Thyme For Cooking, the Blog

Skillet Roasted New Potatoes

New potatoes are very thin-skinned, immature potatoes.

They have a short shelf life, usually only a few days before they start turning green and need to be added to the compost pile.

It's likely that you'll only find them at the farmer's market - but try, if you can.

They're worth it: incredibly sweet and creamy.

I've made them several different ways over the years (a few ideas below) but this is still my favorite.

When something is this good, simple is best.

Skillet Roasted New Potatoes

Preparation and cooking time:  30 minutes 
     
 Ingredients:

• 10oz (300gr) small new potatoes
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tbs butter
• 2 tbs garlic chives
  
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

 Instructions:

• Gently wash the new potatoes. 
• Heat oil in a medium, nonstick skillet over medium high heat. 
• Add new potatoes, sauté 5 minutes, shaking and rolling them about. 
• Reduce heat to low, cover partially and cook for 15 - 20 minutes, or until very tender. 
• When ready to serve, add butter, chives, roll them around to coat, sprinkle with salt and serve.

A few other suggestions - these were a bit bigger - still fantastic!

New Potatoes Braised with Rosemary and Olives

Oven Roasted New Potatoes with Herbs

Potatoes with Prosciutto, Olives and Green Garlic

I learned two things today.

The reason I don't get anything done:

I went outside today, with the sole goal of planting the basil seeds in the herb garden.  As I walked past the potager I realized that the corn needed hoeing.  I grabbed the hoe, and, as I was passing the radishes, I realized there were some that were ready to eat. After I pulled the radishes, dug out the bindweed in the corn and squash (which I had to do before I could hoe) and finished hoeing it was 3 hours later and too late to plant the basil seeds. 

The reason I don't get any projects done in the summer:

Hoeing, mowing, sowing, weeding, watering, trimming, strimming, picking, preserving, freezing.... Repeat endlessly.

The puppies learned one thing today.

When one grabs the tail of a lizard, the tail comes off.  The tail continues to flip and twist, being a distraction so the, now tailless, lizard can escape.  It's not nearly as much fun to play with the tail without the lizard attached, as the tail doesn't try to run away (no legs).... No matter how often one nudges it with one's nose or slaps it with one's paws.

Creamy Goat Cheese topped Beets on Spinach Salad

I was meandering past Lucy's Kitchen Notebook, the other day, and saw her fantastic-looking Mille Feuille de Bettrave. 

The recipe sounded delicious; I had the goat cheese and beetroot... and some spinach.

Of course I couldn't be bothered to actually follow the recipe.  As was usual, it was late and I was in a hurry.....

But my version was wonderful - not as pretty as hers,  not as elegant, but wonderful.

Thanks for the inspiration Lucy!

Creamy Goat Cheese topped Beets on Spinach Salad

Preparation and cooking time: 15 minutes    

Ingredients:

• 3oz (90gr) fresh spinach
• 1/4 cup whole, fresh oregano leaves
  
• 2 medium - large cooked beets
• 2 tbs Balsamic vinegar
• 3oz (90gr) soft goat cheese
• 2 tbs Greek yogurt
• 2 tbs chopped basil
• 2 tbs snipped chives
• Vinaigrette
• 1 tbs white Balsamic vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon-style mustard
• 2 tbs good olive oil, for salads

 Instructions:

• Cut beets into 1/4" slices and lay in a single layer on a plate.
• Sprinkle beets with Balsamic vinegar and set aside
• Combine goat cheese, Greek yogurt, chives and basil, set aside.  
• Wash spinach if necessary, tear and put into a large salad bowl along with oregano leaves.
• Add vinaigrette and gently toss.
• Arrange spinach on 2 plates. 
• Divide goat cheese mixture and spoon onto beet slices.
  
• Arrange beet slices on spinach and serve.
• Vinaigrette 
• Put white Balsamic vinegar and mustard into a small bowl and whisk well. 
• Slowly whisk in olive oil.

If you have leftover soft goat cheese - this is our favorite asparagus starter:

Asparagus with Prosciutto and Chevre

Instead of a house update this week I thought I'd show you some of our roses.

I know nothing about caring for roses, but ours, and those in the rest of our area, have been exceptional this past week.

And, wonder of wonders, or maybe it's the thorns, the puppies leave them alone.

Sadly, only one bush, of white roses, have any scent.

This solid pink rose is huge!

Mon mari moved the fence in a few feet to save the roses

They had been just inside the fence, growing through it.... Now they're on the outside with room to grow and bloom.

I hope they appreciate it.

French Potato Salad

We did something today that we haven't done in ages.... Or ever, actually.

We forced the puppies into the back of the car and went on an outing.

They haven't been in the car since they were spayed last fall....

We want to go visit our friend in Spain, and the puppies get to visit their mom, brother, granny and great-uncle.

They need to get in the car in order for us to do that.

They're still reluctant.

They also need a bit more socialization.  Their world currently consists of about a dozen humans and one other dog.

We should probably expand their horizons.

But maybe not just as Sunday morning church lets out.....

More about that next week.

Today it's about the picnic.

Well, picnics in general. 

The best thing about picnics is the salads. 

As it's the beginning of summer - and picnic season, here are a few of my favorites:

French Potato Salad  

Preparation and cooking time:   30 minutes
    This is a lightly dressed potato dish, with lots of tarragon and chives. 

 Ingredients:

• 2 medium potatoes
• 1 tbs snipped fresh chives
• 1 tbs snipped fresh tarragon
• 1 tbs olive oil - the good stuff
• 1 tbs tarragon white wine vinegar 
• 1 tbs beef stock  

 Instructions:

• In a medium bowl whisk olive oil, vinegar and stock. 
• Add chives and tarragon and let sit to blend flavors while potatoes cook. 
• Slice the potatoes for salad, in small, bite-size pieces. 
• Heat a medium saucepan half full of water over medium high heat. 
• When water is boiling, add potatoes and cook just until tender when pierced with a sharp knife, 10 - 12 minutes. 
• Remove from heat and drain well.  
• Add to dressing and stir gently. 
• Let rest to absorb flavors, stirring gently occasionally, allowing to cool. Serve.

Italian Picnic Pasta Salad  This is the first pasta salad I ever made, way back in the beginning of time, and it's still my favorite.

Brown Rice Pilaf Salad    First make the Pilaf with any rice you like.... Double the recipe and use half or the salad.

Quinoa Pilaf and Lentil Salad    The same works with the Quinoa Salad - it's summer, cook once; eat twice!

Polenta Salad   Similar to an Italian Bread Salad but made with cooled polenta, cut into cubes.

Tangy Coleslaw   A great cabbage salad made with a zesty dressing - no mayonnaise or dairy, so it travels and keeps well.

Three Bean Salad

   Based on the classic, old-fashioned version, but updated a bit.

Go forth and Picnic!

Memorial Day.... The French do not forget.

It's Memorial Weekend in the U.S.

I first posted this in 2007,

I think it's worth repeating..... This memorial was just down the lane from our house in the Vendée.

I was going to write about French-American politics; American opinions about how the French think/feel; French opinions about American views/thoughts; who saved who in what war...

I decided I was not stepping into that quagmire but, instead, would let some photos do the talking.

A stone's throw from our house is this shady lane, out in the middle of fertile, French farmland, surounded by corn and wheat fields; the only trees in a vast area of cultivated land.

At the end of the lane is this simple memorial.

 

It is well tended and there is a ceremony here each spring, attended by all of the local citizenry.

You will see lots of old, restored American Army jeeps...

And a few old French war veterans.

It commemorates an American fighter pilot that was shot down over the area.

The plaque tells the story....

Gives the dates.....

And expresses thanks

He was a lieutenant, 22 years old on that day...

The final line reminds all to "remember the heroes who rest in our memories"

The marker identifies him as a "fighter pilot".

 

He was killed here on March 21, 1944

"Fighting the Germans to liberate our land."

"We do not forget him"

Above the memorial fly the flags.

Both of them.

 

There are memorials like this all over France.

French people are not forgetting their history.

Oriental Pasta Salad, with Beans and Basil

This is a salad that is full of flavors, keeps well, is low in fat and high in nutrition. 

And it's a hit with everyone that tries it.

What more can one ask for? 

I normally have this as a side with grilled meat or fish, but you could add sliced, grilled chicken to it for a main dish salad.

Or tofu for a vegetarian dinner.

Unlike many pasta salads, the flavors don't all blend together after a day....

We cook the beans with the pasta, just to make it easier.

With a holiday weekend coming up in the US, I thought picnic fare would be in order.

Oriental Pasta Salad 

Preparation and cooking time: 25 minutes

 Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups bite-size pasta - farfalle, fusilli, etc.
• 15oz (450gr) red kidney beans
• 10oz (300gr) green beans
• 1 cup (5oz, 150gr) cherry tomatoes
• 2 ribs celery, sliced
• 3 tbs snipped fresh basil
• 2 tbs snipped chives
• Vinaigrette
• 3 tbs soy sauce
• 3 tbs tarragon white wine vinegar
• 2 tbs salad olive oil
• 1 tbs walnut or sesame oil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

 Instructions:

• Cook pasta according to package directions.
• Top and tail green beans and cut into 1" (2.5cm) lengths. 
• Add to the boiling pasta for the last 4 minutes of cooking time. 
• Drain and rinse kidney beans and put into a large bowl. 
• Cut cherry tomatoes in half and add to red beans. 
• Slice celery and add to beans. 
• Snip chives, basil and add to beans. 
• Add vinaigrette to beans and toss gently to combine. 
• When pasta and green beans are done drain well, rinse briefly with cold water, drain again and add to red bean mix. 
• Toss gently to combine.
• Vinaigrette:
• Mix soy sauce, vinegar, oregano and garlic in small bowl. 
• Add oils and whisk - mixture will not emulsify (thicken) but should be well blended.

I've been making this salad for years.

The last year we lived in Minneapolis was the first year of our first retirement, albeit we were far too young.

One could also say it was our first year of unemployment....

Or our year off to find ourselves....

Or our adult 'gap' year....

Or our year of indecision.... 

We sold our house on the lake and rented a house in 'the city' while we decided what to do next.  It actually  wasn't in the city itself but a suburb.  We still couldn't walk to any shops or restaurants but we could ride our bikes. 

As we also had sold our golf club memberships we, shall we say, had a bit of idle time on our hands (in with all the decision-making).

We rode our bikes a lot. 

We decided to ride completely around the  'cities' (Minneapolis and St. Paul, commonly known as the Twin Cities, shortened by locals).   We got the maps (courtesy of AAA) and charted our path. 

The plan was: starting from our house, ride for an hour or two, note the stopping point and return.  For the next ride we would drive to the previous stopping point, get on the bikes and ride to a new point, return.  Repeat until we had completed the circuit. 

Actually, in retrospect, we rode around the cities twice, once in each direction (all of the returns to the car).

We normally rode on bike paths, occasionally on the city streets.  It's amazing how much you can learn about a place when you're on a bicycle, rather than in your car!

We also covered all of the 'country' bike paths within about a hundred mile radius.... Many times.

A year later we moved to Ireland.  We continued with our bike rides, this time to explore our newly adopted country.  One big difference we noticed immediately is the respect given to bicycles by Irish (and, now we know, all European) drivers.  We would be pedaling along with a line of lorries (big trucks) behind us, all waiting for a proper passing zone before they properly passed us, actually going into the other lane to get around us.  There were no shouts of "Get the damn bike off the road" that had been hurled at us in Minnesota.

When we moved to Andorra I hung up my bike.  No paths, and while the drivers were equally polite, the roads were a bit, well, steep.  Mon mari loved it!  In the summer when our Monday walks were in the high passes he would bring his bike.  I would go on the walk; he would ride his bike back home, downhill all the way. 

He told me that, on occasion, he was passing cars going down the mountain roads.  I cringed.  Then I told him to make certain he wore his helmet.  Then I made certain that his life insurance was current.  He is an adult, after all, although, sometimes.....

Naturally, at the end of our bike rides, wherever they were, we would find a lovely spot of grass and have a picnic.

This salad was a staple in the picnic basket. 

No more puppies - the update

They're big girls now - full-fledged dogs, er, bitches.

Well, not Bonnie.

Bonnie is the devil.

This used to be a bed of iris.

There were 4 different colors.

They were all beautiful.

They were just getting ready to bloom.

 

 

First, Bonnie ate all she could, then came in the house and threw it all up at my feet.

Then she and Guapa roll around in what was left of the iris.

Emma used to like to lay on them also.  Apparently iris are comfy.  I've never tried it.

I will try to salvage what I can and replant outside of the new fence.

This is / was my forsythia.  It was doing so well, getting a nice shape.

It was covered in golden blossoms this spring.

I'm not sure if they fell into it, jumped into it....

Or it just pissed them off and they grabbed at the branches and pulled....

Much like they used to grab at the fence and pull until they had a hole Bonnie could crawl through.

They'll be 14 months old tomorrow.

Someone should tell them it's time to grow up and stop rolling around and fighting like puppies.

They're too big for that.

You don't even want to know what it's like when they decide to have a romp in the house.

At 4:00 in the morning.....

Aren't they pretty, though?