Roly Poly Potato Recipe

Roly Poly Potato with Cream and Sarayo Sauce

Potatoes are my favorite carb so I'm always looking of new ways to prepare them. I thought I had the fabulous idea of making one similar to an "awesome blossom" aka bloomin' onion. I later learned on Facebook that my idea wasn't so original and these potatoes are actually called Hasselback Potatoes. I don't care, I call them "Roly Poly Potatoes" because they look like the little roly poly bugs I used to play with in the garden as a kid. So, I find it great that these potatoes look like giant bugs or crustaceans.

This potato recipe gives you a tender inside and a crispy texture on the outside. It's a great side dish with meat and perfect substitute for a baked potato. It's very easy to prepare and good to make for just one person.


ROLY POLY POTATO RECIPE (Hasselback Potato Recipe)

INGREDIENTS:
1 Potato (I used Purple Potatoes because they look pretty on the inside)
1 Clove of Garlic
Olive Oil
Butter
Sea Salt

Cut slices evenly and place garlic between each slice

METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 425º F (215º C)
2. Starting at one end of the potato, cut the potato cross-ways downward in direction. The slice should be about 1/8" thick. Don't cut all the way thru leave about 1/8" connected at bottom of potato. Continue to cut slices down the entire length of the potato.
3. Slice thinly one clove of garlic.
4. Place one slice of garlic in each slot that you have cut into the potato
5. Coat bottom of baking dish with olive oil. Put potato in dish.
6. Generously drizzle potato with olive oil.
7. Sprinkle with sea salt (make sure salt and olive oil gets into the slots)
8. Bake uncovered for 40-60 minutes. Depending on size of potato and your preference of the doneness of center and crispiness of the outside.

• Melt 2tbsp of butter and drizzle over top. If you want it extra garlicky, then add sliced garlic to your butter as you are melting it. I also enjoy it with crema (Mexican table cream) or Sarayo Sauce.

Provecho!

El Papón: High or Hungover, This Is What You Need

(Xhico in Mexico)

The Tradicional Papa Rellena at El Papón in Mexico City.

 I may have been slightly hungover after too much mezcal from the night before as I stumbled out of Superama with some aspirin. Along the exit of the parking lot were the usual food carts selling tacos, tlacoyos and quesadillas. This one cart stood out to me, with a heap of foil wrapped objects. As I began to examine the menu and these odd shaped foil entities, I realized that they were two baked potatoes wrapped in one. Of course they were... I was at El Papón.

Potatoes wait to be smothered in goodness.

Chiles roasting

I didn't take me long to realize that these siamese-twin astronaut potatoes were going to get extremely insane with mounds of delicious toppings. An overloaded potato - this is what I really needed instead of aspirin. My belly begged to to quickly scan the menu and make a decision on the level of overload I would be achieving. How much cheese? How much butter? What combination of meat and other tidbits?

The dudes from El Papón, Mexico City.

El Papón, Food cart in Mexico City.

Two extremely friendly guys were eager to get to work on my potato. I decided to go with the Tradicional. I thought it would be the lesser of the evils. It turns out that it was a whole lot of evils together. First the potato master (as I like to call him) took the potatoes nested together and foil and began to beat them. He beat them and turned them and beat them some more until they formed a thick potato disc. Then with the precision of a surgeon, he slit an "X" into the foil and gently pulled the foil away from the center. He then began to fork the potato! He worked that fork and mashed up the inside. This was the beginning of a magical transformation. Possible more magical than the transformation of a caterpillar to a butterfly.

Making baked potato magic at El Papón.

This once ugly potato began to be mushed with butter, then manchego cheese and it got prettier by the second. Then some jamón serrano. This potato was getting seriously sexy as it oozed before my eyes. Wait, then more cheese? Yes, more cheese - this time some ooey-gooey cheddar. Then how about some bacon and cream to top it off? This is some xrated potato action. I went into a foodgasm. I had to wait to get home to share it with Tanya, as I thought she may be in need of the same medicine. I won't lie, I did finger some of the cheese.

A few days passed and I was going to show Tanya where this potato cart heaven was to be found. But it wasn't there. After a quick drive around the block, we discovered that they opened a restaurant on the corner in addition to the cart. So make sure if you have a hangover in Mexico City and there isn't any birria around, to go get your self a potato orgasm to soak up all that alcohol.

El Papón is sometimes out side the Superama on Fernando Montes De Oca, The restaurant space is right down the corner on Fernando Montes De Oca and Jose Vasconcelos Circuito Interior in Condesa, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City, Distrito Federal.

Summer Harvest

I have a small patio with a garden of potted plants, as well as, a small plot of land in the front. I make the most out of it. I have several herbs growing and some leafy greens like arugula and lettuce. Sometimes, I get the chance to grow more hearty items. This year, I grew cucumbers, potatoes, corn and heirloom carrots. They all came out gorgeous.

I'm Growing Potatoes!

I just pulled this little baby from the ground today. They are Russian Banana Fingerling Potatoes. I got into more than I knew growing potatoes. More on that to come soon...

Recipe: Chorizo-Potato Hash with Poached Egg

I love Chorizo! It's adds wonderful flavor to dishes. I grew up eating corned-beef hash, so I developed this twist with chorizo. Chorizo is a spicy Mexican sausage made from pork or beef. I usually prefer the pork. When you buy chorizo, you can pick it up prepackaged in the refrigerated section near the sausages. But if you're as fortunate to live in an area similar to Los Angeles, with a dense latino population, you can probably find the real thing. Go to your local carneceria (butcher shop) and pick up fresh chorizo.

I'm going to show you how to make this great breakfast dish. It also makes a great stuffing for breakfast burritos - just add some cheese a wrap in a tortilla! This is

So let's make some chorizo-potato hash topped with poached egg!

This recipe makes a serving for two.

1/4 Pound Chorizo Sausage (removed from casing)
1 Large Russet Potato (small dice)
2 Cloves of Garlic (chopped)
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Paprika
Chives (chopped finely)
2 Tbsp Olive Oil -or- Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper
Crema Mexicana -or- Sour Cream
2 Tortillas

2 Eggs
4 tsp White Vinegar (1 tsp per each cup of water)
4 cups Water
You will also need a ladle (a teacup or small ramekin will also work) and a slotted spoon.

1. BOIL WATER FOR EGGS
Bring 4 Cups of Water and 4 tsp of White Vinegar to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Prepare has while water comes to a boil.

2. PREPARE YOUR CHORIZO 
When cooking with chorizo, I remove the meat from the outer casing, by slicing the casing with a knife and then scooping it out with a spoon. Set aside in a bowl.

3. PREPARE YOUR POTATOES
We want a small dice of potato. First take your potato and cut it in half lengthwise. Take one half and put it flat side down. Hold your knife parallel to the cutting board and hold your palm flat on top of the potato. Keep your fingers up and be careful! Starting at one end slice the potato about 1/4" from bottom and then again another 1/4" above that piece. Continue to make 1/4" slices until you are at the top. Now cut the potatoes into 1/4" strip lengthwise from top. Turn the potato so that the strips are perpendicular to you. Starting at one end make cuts every 1/4" and you will see perfect little cubes start to fall onto your cutting board. Now you have a small dice! Repeat with other half.

4. SAUTEE CHORIZO
Add chorizo to a large skillet over medium heat. Separate meat with a wood spoon and cook until evenly heated for about 4-5 minutes. Set aside but keep any juices from chorizo in skillet.

NOTE: While my chorizo is cooking is when I like to chop my fresh chives and garlic.

5. COOK POTATOES
Over med-high heat add 2 Tbsp Oil to the skillet the chorizo was cooked in. When oil is hot, add potatoes. Add and gently mix together the Cumin, Paprika, Salt and Pepper. Let potatoes cook for about 3 minutes and give a good stir. Cook for about 6 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add about 3 Tbsp water and quickly cover and let potatoes steam for a few more minutes. Add Chorizo and chopped garlic and stir together. Cook on high heat for 1 minute. Turn off heat and cover to keep warm.

4. POACH EGGS
Once your water is boiling, lower the heat to a low rolling boil. Crack your egg into a ladle. You can also have multiple eggs ready in tea cups or small ramekins. Gently lower the ladle into the water, letting a little hot water in around the egg. When it starts to set (you will see it turning white) gently release it into the water. It will need to cook for about 3-4 minutes, until all the white is set. You may need to use a spoon to gently move it in the water so it doesn't stick the side by accident. Stay with your little egg and watch it. When the white is cooked, remove and serve immediately.

NOTE: You may want to lightly spray your ladle with cooking spray. But it's not necessary.

5. TORTILLAS!
Tortillas are a perfect accompaniment for this dish. You can use then to sop up all the deliciousness. I heat my tortillas while the eggs are poaching. You can heat them on a skillet or that way I prefer is directly on the burner of my gas stove. Keep them moving circularly and flipping them so they don't burn. Fold them into quarters (in half and half again) and fold in dish towel to keep warm.

6. PLATING
I like to use a colored plate for this dish, because there is alot of white with the egg and the cream. So a colored dish really adds nice contrast.

After your chorizo-potato hash is finished keep it warm. About 30 seconds before your eggs are done. Add a generous scoop of hash to the center of the plate and with the back of the spoon press the center slightly down, making a place for the egg to rest. Dip a fork into the crema and quickly drizzle back and forth on one side of the plate, making a white line across the hash and plate. Top the hash with the poached egg. Sprinkle with chives. Add tortilla to one side of plate and serve immediately.

Bang it out! Oktoberfest!

Photo courtesy Bangers & Smashed

Celebrate Oktoberfest with one of my LA favorites, Bangers & Smashed Gourmet Mashed Potatoes. They'll be at Eagle Rock Brewery on October 2nd from noon - 6pm doing beer pairings with mashed potato specialities!

Pair delicious local microbrews with our menu:

• Chicken Teriyaki sausage + Wasabi Miso Shiso
• Italian Pepper sausage + Lemon Artichoke Basil (vegan selections)
• Hungarian Smoked sausage + Loaded & Smashed
• Polish sausage + Sweet Potato & Apple Mash

Sunday, October 2nd

noon to 6PM


Eagle Rock Brewery
3056 Roswell Street
Los Angeles, CA 90065

Leftouts: Make Hash

Make hash. Not the kind of hash you get in Amsterdam. It's a simple skillet dish you can make if you have left over roast (either pork or beef). It's super simple and great for breakfast with a fried egg and may some ketchup.

Pork roast and potato hash

Here's how to make an easy hash.

• Add a couple teaspoons of olive oil to hot cast iron skillet.
• Dice a potato or two depending on how hungry you are to 1/4" cubes and add to skillet.
• Salt and pepper to taste. You can also add a little onion powder and/or garlic powder or chile powder.
• Let potatoes start to fry and get crusty on medium heat. Turning only occasionally.
• pick apart and shred your left over roast while potatoes cook
• When potatoes start to get crusty on all sides after turning a few times, add the shredded roast in about equal amount to potatoes. You may need to add a splash of oil. I add the solids at bottom of roast dish.
• Let all of it start to fry together and get crunchy.
• Get a 1/4 cup water and the lid to the skillet in your hand.
• Pour the water over the hash and cover immediately. Let steam for a couple more minutes.

Eat it alone or serve with a topping like sour cream, cheese, chopped onions, ketchup, salsa or pesto - or top with a fried egg.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Potato Carrot Yellow Curry

Though I love my meat, I can always go for a super tasty vegetarian dish. I made this simple and delicious curry over the weekend and posted it on my Facebook. My friend, Xyla, saw it and requested the recipe. I don't really have a recipe (as usual) but here's how you do it. Remember you can always add more or less of the flavors you like and especially the chili to get the amount of spice you like.

Curry might seem like an exotic dish to many people, but it's super simple. It's a Pan-Asian stew like dish popular in India, Thailand and Japan among other countries. There are many variations of curry and it's hard to put a thumb on what makes a curry. There are curry leaves used for spice as well as many forms of curry pastes and powders in many wonderful colors. This curry I'm making is more of a Thai variation of yellow curry.

You probably have everything you need except for a few ingredients that you can find at your local supermarket or speciality Asian market. You will need a can of coconut milk and yellow curry powder. Other unique spices you can add are turmeric and coriander.

Ingredients:

1 White Onion
3-4 Medium Size Carrots
6 medium size Red Potatoes (any potatoes will work)
3-4 cloves of garlic
1-2 Thai bird chilies (you can use any type of pepper, jalapeño works fine too)
1 can coconut milk (look by Asian food, Thai brand, low fat is cool too)
3 tbsp Yellow Curry Powder
2 tbsp Tomato Paste
1 cup stock (vegetable or chicken)
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
squeeze of lemon or lime
add more salt to taste

Optional Ingredients, if you want to add some more twists:

1 Tomato cut into wedges
Add some Mushrooms
1 tsp Turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cumin


Directions:

Over medium heat, add butter and olive oil in med sauce pan until butter in melted. Add onions chopped in large pieces. I usually cut onion in half first, then cut into sixths. Saute onions until translucent. Add garlic and cook for about a minute, until you can smell it. Add carrot, potatoes chopped in large 1 inch pieces. Also add chilies. Saute for about 4-5 minutes. Add stock and stir tomato paste until dissolved. Add coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Stir in curry, salt, pepper, paprika and any other spices. Add squeeze of lime. Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 35-45 minutes until potatoes are tender.

Enjoy alone or serve over rice. Trader Joe's also sells a great naan bread you can find in the frozen food section. You heat for a minute in the oven. It's great to sop up the curry.

Hangover Cure TVC

A trip to TVC is something we often have to do. One of the first things I learned about when I moved back to this part of LA was about Tacos Villa Corona. My neighbors introduced me to it after a hard night of partying. We all woke up in a little pain with an intense hangover. We needed something in our bellies and everyone's immediate first response was "TVC!".

I couldn't muster up the energy to go, but the girls brought me back the most delicious breakfast burrito filled with eggs, potatoes, spinach and cheese. It's even good for vegetarians. Make sure to order the "papas burrito with spinach" and ask for extra salsa. Though you'll be tempted to gobble it down, take your time and cure that hangover. You might want a little hair-of-the-dog too.

Tacos Villa Corona is located in the Atwater Village neighborhood in Los Angeles at 3185 Glendale Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90039. (323) 661-3458

See more delicious food from Tacos Villa Corona on Foodspotting.