Baked Potatoes with Crab

Last Year's Post: Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Asparagus Pesto Sauce
Two Years Ago:   Sea Bass en Papillote

Valentine's Day is coming up.  If you're not going out to a restaurant, you may be thinking about a special dinner at home.  Maybe a nice steak?  If so, think about serving a delicious baked potato with crab on the side.  This recipe also stands very nicely alone as a main dish using a larger potato.  Either way, it's pretty special, not to mention easy.

You just make a regular baked potato, then scoop out the insides and mash them with some butter, salt and pepper.  I added spinach for color and nutrition.

Put the mashed potatoes back in the shells, and top it with the crab that's been tossed with lemon, chives, a touch of jalapeno and some sour cream. Sprinkle with parmesan and pop back in the oven for a few minutes to warm the crab and brown the cheese,

The jalapeno adds a hint of warm but isn't spicy when part of the complete dish, so adjust the amount up or down according to your heat preference.  Yum.

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Baked Potatoes with Crab

Serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side

2 large russet baking potatoes (main dish) or 4 small russet baking potatoes (side dish)

2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for oiling the potatoes

½ pound lump crab meat

2 teaspoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon chopped chives, plus a few for garnish

½ small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

4 tablespoons sour cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup chopped spinach

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450d.

Scrub potatoes under running water; dry them, and rub the skin of each with a little olive oil and a little salt.  Pierce the skin of each in three or four places with the tines of a fork.

Place the potatoes in the oven, and roast for 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the potatoes.

While the potatoes are baking, lightly toss the crab meat in a bowl with the lemon juice, zest, 2 teaspoons olive oil, chives, diced jalapeno and sour cream.

When the potatoes are done, remove them from the oven and slice them open down the middle.  Use a spoon to carefully scrape out the flesh, leave a ½” thick shell.  Add the butter and spinach to the potato flesh and mash to combine; season to taste with salt and pepper.  Spoon the mixture back into the empy shells, place on a baking sheet, top with the crab mixture and sprinkle with cheese.  Return to the oven for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.

Serve, garnished with a few chives.

Seared Scallops with Herb-Butter Sauce

Last Year's Post: Arroz Con Pollo
Two Years Ago:  Moroccan-Spiced Chicken with Roasted Squash

Scallops make a wonderful special-occasion seafood meal as a change from lobster, shrimp or crab, and are often less expensive.  They're easy to prepare and particularly delicious when seared to a caramelized crust in a very hot pan.  There are two things you need to know about scallops - bay vs sea scallops, and wet vs dry.

Bay and sea scallops taste very similar - the main difference is in size.  Bay scallops are much smaller and are available fall through spring.  Sea scallops can vary from medium-sized to very large and are available year-round.  Your best bet for consistently good quality throughout the year is sea scallops, although bay scallops in season are also delicious.  I personally prefer smaller (vs giant) sea scallops because they're easier to cook correctly without over-cooking the outside or under-cooking the inside.  You never want to overcook scallops or they become tough and rubbery.

The second question is wet vs dry scallops. Wet scallops are commonly treated with phosphates as a preservative.  When scallops are soaked in phosphates, they absorb water making them weigh more and thereby costing you more. (Take in mind, that you are paying for added water.) The absorbed water evaporates during cooking and, in turn, shrinks the scallops leaving them smaller, dry and somewhat tasteless.  Furthermore, the added water doesn't let scallops brown properly during cooking. It's generally easy to tell if they've been treated as they will usually appear snow-white in color.

Dry scallops are all wild and natural, and haven't been treated with any chemicals.  They're harvested directly from the ocean, shucked on deck, then immediately frozen on the boat to capture their quality.  Dry scallops generally have a natural vanilla color and will sear to a deep golden brown color.  If in doubt, ask your fishmonger if their scallops are wet or dry.

I bought  10 dry medium-sized sea scallops (approximately 2/3 pound) for $7.99 at my local Costco weekend "seafood event", and it was plenty for two people as dinner with a big salad.  Scallops are sweet and rich, made more so by the butter sauce of course.  Both The Lawyer and I thought they were the best scallops we've ever had.  And the recipe is very fast to prepare, which makes it perfect for a special occasion or romantic dinner.

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Seared Scallops with Herb-Butter Sauce

Serves 2

For the scallops:

2/3 pound dry medium sea scallops (“dry” means no added preservatives – ask the fishmonger if they are “dry” or “wet”)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Sauce:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

2 tablespoons finely diced shallot (1 medium)

¼ dry white wine

¼ cup finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley and chives

¼ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 lemon wedges for serving

Tip:  be sure to have all ingredients prepped (chopped, measured, etc.) before beginning to sear the scallops.

Remove the tough abductor muscle from the side of each scallop (if it hasn’t been removed already).  Rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

Heat a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the 1 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp butter and heat until quite hot.  Pat the scallops dry once more and put them in the pan in a single, uncrowded layer with one of the flat sides down.  Season with salt and pepper and let sear undisturbed until one side is browned and crisp and the scallops don’t stick to the pan, 2-3 minutes.  Using tongs, turn the scallops and sear until the second side is brown and the scallops are almost firm to the touch, about 2 minutes.  Take the pan off the heat, transfer the scallops to a plate, and set them in a warm spot.  Let the pan cool for a minute before making the sauce.

Return the pan to medium heat.  Add one piece of the butter and the shallots and sauté until the shallots begin to soften, about 1 minute.  Add the wine and simmer until reduced by about half, another 1-2 minutes.  Add the herbs and lemon zest.  Reduce the heat to low, add the remaining butter, and whisk constantly until the butter is melted.  Season with salt and pepper.

Serve the scallops with butter sauce poured on top and lemon wedges on the side.

Classic Potato Gratin

Last Year's Post: French Chicken Salad
Two Years Ago:  Spring Risotto

Normally I try to publish healthy recipes, but I'll admit right up front that this is an exception in a big way.  Three cups of heavy cream?  I mean, really.  But it's one of those dishes that is so incredibly good, it's worthy of a special occasion like a birthday or holiday.  I wanted to post it because Easter and Mother's Day are coming up, and this is The Dish to accompany ham, roast pork, leg of lamb, or roast beef.  It's so good, it could easily steal the show from any one of those centerpiece dishes.

The first time I made this was for an Easter dinner.  The guests raved about it all during dinner, then followed the few remaining leftovers into the kitchen where they started picking pieces of potato out of the pan and eating them with their fingers.  It's that kind of a dish.  Just be prepared - once you serve it you'll get requests for it at every special occasion dinner thereafter.  Don't be tempted to substitute fat-free half and half or any other fat-and-calorie saving substitute for this one - it's the cream and cheese that provide the luscious richness.  Remember it's only for special occasions!  Think of it like any other favorite indulgence at a holiday.  Would you make low-calorie fat-free pecan pie for Thanksgiving?

Although you technically could slice the potatoes with a knife, it requires more dexterity and patience than I have to slice them all into perfect 1/8" slices.  Do yourself a favor and buy a mandoline, which is a manual slicer. It allows you to set the thickness you want, and slice it perfectly every time.  I bought mine ages ago (probably for this very recipe) and I think I bought the cheapest one I could find, which today costs about $25.  I was recently looking at mandolines on the Consumer Reports website and was surprised to find that they rated my cheap Japanese Benriner Mandoline Slicer as their top pick because it's sturdy, it works well, it's simple, and it stores flat.  You can find it here at Amazon; it's also available elsewhere online.   You can find stainless steel mandolines with fancy stands for up to $200, but why pay the money when the less expensive version works perfectly well?

Target, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Crate & Barrel and other stores also carry inexpensive mandolines if you need one right away.  Just be sure the model you choose has a knob to adjust thickness, and a hand guard to protect your fingers while slicing (that's the blue thing in the picture above).  Some models also have more than one blade for making different types of cuts.  After slicing the potatoes, this is a simple recipe.

Be sure to read the note at the end so you know what to watch for as the cream goes through different stages of cooking. The picture below shows you what butterfat looks like - they're the little yellow drops around the edge.  That's when you take it out.

Don't worry that the cheese on top browns early - it's supposed to be dark brown in spots but it doesn't end up burning so don't be tempted to cover the dish or turn the temperature down. Finally, the recipe calls for a 2 1/2 - 3 quart baking dish; big and shallow is better than narrow and deep so you can spread out the cheese topping and have it get all lovely brown all over.

printable recipe

Classic Potato Gratin

Serves 6-8

2 lbs Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, peeled

3 cups whipping or heavy cream

1 tsp coarse salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Generous pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

¾ cup finely shredded Gruyere, Emmental, or Comte cheese

Preheat oven to 400d. 

Using a mandolin (recommended) or a very sharp knife, carefully cut the potatoes into 1/8-inch slices (no thicker).

Put the potatoes in a large heavy-based saucepan and add the cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg and garlic.  Cook the mixture over medium-high heat until the cream is boiling, stirring occasionally (very gently with a rubber spatula so you don’t break up the slices).

When the cream boils, pour the mixture into a 2 ½ - 3 quart baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Remove and discard the garlic cloves.  Shake the dish a bit to let the slices settle and then sprinkle the surface with the cheese.

Bake until the top is deep golden brown, the cream has thickened, and the potatoes are extremely tender when pierced with a knife, about 40 minutes.  Don’t worry if the dish looks too liquidy at this point; it will set up as it cools a bit.  Before serving, let the potatoes cool until they’re very warm but not hot (at least 15 minutes) or serve at room temperature.

  

Note:  If you cook the potatoes too long, the cream will separate and the butterfat will start to break out.  Watch for this as the potatoes go through distinct stages of cooking; first you’ll see lots of mad bubbling of cream, which makes you think “this can’t possibly be right, it’s swimming in cream”.  Next, the amplitude of the bubbling decreases, but the frequency stays high because the cream is getting thicker; the top of the gratin also starts to brown.  The last phase is small bubbles, thick cream, and just the first few drops of yellow butterfat appearing around the edges of the pan.  Take the dish out of the oven the moment you see any butterfat.

Sausage and Cheddar Breakfast Strata

Last Year's Post: Greek Phyllo Wraps with Tzatziki
Two Years Ago:  Roasted Tomato Tart with Goat Cheese and Black Olives

Will you have a group of people at your house for breakfast or brunch over the holidays?  Or maybe you're planning to host a New Year's Day brunch.  Either way, a strata is the perfect answer.  A strata consists of milk and eggs beaten together and poured over bread cubes, meat, vegetables and cheese, then baked into a savory casserole.  It's perfect for company because it makes a lot of servings and you can assemble it the night before so all you have to do the next morning is pop it in the oven while you set the table and assemble some fruit, coffee and juices.

This recipe as written will serve 6-8 people depending on how many other foods are on the table, and it can be easily doubled if you're having a big crowd.  It's equally good for a light dinner with a green salad, and leftovers reheat beautifully.

I found this recipe ages ago and make it regularly, varying the ingredients according to what's on hand or in season.  You can make it very healthy by using low-fat milk, wheat bread, and turkey sausage.  The spicy sausage is particularly good because everything else in the recipe is mild, but if you're serving a large group and some people really don't like spicy food, use mild sausage in the strata (or 50/50 spicy and mild) and then serve hot sauce on the side so people can spice it up to their taste.  Of course, you could always use pork sausage, you could vary the type of cheese and veggies to suit your taste, and you could use sourdough or Italian bread in place of wheat.  

If you can't find bulk sausage, buy Italian sausage in links (not breakfast sausages in those tiny links) and take the sausage out of the casings.  The sausage, onions and peppers are cooked and then layered over bread cubes.  The milk/egg custard is poured on top and the cheese goes on last.  Put the dish in the refrigerator overnight and then simply bake it the next morning.

What could be easier?  Serve the strata with with a pretty basket of scones or croissants, a big bowl of mixed fruit, a selection of juices and good coffee and you're set.

printable recipe

Sausage and Cheddar Breakfast Strata

Serves 6-8

1 package (1 lb) bulk spicy turkey breakfast or Italian sausage

1 cup chopped onion

½ green bell pepper, chopped

½ red bell pepper, chopped

6 slices wheat bread (4 cups cubed)

6 eggs

1 1/4 cups milk

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper

Crumble the sausage into a non-stick 12” skillet and begin to cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently.  Add the onion and red and green peppers and continue to cook, stirring, until the sausage is fully cooked.  If the pan contains grease, pour the mixture into a colander and drain well.  Set aside.

Slice the bread into 1” cubes.  Coat a 2-inch deep 8” by 11” (or 9" by 9") casserole dish with non-stick spray on the bottom and sides.  Put the bread cubes in the dish.  Sprinkle the reserved sausage mixture evenly over the bread.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper until well combined. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the sausage and use a fork to press the sausage and bread into the milk mixture until all the bread is moist.  Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top.  Cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375d.  Bake, uncovered, for 55 to 60 minutes until light brown and puffy and the eggs have cooked through.  If the top begins to brown too quickly, cover with foil for the remainder of cooking time.  Let the dish stand for 10 minutes prior to cutting and serving.

Tuxedo Strawberries

Valentine's Day is coming!   What better way to surprise someone than to make them a very special treat?  These cute little guys would make the perfect dessert or even a evening treat with a glass of champagne.  There's something about the taste of fresh strawberries and chocolate together that is just heavenly.  And they're really easy to make!  Just dunk some strawberries in two kinds of chocolate and chill in between.  To make it really fancy, buy some raspberry or strawberry syrup for a drizzle on the plate.

People go crazy for these.  Try them and you'll find out for yourself!


* * click here for a printable recipe version * *

Tuxedo Strawberries
Makes 10 strawberries

10 medium heart-shaped strawberries with green tops (try to find perfect red ones)
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
Raspberry or strawberry syrup (optional)


Wash the strawberries and dry thoroughly. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the white chocolate by placing in a small bowl in the microwave for approximately 3 minutes at low power, stirring after each minute.

Dip each berry up to the shoulder in white chocolate while holding by the green top.

Let the excess drip off while swirling gently, then place on the baking sheet. 

Chill in the refrigerator until the chocolate is hard, approximately one hour.

Melt the semisweet chocolate in the same manner as the white chocolate. Dip two sides of each berry in the chocolate to cover most (but not all) of the white chocolate, resembling a tuxedo jacket. Place on the baking sheet. Dip a wooden skewer in the chocolate and dot two “buttons” on the white chocolate front. 

Chill until ready to serve.

To serve, drizzle the syrup on a plate (optional) and top with strawberries.

For best flavor, serve within 5 or 6 hours.