Swiss Chard and Smashed Potatoes 

4 quarts water

Salt for the water

1lb Red Norland potatoes, cut in half then into half moons

1 bunch swiss chard, remove stems and cut into1/2-inch strips across the stem and roughly chop leaves

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

4 garlic cloves, crushed

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large stock pot over high heat, add the water and salt; bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and boil for 10 minutes. Add the swiss chard stems. Boil until the potatoes and chard stems are tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain in a colander.

In a large sauté pan or skillet over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, divided.

Add the garlic and cook until brown. Add the chopped chard leaves and sauté for two minutes.

Add the chard stems and potatoes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring and mashing the potatoes, until the liquid has evaporated and the potatoes are coarsely mashed. If the potatoes begin to brown, reduce the heat.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir. Serve hot.

Sautéed Cumin Potatoes

1 1/2 German butterball potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, and submerged in a bowl of cold water to prevent browning

2 Tbsp canola oil

1 Tbsp cumin seeds

1 small red onion, small dice

1 tsp ground turmeric

2 tsp coarse kosher or sea salt

1 tsp cayenne (ground red pepper)

2 medium-size tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems

Drain the potatoes and pat them dry.

Heat the oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they sizzle, turn reddish brown, and are fragrant, 5 to 10 seconds. Add the potatoes, onion, and turmeric, and stir-fry until the potatoes and onion are lightly browned around the edges, 4 to 6 minutes.

Sprinkle in the salt and cayenne, and stir once or twice. Pour in 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are almost fall-apart tender, 18 to 20 minutes.

Stir in the tomato and cilantro, and cover the pan. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomato is warmed through, about 2 minutes. Then serve.

Root Vegetable Gratin

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, plus more for baking dish

1½ cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs

1½ cups grated Parmesan, divided

2 Tbsp. Thyme

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth

1 celery root, peeled, sliced thin

1 rutabaga, peeled, sliced thin

1 turnip, peeled, sliced thin

1-pound Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced thin

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

Make sure the root vegetables are cut the same thickness to ensure even cooking

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Butter a shallow 2-qt. baking dish. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add breadcrumbs; cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl and toss with ½ cup parmesan and 1 Tbsp thyme leaves; season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Bring cream, broth, 1 Tbsp thyme, and remaining 2 Tbsp butter to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat; season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit 10 minutes. Cover; keep warm.

Toss vegetables in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. Arrange ⅓ of vegetables in dish and top with ½ cup parmesan. Repeat layers; top with remaining vegetables. Pour cream mixture over; place a piece of parchment paper directly on top of gratin.

Bake until vegetables are crisp-tender and cream is thickened, check at 45 minutes to see if fork tender. If ready then uncover, top with breadcrumb mixture, and bake until gratin is bubbling and breadcrumbs are brown, 15–20 minutes longer. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.

Roasted Rutabaga and Carrot Soup

1 rutabaga peeled then medium diced

2 carrots peeled then cut similar size to rutabaga

1 pound potatoes, peeled and diced

2-3 scallions diced

3 garlic cloves minced

2 Tbsp thyme 

2 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

¼ cup cream or half and half (optional)

1 qt vegetable stock

1 Tbsp smoked paprika

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oven to 375˚F.

Toss rutabaga and carrot dice in olive oil with salt/pepper and thyme. Place in a cast iron skillet or oven safe dish and bake for 15 minute or until browned on the edges and fork tender. Check and turn the veggies about halfway through the oven time. 

In a medium sized stock pot heat butter over medium then add the scallions and garlic and cook for about 2-3 minutes. You are looking for aromatic, but not browning. 

Add diced potatoes to the pot and pour in the vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer and continue to cook until the potatoes start to break down in the liquid. If you have an immersion blender stick that in and give the potatoes a couple of pulses from the blender. The potatoes will act as a thickener for the soup base. 

Once the oven veggies are done, add them to the pot and continue to simmer until they start to break down a little bit. Maybe 5 minutes or so. Once all the vegetables are thoroughly cooked through. Add the cream (optional) and reduce heat to low. Cook for 3-5 more minutes then season with smoked paprika and salt and pepper to taste.

Roasted Root Vegetable Stew

2-3 pounds of root vegetables such as rutabaga, turnip, potatoes, carrots, daikon radish, and celery root, peeled and cut into chunks

1 head of garlic, the cloves separated and peeled

6 Tbsp olive oil, divided 3 Tbsp and 3 Tbsp

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste

1 28-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes

2 cups (packed) of chopped napa cabbage

2 Tbsp parsley chopped

Black pepper to taste

Tabasco sauce (optional, to taste)

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Into a large roasting pan, mix together the vegetables, garlic, 3 Tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle with salt.  Roast for 45 minutes, turning the vegetables over in the pan halfway through cooking.

Meanwhile, in a 4 to 5 quart Dutch oven, heat 3 Tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onions and sauté until the edges of the onions just begin to brown. Stir in the tomato paste, and cook a minute longer. Using your hands, tear the canned tomatoes into large pieces as you add them to the pot. Add the remaining liquid from the can into the pot. Stir well. Add the parsley. Bring to a simmer, and then lower the heat to the lowest possible setting. Cover the pot and let cook gently while the root vegetables are roasting.

When the root vegetables are ready (they should be browned on the edges and easily pierced with a fork), remove from the oven. Add chopped leafy greens to the pot of tomatoes. Simmer until the greens are wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir in the root vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Season with Tabasco to taste if using.

Roasted Potato Salad

4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1.5 lbs potatoes

2 red bell peppers

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup small fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 450° F.

Wrap garlic cloves together in foil. Halve potatoes and cut bell peppers into 1/2-inch pieces. In a large bowl toss potatoes, bell peppers, and 3 tablespoons oil with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange potatoes and bell peppers in one layer in 2 large shallow baking pans and roast in middle and lower thirds of oven (simultaneously, roast wrapped garlic on either rack), stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through roasting time, until potatoes are tender and golden brown, about 35 minutes.

In a bowl immediately toss potatoes and peppers with 2 tablespoons vinegar and cool. Remove garlic from foil and squeeze pulp into a small bowl. With a fork mash garlic with remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil and tablespoon vinegar and toss together with potatoes and peppers and salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, add basil. Serve potato salad at room temperature.

Roasted Kohlrabi and Potatoes with Almonds

1 kohlrabi, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1-inch pieces 

1 lb red prairie potatoes cut into 1-inch pieces

1 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Tbsp butter

¼ cup blanched almonds

1 tsp thyme or rosemary

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 Tbsp maple syrup

Preheat oven to 450˚F.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss kohlrabi and potatoes with oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Roast until beginning to brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir; continue roasting until tender, 5 to 10 minutes more.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add almonds and cook, until golden, stir frequently for about 3 to 4 minutes. Add herbs and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in vinegar and maple syrup; cook 1 minute. Season lightly with salt. Transfer to a bowl. Add kohlrabi/potato mixture and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper; serve.

Roasted Garlic and Potato Salad

4 garlic cloves, unpeeled

1.5 lbs potatoes

2 red bell peppers

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup small fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 450° F.

Wrap garlic cloves together in foil. Halve potatoes and cut bell peppers into 1/2-inch pieces. In a large bowl toss potatoes, bell peppers, and 3 tablespoons oil with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange potatoes and bell peppers in one layer in 2 large shallow baking pans and roast in middle and lower thirds of oven (simultaneously, roast wrapped garlic on either rack), stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through roasting time, until potatoes are tender and golden brown, about 35 minutes.

In a bowl immediately toss potatoes and peppers with 2 tablespoons vinegar and cool. Remove garlic from foil and squeeze pulp into a small bowl. With a fork mash garlic with remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil and tablespoon vinegar and toss together with potatoes and peppers and salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, add basil. Serve potato salad at room temperature.

Potato Leek Soup

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 lb superior russet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

2-3 medium leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced

6 cups vegetable stock (or light chicken stock)

Kosher salt, to taste

1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup sour cream

1/3 cup minced parsley or chives

Heat the oil in a large (6-plus quart) stockpot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leek and potato. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have begun to soften and brown slightly, about 8 to 12 minutes (this time will vary greatly depending on the surface area of the bottom of your pot).

Add the vegetable stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.

Blend until smooth, either using an immersion blender or by carefully transferring to a blender in batches.

Add the cream, and season to taste with salt (I start with 1 teaspoon and go from there, tasting frequently) and lemon juice.

Ladle into bowls, and garnish with a dollop of sour cream and a healthy sprinkling of minced parsley.

Potato and Celeriac Gratin

1 lb superior potatoes, scrubbed clean

1 celeriac, scrubbed clean and peeled

1 yellow onion, sliced thin

½ bunch Parsley finely chopped

1 pint of milk 

1 tbsp butter

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 325˚F.

Bring milk up to just barely a simmer over medium heat then reduce to low heat

Thinly slice the potatoes and the peeled celeriac.

Add sliced onion, potatoes and celeriac to the warmed milk and simmer for about 10 minutes.

With a slotted spoon remove the vegetables from the pan and place in a bowl. 

Add the parmesan and parsley to the reduced milk and continue cooking on low for 2-3 minutes. 

Butter an oven safe dish and place the vegetable mixture in and spread out evenly. 

Pour the milk over the vegetable mixture and give it a quick stir to ensure the herbs are spread out and the pan is even.

Bake covered at 325˚F for 30 minutes. Remove cover and reduce heat to 250˚F and cook for 30 minutes more. 

Remove from oven and let rest for about 5 minutes before serving.

Potato and Cabbage Soup

1 lb russet potatoes

½ savoy cabbage, chopped

1 yellow onion diced small

2 garlic cloves minced

1 qt chicken or vegetable stock

3 strips of bacon cooked then chopped for garnish

Dice potatoes and place in pot with chicken stock and then bring to a boil. Simmer until potatoes are cooked through. Then turn off heat and let sit in stock. The potato starch will act as a thickener for the soup.

Cook bacon in cast iron or sauté pan until crisp then remove from pan. Add the diced onion, garlic and cabbage and sauté over medium heat until cabbage is tender and starts to brown on the edges. At this point add a ladle of the potatoes and stock to the pan continue to cook until the liquid is almost dry then add another ladle. Repeat this step until there is a hearty portion in the pan then remove the pan from the heat. 

With an immersion blender or food processor, give the stock and potato pot a couple of pulses to start to break down the potatoes. Don’t over mix because it will work up the potato starch too much. Once you are at a preferred consistency add the cooked vegetables into pot and season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with bacon and serve. 

Potato and Poblano Soup

1# carola potatoes, medium dice

1 red onion, small diced

2 strips of thick cut bacon, diced (optional). Can add mushrooms and preferred oil (2tbsp) at the beginning if not using bacon

2 poblanos, seeds removed and diced

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 quart chicken or vegetable stock

1 cup sour cream

In a heavy Dutch oven or stockpot, fry the bacon over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until it starts to brown. Toss in the onions, half of the diced poblanos, the salt and pepper and cook until slightly golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook briefly just to release the aroma, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock, add the potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook 20 minutes. Puree in a food processor or blender just until smooth, being careful not to over-process. Return to the pot, stir in the sour cream and bring just to a boil. Stir in the remaining poblanos for garnish. 

Patty Pan and German Butterball Bake

This is a quick and easy side dish to add to any meal. Chop up some fresh basil and shred some sharp cheddar over it to finish right before serving. 

1-2 medium patty pans, quartered and cut into large pieces

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 clove garlic, sliced

1/2 cup dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup olive oil

Chili powder to taste

Salt to taste

Ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

In a medium baking pan, toss together the patty pans, potatoes, red pepper, garlic, bread crumbs, and olive oil. Season with chili powder, salt, and pepper.

Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and lightly brown.

New Potato and Basil Salad

1 pound small red-skinned potatoes (cut to make the size uniform)

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

2 large garlic cloves, minced

¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Pierce potatoes in several places with fork. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook until potatoes are almost tender, shaking skillet occasionally, about 25 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons basil and garlic. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook until potatoes are golden brown and very tender, shaking skillet occasionally, about 10 minutes longer. Season with additional salt and pepper.

Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and Parmesan. Serve warm.

Lentil and Roasted Root Vegetables with Miso-Parsley Sauce

Roasted Vegetables

1 pound potatoes

5 medium carrots, cut on the bias into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil

Lentils

1½ cups vegetable broth or water

1 cup French green lentils or regular brown lentils, picked through to remove debris and rinsed

Gremolata miso sauce

1 cup fresh parsley, gently packed

1 lemon, zested and juiced

4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1¾ teaspoon white miso

Pinch red pepper flakes

3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper and salt, to taste

Roast the vegetables: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Toss the chopped potatoes and carrots in 2 tablespoons olive oil and arrange them in a single layer on a (preferably rimmed) baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes, tossing every 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and golden.

Cook the lentils: In a medium saucepan, bring the broth (or water) to boil and add lentils. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, until tender. Drain the lentils, return to pot, remove bay leaf and cover.

Make the sauce: In the bowl of a small food processor or a blender, combine the parsley, lemon zest and juice, garlic cloves, miso and red pepper flakes. Blend the mixture while slowly drizzling in the olive oil. (If you don't have a food processor/blender, you could finely chop the parsley, press or mince the garlic cloves and whisk the ingredients together.)

Assemble the dish: In a large serving bowl, toss together the lentils, vegetables and sauce. Season with black pepper and salt to taste (miso is salty so you might not need much or any salt). Serve.

Lemon-Thyme Potato Salad

2# Red Norland potatoes

1/3 cup olive oil

2 Tbsp lemon juice

2 Tbsp minced thyme

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp lemon zest

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp course ground pepper

½ onion, chopped fine

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the oil, lemon juice, herbs, vinegar, lemon zest, salt and pepper.

Drain potatoes. Place in a large bowl; add onion. Drizzle with vinaigrette; toss to coat. Serve warm or chill until serving. 

Yield: 8 servings (3/4 cup each).

Kohlrabi and Potato Gratin

3 slices bacon (optional), cut crosswise into thin strips 

1.5 cups heavy cream

2 Tbsp sour cream

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp minced thyme

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1.5 lb german butterball potatoes sliced very thin

1 kohlrabi peeled and sliced very thin

Preheat the oven to 300°. Butter a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. In a small skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat, stirring, until barely crisp, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the heavy cream, sour cream, garlic and thyme. Season the cream generously with salt and pepper.  

Thinly slice the potatoes and kohlrabi, then add to the cream and toss to mix. Spread the potatoes, kohlrabi and cream in an even layer in the prepared baking dish and bake for 15 minutes. Increase the oven temperature to 325° and bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes longer, or until the potatoes are tender and the top is browned. Let the gratin stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Indian-Style Sweet Corn Curry

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds

2 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 clove garlic, minced

1# red norland potatoes, cut into small dice

2-3 medium tomato, cut into small dice

4 tablespoons chopped cilantro

3 tablespoons chopped mint leaves

1-2  peppers chopped 

2 cups fresh corn kernels

1 can coconut milk

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Cayenne pepper, to taste

In a large pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the mustard seeds and 1/2 teaspoon of the cumin seeds. Cook until the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the garlic and potatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the potatoes turn golden.

Add the tomato, cilantro, mint, and green chile. Cook for 1-2 minutes longer, then add the corn and stir to combine. Add coconut milk, salt, and lemon juice. Stir and bring to a simmer, then cover and cook until the potatoes are cooked through.

In the meantime, toast the remaining cumin seeds in a dry skillet over high heat until aromatic. Stir the toasted cumin seeds into the curry and season with black pepper and cayenne to taste. Serve immediately.

Indian Style Potato and Celeriac Latkes

2 celeriac roots, peeled with a knife

1 1/2 lb russet (baking) potatoes 

1/2 cup celery tops, minced

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2-3 red onions, peeled and quartered

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground celery seeds

1/2 teaspoon mustard seed

2 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp chili powder

About 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 250°F.

Coarsely grate celery root into a bowl using a box grater.

Peel potatoes and coarsely grate into a large bowl. Add lemon juice and toss. Coarsely grate onions into same bowl.

Transfer to towel, then gather up corners to form a sack and twist tightly to wring out as much liquid as possible.

Return potatoes and onions to cleaned bowl and stir in celery root, flour, eggs, salt, pepper, celery tops and remaining spices until combined well.

Heat 1/3 inch oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Fill a 1/4-cup measure with latke mixture and carefully spoon it into skillet, then flatten to 3 inches in diameter with a slotted spatula. Form 3 more latkes in skillet, then fry until undersides are deep golden, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes. Turn over and fry until deep golden all over, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes more. If latkes brown too quickly, lower heat to moderate. Transfer to paper towels to drain briefly. Keep warm in 1 layer on a metal rack set in a shallow baking pan in oven. Make more latkes in same manner. Use a second rack and baking pan to keep last batches warm.

Grilled Napa and Potato Salad with Sesame Garlic Scape Dressing

1 head napa cabbage, washed and cut in half length wise

1 lb of Superior russet potatoes large, diced

¼ cup olive oil

Heat grill to medium-high

Toss potatoes in 2 tbsp of olive oil and season with salt and pepper

Seal in an aluminum foil pouch and place on the grill and cook until fork tender (roughly 20 minutes). Turn once (varies from grill to grill). Be careful when checking the potatoes. If your pouch has a good seal you are going to have steam try to escape when you open it. 

Lightly coat the napa cabbage in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill face down for 3-5 minutes then turn over and grill for another two minutes. 

Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature then roughly chop into bite size pieces. 

Combine napa cabbage with the cooked potatoes and toss with dressing. 

Can be served warm or chilled. 

The Dressing

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari (gluten free)

1 garlic scape minced

2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar

2 tablespoons peeled and minced ginger

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Combine ingredients and blend well or shake vigorously