Chicken Roasted Over Yukon Potatoes

What can be more delicious than a roasted chicken and potatoes? This dish is particularly flavorful because potatoes are cooked in the chicken drippings which infuses them with a rich taste.  My husband compared these potatoes to duck fat fries we hadnout recently. High compliment in my book!!! 

Ingredients:

Whole Chicken

6 tablespoons of oil (I used grape)

Herbs of choice --thyme, rosemary, sage)--I used chopped rosemary)

Salt and Pepper to taste

Potatoes washed, dried, w skin on but blemishes removed, cut into ~ 1 1/2 inch pieces 

Preheat oven to 450.

In a bowl, combine oil, herbs, salt and pepper. 

In a deep baking dish, toss the potatoes w half the oil mixture.  Place chicken breast down over the potatoes.  Roast for 20 minutes, shaking pan occasionally so potatoes don't stick. After 20 minutes, baste with oil from bottom of pan. Roast another 10 minutes. At this point, breast should be beginning to brown. 

Reduce temperature to 350. Toss potatoes w remaining oil mixture, flip chicken breast side up and baste. Continue to roast, basting occasionally till internal temperature is 155F, about another 30-40 minutes. 

At this point, the potatoes should be cooked and crisp on the outside, soft on the inside. If you wish, remove the chicken, up the oven temp to 425 and roast the potatoes another 5-10 minutes. 

Enjoy!!!

I served chicken and potatoes with fava beans.  

*adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything 

Roasted Smashed Yukon Gold Potatoes

If you are russian jewish like I am, you probably grew up eating grandma's fried potatoes. If you are  health conscious reformed Russian like I have become, it's roasted potatoes all the way. I am always roasted potatoes, but but never ever smashed them before. Somehow that extra smash took them to the next level! I made this as part of Father's Day Breakfast for hubby and he was super pleased!

Ingredients:
4-5 yukon gold potatoes
2-3 tablespoons of oil (I used grape)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
2-3 tablespoon rosemary (fresh preferred)

Preheat oven to 450. Leave the baking dish inside so that it's hot when the potatoes are added in.

Wash and pat dry potatoes. Cut into pieces, don't peel unless there are blemishes. Cut into bite size pieces. Toss with oil and salt. Don't add rosemary yet.

Add potatoes to your preheated baking dish/tray. Reduce temperature to 425. Roast about 1/2 hour tossing occasionally. Add rosemary if desired. Once the potatoes are starting to get golden, smash them a bit with a potato masher, spray with a bit of cooking spray or add a drop more oil. Toss and roast another 10 minutes or so.

Enjoy!

Sunday Brunch: Poached Eggs, Roasted Potatoes, Ramp Leaves and OrganicBacon

Ours is a busy family and because of this, we often don’t get to eat meals together. Our favorite family meal is Sunday breakfast. Which is really becoming more brunch as the kiddos get older.
That combined with my poached egg obsession, gets you the lovely brunchy meal below.

Poached Eggs seem so simple but are actually tricky. I have watched a few YouTube videos and tried a few recipes till finally found this one that results in perfection. Not surprisingly, it’s by smitten kitchen http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2008/08/how-to-poach-an-egg-smitten-kitchen-style/
this entry shows pictures along the way and is the best step by step that I have seen.

If you follow this recipe, you will get that perfect poached egg, I promise! Well at least after a few botched attempts!
I will note that this has only worked for me by poaching eggs individually which is why husband gets only ONE instead of two.

POACHED EGGS:

Heat a pot with a few inches of water in it. You will need enough to COVER the egg.
Put a splash of vinegar in the water. This helps to tighten the egg, in my opinion, you do not taste the vinegar.

Heat the water till it’s hot but NOT boiling or simmering. You want hot water BEFORE it simmers. If it simmers, reduce the flame.

Break the egg CAREFULLY into a small dish or ramekin.

Make a whirlpool in the water with a fork or a spatula and very carefully slide the egg in the middle, continue to create the whirlpool AROUND the egg for a few seconds. Now leave it alone for a few minutes. If your egg gets stuck, CAREFULLY slide a spatula under for about 30 seconds. In about 2-3 minutes your poached egg should be ready.

Scoop it out with a slotted spoon. Let it drain on a paper towel. Serve.

For each additional egg, repeat above. Time consuming but so worth it!

I served with roasted potatoes, organic bacon by Applegate, ramps (wild leeks that are currently in season) and a flat bagel.

ROASTED POTATOES

4-5 potatoes, washed, dried, cut into ½ pieces
Peel if the skin is not good, otherwise leave the skin
2 tablespoons of oil (I use grape)
Salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 425degrees. I use my Breville Smart Convection Oven—you will see it listed under my favorite products.
Otherwise, regular oven is fine. Toss potatoes with oil and salt. Roast about ½ hour till golden brown.

RAMPS
Wash and spin dry ramp leaves. I already used the bulbs earlier in the week so I only had leaves.
Heat a pan with a tablespoon of oil (I used grape). Add ramps, cook till wilted. Add a bit of salt.