + extra for topping

Squeeze all liquid from the chokes and put on bottom of small to medium casserole dish.



Drain thawed spinach by squeezing all water out with hands or towel and place on top of artichokes.
Mix cheese, butter, and milk with mixer.



Spread this mixture as the third layer.
If desired, sprinkle more parmesan as fourth layer.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes covered with foil. Take off foil, and bake for 10 more minutes until golden and yummy looking. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

The List

Everyone has their own list of foods they do not like and will not eat under any circumstances. Who knows how certain foods get on this list. I know for some of us, there are foods on our respective lists that we have never even tried before or at least have not tried in a very long time. For example, my intolerance for mayonnaise comes from a time in my childhood when a friend’s mother made me a bologna and mayo sandwich. I was not used to mayonnaise in my sandwiches. My mom used to make them with just bologna, and that was the way I liked them. I believe it was that episode that stuck mayonnaise on the list for me until the end of time. I have not really tried it since then, but it is just the smell at this point that makes me queasy. This recently got me wondering what is on my list and why. I did not want my list to get too long because I don’t like missing out on too many things when it comes to food. In my conscious effort to slash my list, I think I have done a pretty good job in the past year or so. Here are just a few things that used to be on this list that have since been removed:

Chicken on the bone – This was a great hurdle to get over, but there are so many times I find myself in a position where this is what is for dinner (with no escape). I do not remember the specific dish that got me out of my funk, but now I eat it all the time and even make it myself without even a second thought.

Sushi – Everyone kept saying you just have to have it from a good place. This infuriated me because it was like people just did not believe me when I said I did not like to eat it. People, it is raw fish! I think I eased into this one by tasting a Philly Roll (salmon and cream cheese) dipped in the wasabi and soy sauce that Zach ordered once. And no, it was not from a “good place”. It had more to do with the mood I was in I suppose. Either way, I am glad I like it now; it is very un-Californian to hate sushi.

Avocado – The only thing more Californian than sushi is avocado. These people put it in everything: their salads, their sandwiches, pizzas, burritos, tacos, omelets, etc. I found myself asking waiters to 86 the avocado from pretty much 50% of dishes I would order in restaurants. It was not until last December, when we had our assistants’ holiday potluck that I even tasted guacamole for the first time. We were waiting on everyone to arrive, and I was starving. There were chips and guacamole that someone had made sitting on the table, and I thought I would give it a shot. Check!

Honeydew – This green melon is just too prominent in fruit salads. I was sick of leaving ½ of the fruit salad on my plate at restaurants. Everyone just needs to suck it up and eat the green chunks. It is tolerable and even good at times if it is ripe.

Mushrooms – It was out of necessity that I learned to like mushrooms. Every time we ordered a pizza, Zach would want pepperoni and mushrooms. It was just silly to pick them off every single time so eventually I just left them on. I will even dare to say I like them now if cooked and seasoned properly.

Beer – Light beer is the alcoholic drink with the least amount of calories for the amount of liquid you get. It is also the cheapest adult beverage you can buy when out “for drinks” with friends, which is an inevitable and even frequent situation if you work in the entertainment industry. If you are watching your weight and your wallet, it is really the best thing you can do for yourself to learn to like light beer.

A few things are still on the list and are likely to remain for the rest of time, but I guess you never know. For now, my list remains small:

mayonnaise
tuna (excluding ahi tuna)
cucumbers
chicken salad
egg salad

A great way to ease into something that is on your list is to try a dish that includes the food instead of just eating the food on its own (the same way I started to like mushrooms on pizza). I slashed artichokes from my list a long time ago after trying spinach and artichoke dip for the first time. I love spinach and artichoke dip. When I found a recipe for spinach and artichoke macaroni and cheese, my heart melted. It just sounded like the marriage between two things that I could not love more. It did not disappoint.

All Good Things Come Together Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese

(a Rachel Ray recipe)

Salt to taste
1 pound regular or whole wheat penne (cooked al dente according to box instructions)
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups milk
1 tsp nutmeg
1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and wrung dry
1 10-ounce box frozen chopped artichokes, defrosted and wrung dry
Ground black pepper
1 1/4 cups shredded Italian Fontina cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top
1 1/4 cups grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus additional for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

While the pasta is cooking, place a medium pot over medium-low heat with 2 turns of the pan of olive oil and the butter. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and cook the veggies until very soft, about 10 minutes.
Turn the heat up to medium-high and sprinkle the flour into the pan. Cook for about 1 minute then whisk the wine into the pan, cooking for another minute. Whisk the milk into the pan and bring up to a bubble. Add the nutmeg, veggies (spinach and artichoke), some salt and pepper to the sauce, and simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes. Add the cheeses to the sauce and stir until melted.
Toss the prepared sauce with the cooked pasta and transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle some more Fontina and Parmigiano over the top and bake until the cheese has melted and the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.



Pictures of the batch I made were digitally misplaced so this is a picture from Rachel Ray's website. I will replace it with my own picture the next time I make it, but I did not want anyone to have to wait another minute to try this.