Potatoes With Fleur De Sel Butter Grilled Sardines And Ham Recipes

TOURTIERE DE FLEUR-ANGE (FLEUR-ANGE'S PORK PIE)

Steps:

• In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine pork, water, celery and leaves, onions, garlic, parsley, savory, cinnamon, cloves, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes, adding more water, if necessary, to prevent mixture from drying. Adjust seasoning, if necessary. Let cool.
• Line two 8-inch pie plates with pastry and fill with meat mixture. Roll out top crusts, cutting a generous vent in the centre of each. (Mme Fleur-Ange Rochon always cut her vents in the shape of an evergreen tree.) Cover each pie with top crust, trim pastry, crimp the edges to seal, and cut small steam vents. Brush top of pastry with egg yolk and milk mixture.
• Bake pies in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden. Serve either hot or cold with pickles or relish.
• Tip: Meat pies may be made ahead and refrigerated. Unbaked pies may be refrigerated for 24 hours, or frozen. Thaw in refrigerator before baking.
• For Pastry:
• In a bowl, mix 2 cups sifted, all-purpose flour with 1/4 teaspoon salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in 3/4 cup chilled, cubed shortening or lard until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Measure 1/4 to 1/3 cup ice water. Sprinkle over mixture, a spoonful at a time, stirring with a fork, adding just enough water so dough holds together. Shape into a ball, press into a flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. Leftover pastry can be frozen for later use.

LAYERED POTATOES FROM BAHIA DE CASARES

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes with enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat and simmer actively for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are just tender. Remove from the heat, drain and, when cool enough to handle, slice the potatoes 1/8inch thick.
• While the potatoes are cooking, in a large heavy skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and remove from the heat.
• Preheat the oven to 425/. In a small bowl, combine the garlic and herbs and toss together to mix evenly. Brush a large oval or rectangular baking dish with a little olive oil and place one layer of sliced potatoes, slightly overlapping, in the bottom. Distribute about 1/4 of the sliced onions
• evenly over the potatoes, then scatter a little of the garlic-herb mixture over the top and drizzle with a little olive oil. Make another layer of potatoes and repeat until all the potatoes, onions, and garlic mixture have been used up, finishing with a layer of the olive oil and herb mixture.
• Pour the chicken stock around the edges of the pan so as not to disturb the herb topping, and cover with aluminum foil. Bake on the lower middle shelf of the oven for about 30 minutes,until the potatoes are perfectly tender. Remove the foil and cook for 5 to 10 minutes more, until the top is slightly dried. If desired, scatter the cheese over the top after removing the foil. Serve warm.

GRILLED SARDINES

Steps:

• Prepare a hot grill, making sure the grill is oiled. Rinse the sardines, and dry with paper towels. Toss with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
• When the grill is ready, toss the rosemary sprigs directly on the fire. Wait for the flames to die down, then place the sardines directly over the heat, in batches if necessary. Grill for a minute or two on each side, depending on the size. Transfer from the grill to a platter using tongs or a wide metal spatula, and serve with lemon wedges.

SMALL POTATOES WITH FLEUR DE SEL

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with 2 inches of water, and season with about 1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt. Bring to a boil, and cook until the potatoes are just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
• In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, and saute, shaking the pan from time to time, until the potatoes are browned in patches, 10 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve, passing a small dish of fleur de sel at the table.

POTATO CHIPS WITH FLEUR DE SEL DE GUéRANDE

Steps:

• Slice the potatoes into paper-thin slices using a mandoline or a very sharp knife. As soon as the potatoes are sliced, put them in a bowl of ice water.
• Heat the oil to 325°F in an electric deep-fryer or a heavy deep saucepan. If using a saucepan, you will need a deep-fat fry thermometer to make sure that the oil stays at a constant temperature.
• Lift the potatoes from the water and arrange them in a single layer on a clean dish towel. Wrap the towel around the potatoes and wring out as much water from the potatoes as you can without crushing the slices. If the potatoes are still damp after the towel will absorb no more, transfer to another towel and wring again.
• Fry the potatoes in two batches; your goal is to make sure all the potato surfaces are in contact with the hot oil, so crowding is a no-no. Stir the slices as needed to keep them separate and fry until tender enough to become floppy, but not brown, about 4 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and put on a wire rack set on a sheet pan to catch the drips. Let cool.
• Once all the potatoes are fried and cooled, heat the oil to 375°F. Fry the once-fried potatoes in three batches until browned and crisp, 30 to 45 seconds per batch. Transfer onto a double layer of paper towels to drain. Immediately sprinkle the chips with the salt and serve warm. I like shaking the chips with salt in a paper bag to coat them better and to remove additional oil.
• Universal as the love of chips may be, not everyone agrees on what makes the perfect cut for a chip. Different chips can be turned to different purposes. Crinkle-cut chips prove best (or at least less frustrating) for dipping in clam dip. Thicker chips might do the job with steak tartare or Niçoise salad. Thinner chips may be best for light snacking with a sip of Highland single-malt whisky before or after dinner.