Dauphinois Potato Gratin. Very elegant!

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I've been outside enjoying this last bit of 70+ degree weather. It is so beautiful outside in the fall, don't you think? Plus, turning back the clock an hour has really helped me catch up on some z-z-z's from my sleep deprivation!


I am going to give you a very special, elegant recipe that I found in "The Vegetarian Gourmet", a cookbook printed in the '70's. This is a classic dish filled with wonderfully familiar ingredients such as garlic, cheese and cream. I am not a vegetarian, but the cookbook has many good ways to fix veggies, which we all need more of.


Now in no way is this a healthy side dish! This very French gratin recipe is rather rich and high in fat . . . it is a warm, creamy, cheesey, soul-satisfying dish that is perfect for autumn meals! Anyway every now and then we can enjoy something like this, right? Isn't the saying that "everything in moderation?"

If you prepare the pork roast recipe that I gave you a few days ago, this potato side dish is lovely combined with it. Pairing the two dishes together make a delicious Sunday afternoon dinner after church or for an elegant evening also. For a pretty plate, I'd serve some freshly steamed broccoli or asparagus alongside. The creamy-cheese sauce from the potatoes is very good to soak up into a green vegetable.


Here is this classic potato gratin recipe for you:

Dauphinois Potatoes

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded

3 Tbsp. butter

1 cup whole milk

1 cup whipping cream

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 - 6 medium Idaho potatoes (peeled and thinly sliced)

1/2 tsp. salt

Freshly ground pepper

Butter a 9" baking dish.

Gently heat the milk and cream in a saucepan, add the butter, salt and pepper.

Rub the inside of the baking dish with the garlic or sprinkle the bottom with garlic powder.

Arrange the potatoes in overlapping layers in the baking dish.

Pour the milk/cream sauce over the potatoes.

Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese on top.

Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 45 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked and well-golden browned on top and the milk has become a creamy sauce.

M-m-m-m-m-m, this is just heavenly!

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Gnocchi Verdi in Tomato Cream Sauce

On this crisp October autumn day, I have a wonderful Italian comfort food to share that is sure to fill you with warmth and goodness!

Italians love a pasta shape called "gnocchi" (pronounced NYOW-kee, emphasis on the NYOW)...the 'g' is silent and the 'o' is pronounced as in the word 'no'. These little dumplings are eaten as a "primi" or "first course" of a meal. I also love them as a pass-around side dish which several Italian restaurants also serve them (either way).

Gnocchi Verdi in Creamy Tomato Sauce

3 10-oz. packages chopped frozen spinach, thawed & squeezed dry

2 cups ricotta cheese

2 jumbo eggs and 1 egg yolk

1-1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiana Regiano cheese

1/2 cup fresh mozzarella cheese

1-1/3 cup unbleached flour (begin with 2/3 cup and add until desired result)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

2 tsp. fresh lemon zest

Tomato Cream Sauce

1/4 cup virgin olive oil

1 15 oz. can tomatoes (preferably imported Italian)

1 14 oz. can tomato sauce

4 cloves fresh garlic, pressed

8 fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 cup half and half

Chicken or vegetable broth for boiling

Gnocchi:

Mix the first five ingredients together well.

Add lemon zest and spices.

Mix in flour slowly, adding a little more if it is too sticky-wet.

Spread some flour in a shallow pan.

Scoop gnocchi out by Tablespoon-size blobs and shape into ovals.

Lay them down in the flour-laden pan and roll the to coat them evenly with flour.

Discard excess flour after rolling gnocchi.

Cook uncovered in boiling broth (preferably, but you can also use water) for approximately 5 minutes or until fairly firm to the touch.

Transfer to a shallow baking dish and drizzle with either: melted butter with some shredded Parmigiana cheese and broil ... or Tomato Cream Sauce and serve.

Tomato Cream Sauce:

Slightly heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cook ten minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients, heat thoroughly and serve with extra Parmigiana cheese on the side.

I hope that you enjoy this special recipe; there are many versions of spinach gnocchi in Italian cookbooks and on-line. But this is the recipe that I learned, first served, and am still serving today. I only cook and share recipes that work and that people love and enjoy.....the rest are discarded, since time and money is precious!

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Roast Pork with Garlic and Thyme

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Well the Carolina's have felt the cold wave that has been blowing through the last few days. My summer flowers are now shriveled up and ready to sleep for the winter. I'll rake them up this weekend and place them in the compost pile for mother nature to 're-use'.

I have not posted in about one week due to my parents' visit to the acreage and sadly, my mother's inability to prepare ravioli as promised (she even brought the filling all prepared and ready to go). She is a bit under the weather, and at age 85, we decided that it would be best to put this off until another visit when she is feeling better.

However, that won't stop me from sharing an AWESOME, delicious, EASY, impressive recipe with you. It is from the New York Times Cookbook (way back in the '70s) by the late Craig Claiborne, but it has a few of my adaptations (more garlic for instance!). This was my first American cookbook and this recipe never disappoints anyone. I hope that you enjoy it.

Roast Pork with Garlic and Thyme

1 4-lb. pork loin

Combine the following in a small bowl:

3 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

3 - 4 cloves of garlic

1 tsp. thyme

salt and fresh pepper to taste

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Sprinkle on the pork roast: Mrs. Dash, Nature's Seasons, and/or Accent

Rub the olive oil/garlic/thyme mixture onto (and into if it opens) the 4 lb. pork loin.

Place the fat side up on a flat rack placed in an uncovered roasting pan.

Roast for 2 1/2 hours at 350 degrees

OR

for 45 minutes per pound.

With a meat thermometer, it should be 185 degrees inside when done.

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