Provencale Potato Ragout With Green Olives Recipes

CRISP RED SNAPPER WITH RAGOUT OF POTATOES, ONIONS, ARTICHOKES, AND GREEN OLIVES WITH SAUCE VIERGE

Steps:

• For the Fish: Season the fish fillets with salt and pepper. Pour 3 tablespoons of oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, but not smoking, place fish in pan skin side down, gently pressing on the fish so it does not curl up. From this point turn down the heat to medium and do not touch the fish. The skin will become crispy and release itself from the pan. Cook for 4 minutes on the skin side, and turn the fish over, cooking for 2 more minutes or just until done. Keep warm.
• For the Ragout: In a medium saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the potatoes and onions, sauteing them until warmed through and a little color has appeared on the potatoes. Add the artichokes and olives and cook another 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking until the potatoes are tender. Drizzle remaining1 tablespoon of olive oil into the ragout before plating. Serve warm.
• Cut the lemon in half. Squeeze 1 tablespoon of juice from half of the lemon into a bowl, removing any seeds that may fall into the bowl. Slice the other half of the lemon into thin slices, and place them in the bowl. Add the garlic, tomatoes, and parsley to the bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir to combine.
• Spoon the ragout evenly into 4 warm bowls, or deep plates. Top the ragout with the fish, skin side up. Drizzle the sauce on top of the fish and serve immediately.

JULIA CHILD'S PROVENçAL POTATO GRATIN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees and place a rack at the middle level. In a large saucepan, combine onions and 2 tablespoons olive oil and stir to coat over low heat. Sprinkle lightly with salt. At a gentle simmer, cook uncovered until onions are softened and lightly golden, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often. Do not brown; lower the heat if necessary. When done, fold in tomatoes just until heated through. Set aside.
• In a small food processor or a mortar, add the anchovies - anywhere from 6 to 12 fillets, depending on their size and your taste. Add garlic, herbs and a dozen grinds of pepper. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil (or use the oil from the anchovy can, if you like). Crush or pulse together into a chunky paste, thinning with oil as needed to make a loose, fluid mixture.
• In a medium-size baking dish, spread a quarter of the onion-tomato mixture. On top, arrange half the potato slices, then half the anchovy mixture. Add half the remaining onion-tomato mixture. Build one more layer with remaining potato slices, anchovy mixture and onion-tomato mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top and drizzle with olive oil.
• If the dish is very full, place on a baking sheet. Transfer to oven and bake, uncovered, until potatoes are tender and have absorbed all of the juices in the bottom of the dish, 40 to 50 minutes. Test by tasting a bit of potato; it should be soft all the way through, with no raw taste. If the top is browning too fast, cover very loosely with a sheet of foil. If the top is not brown enough when the potatoes are cooked, broil briefly until deliciously glazed.
• Serve gratin hot or warm. Can be cooled and reheated later the same day, but do not refrigerate.

COUPLE-OF-MINUTE STEAKS AND POTATO RAGOUT

Steps:

• Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with about 2 tbsp of the EVOO. Add the diced potatoes to the skillet and spread them out in an even layer. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper and let them brown for about 2 minutes, resisting the urge to shake or stir the pan. Once browned on one side, go ahead and give the skillet a stir and shake. Then leave it be for another minutes. Add the thyme, rosemary, onions, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions start to look translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the white wine and cook until the potatoes are tender, 5 to 6 minutes more.
• Once the potatoes are almost tender, preheat another large skillet over high heat with the remaining 2 tbsp of EVOO for the minute steaks. Season the steaks with salt and add to the hot skillet. Sear the steaks for 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
• While the steaks are cooking, add the cherry tomatoes and parsley to the potatoes. Toss and stir to incorporate. Heat the tomatoes for about 1 minute. Turn the heat off and add the cold butter, stirring constantly until the butter has melted. Serve the minute steaks with the potato ragout.

PROVENCAL POTATOES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place potatoes, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and olives in a medium bowl. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss to coat vegetables.
• Fold parchment piece in half, cut into a half-heart shape, and open. Place vegetable mixture on parchment, 2 to 3 inches from the crease, and scatter rosemary and thyme sprigs on top. Fold the other half of parchment over the ingredients. Make small overlapping folds to seal the edges, starting at the top of the heart.
• Two inches from the end, twist the parchment twice, gently but firmly, to seal the packet. Place packet on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and open packet. Use your fingers to crumble the herbs, discarding the stems. (Don't worry about burning your fingers; the sprigs will have dried during cooking and the leaves will come off the stems easily.) Carefully pull off the skin of the tomatoes, which will have loosened. Using a fork, break up the tomatoes and stir into the potatoes. Serve immediately.

PROVENCALE POTATO RAGOUT WITH GREEN OLIVES

Steps:

• 1. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute 10 minutes or until soft, stirring frequently.
• 2. Add tomato; cook 10 minutes or until the liquid almost evaporates, stirring frequently. Add potatoes and next 6 ingredients (potatoes through bay leaves); bring to a boil.
• 3. Cover; reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes or until potato is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in olives; cook an additional 5 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaves.