Roast potatoes

Roast potatoes

Roast potatoes

I’ve written previously about my love for Serious Eats and all things Kenji. His systematic scientific approach to cooking works every time.

His recipe for roast potatoes has a couple of steps:

1. Parboil potatoes in boiling water for 7-8 minutes

2. Toss with warm flavored oil or butter (1 tbsp of fat per russet potato- strain the aromatics out first, I used rosemary and garlic so they don’t burn)

3. Importantly – toss the potatoes around so the edges are craggy and get crunchy

4. Now roast at 450 for 15-20 min

5. Add aromatics back

https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/12/the-best-roast-potatoes-ever-recipe.html

No Knead Focaccia

Kenji starts this article stating the absolute truth “It’s difficult to make good bread today, but it’s darned easy to make hot, fresh, world-class bread tomorrow”. I should know, I have made lots of average bread when I’ve tried to bake the same day. I’m a huge fan of no-knead bread and I will always be grateful to Mark Bittman for popularizing Jim Lahey’s technique. I use the recipe in “Artisan Bread in 5 minutes a day” by Jeff Hertzberger. A long slow rise that works the gluten for you and develops a rich sourdough flavor, a closed Dutch oven to mimic the steam in professional ovens – it’s genius. I’m all set with the basic boule recipe. My focaccia though doesn’t always turn out the way I want- till now. Kenji’s recipe works for the most part- I had to add 30-50 cc more water, the dough has to be moist and tacky at the end. He made his focaccia with olives, rosemary and pistachios. I made mine with vegan hot dogs bits, rosemary and olives. My top started to burn at the 550 F temp- I covered it with some foil. Next time I’ll start the baking with the foil cover and remove it 10 min in. Still a delicious bread- I served it with spinach soup.

https://www.seriouseats.com/2015/02/how-to-make-the-best-olive-rosemary-pistachio-focaccia-bread.html