If you’re still wondering what you’ll be making tomorrow for Thanksgiving beyond the turkey and the cranberry sauce, I might have something for you.
Click here for thirty-five amazing mashed potatoes recipes from the nice folks at The Cooking Channel. Enjoy!
It seems like everyone is getting a show on Food Network or the Cooking Channel except me. Here’s something from “Trisha’s Southern Kitchen.” That’s right, that Trisha Yearwood. Shouldn’t she be singing while somebody else cooks for her?
Nevertheless a recent episode, “Family Fish Fry,” supposedly featured her Home-Style French fries as a must-have side dish. Apparently though, it wasn’t all that must-have for the Food Network because they included everything in the episode online except the fries.
Trisha makes a cobbler, cole slaw, hush puppies, catfish, gabs with family, plays horseshoes, has a sing-along, and yes, even makes French fries. Or does she?
Home-Style French Fries are listed in the Food Network description for the episode here. It’s even in the Comcast description, which is why I DVRed the show in the first place.
Where did the French fries go?
Man, if Food Network gave me my own show, I would always know where my fries were.
“Not My Mama’s Meals” is an intriguing concept for a Food Network/Cooking Channel program. It’s got Bobby Deen, Paula Deen’s son, turning out healthier spins on his mother’s recipes. So, leaner, lighter, with all the flavor, and not sooo much butter.
In the second season episode, “Boys’ Night,” Bobby tries his hand at his momma’s over 900 calorie fish and chips, bringing it down to roughly 300. Quite a challenge. His secret – he’s using sweet potatoes, and he’s baking them.
Check out the recipe here. Enjoy!
You folks know how how much I love Nadia G. and her “Bitchin’ Kitchen.” I watch religiously, or so I thought. Recently my buddy Ray told me about an episode I had apparently missed. It’s called “Getting the Romance Back,” and featured recipes for rib-eye steak, oysters with creamy spinach alfredo, strawberry shortcake, among others, and, yeah baby, duck fat fries. Yeah, I know, how could I have missed this one? So after a long search through the Xfinity schedule grids for weeks, I finally found it.
The episode presents a dinner designed to get couples who have been together a looong time some romance into their lives. And you know Nadia, she does it with style. And here’s the recipe for both the ribeye and the fries from Nadia’s website:
Ingredients:
Fries: 2 cups warm water, 1/2 cup raw sugar, 2 russets, cut into 1/4 inch fries, 3 cups duck fat, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne, Freshly cracked pepper, Sea salt
Beurre blanc: 1/4 cup good dry white wine, 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 2 shallots, minced 1/2 cup cold butter, cubed 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon, roughly chopped, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, Freshly cracked pepper
Steak: 2 1 inch thick rib-eye steaks, at room temperature, 2 tablespoons canola oil, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, Freshly cracked pepper, 2 tablespoons butter
Recipe tools: Medium saucepan, Large pan, Salad spinner
Directions Making the fries: To warm water, add raw sugar and whisk. Soak fries in sugar water for 1hour or overnight. Strain and dry off in salad spinner. In a pot heat duck fat to 325˚F. Blanch 1 cup of fries at a time for 5 minutes, until cooked but not crispy. Remove and raise temperature of oil to 375˚F. Fry for 3-4 minutes until golden and crispy. Season with cayenne, pepper, and salt.
Making the beurre blanc: Heat saucepan on medium high. Add white wine, vinegar, and shallots. Let boil and reduce down to 2 tablespoons of liquid. Take off heat and let cool for about 1 minute. Put saucepan back on burner without turning on the heat. Throw in a few butter cubes at a time; whisk until butter is melted. Continue until all butter is melted. Add tarragon, salt, and pepper. Mix. Cover, turn heat to very low and let sit.
Making the steak: Heat canola oil in a pan on medium high. Season steak with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 ½ minutes per side, for medium-rare. For last minute of cooking, add butter and melt. Remove steak from heat, tent and let rest for 5 minutes.
Place steak and fries on a plate and top steak with sauce.
See the whole recipe here.
I caught this one on The Cooking Channel. “The Supersizers Go…” is a BBC show unfortunately inspired by Morgan Spurlock’s Supersize Me. The hosts, food critic Giles Coren and radio personality Sue Perkins, pretend to visit a specific time period each episode and basically bitch about the grossness and nutritional non-value of that era.
I discovered the Victorian episode while flipping through the channels and discovered them talking fish and chips. I was hooked, pun unintended. I set the DVR for record when it was repeated later in the evening so I could write about it for you fine folks.
I liked Sue right away as she was also a fussy eater, maybe not a catastrophically picky one, but still a non-adventurous pain in the butt after my own heart. The first mention of the favorite fried food was regarding breakfast. The Victorians ate fried potatoes for breakfast, among other fattening items, fun stuff like mutton cutlets and smoked mackerel with anchovies, all of which they noted the calorie counts.
Among the oddities and goodies I learned in the show include that despite her horrible diet, Queen Victoria lived to the grand old age of eighty-one. I guess fried potatoes every day are a bad idea. I also learned, and this one’s for the “Doctor Who” fans, that jelly babies, at least according to this show, date back to Victoria’s era. Maybe The Doctor introduced them early.
Something else I’ve gotten from the episode is that in Victorian England, despite the fried potatoes and jelly babies, they ate a lot of disgusting crap. I’m talking cow’s brains, heads, and ears, and that’s just for starters. Luckily though, after dinner, Giles and Sue went out to a chippie for fish and chips, a street dish that originated at this time.
Fish and chips, again, according to the show, comes from Jewish immigration to the UK from Poland and Russia. Jewish families could not light a flame after sundown on Fridays so they battered and fried their fresh fish to make them last longer for the weekend. Again, Sue steals my heart by saying fish and chips is one of the greatest inventions of all ages, even over and above the electric lightbulb.
Probably one of the few dishes they actually enjoy throughout the episode, they sit and happily eat their fish and chips, from newspaper cones, with their hands. Yeah, baby. Potato croquettes pop up later, as do many courses of garbage dinners, a trip to a pub, and a Christmas meal. Trust me, the fish and chips were the highlight of this fairly educational romp.
We’ve seen dessert fries before here at French Fry Diary, but these sweet potato fries are just a little bit different. Hmmm… Elvis might like these…
This segment comes from “United Tastes of America,” which airs on Food Network and Cooking Channel. Here host and food fanatic Jeffrey Saad checks out Peanut Buttercup Fries from the Fresh Fries food truck of Los Angeles.
Mmmm… enjoy!
For today’s Food Network Friday we turn to their sister network, the Cooking Channel for “Spice Goddess” with Bal Arneson. In the episode entitled “Craving Menu,” she shows us her recipe for Homemade Sweet Potato Fries with Chili Coconut Dip.
TOTAL TIME: 35 minutes
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
YIELD:4 servings
Ingredients
• 2 liters vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 medium-size sweet potatoes, peeled
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• Chili Coconut Dip, recipe follows
CHILI COCONUT DIP:
· 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
· 1/4 cup dried curry leaves, crushed
· 3 tablespoons unsweetened coconut flakes
· 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
· 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
· 1/2 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
· Pinch of salt
· Pinch of pepper
· 1/2 cup mayonnaise
Directions
Heat the oil in a large pot with a heavy bottom, or in a deep fryer to 350 degrees F. Make sure the oil level is no more than one-third of the pot as it will rise during the frying process. Mix the cardamom, paprika and salt together in a small bowl. Cut the sweet potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and then cut the slices into 1/4-inch sticks. Put the cornstarch into a large bowl and add the sweet potatoes, tossing well using your hands to make sure they are well coated. Working in batches, fry in the hot oil until golden brown, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain on paper towels, and then sprinkle liberally with the spice mixture. Serve with Chili Coconut Dip.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and add the curry leaves, coconut, chili powder, ground coriander, mustard seeds, salt and pepper. Toast until the coconut is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Place in a bowl with the mayonnaise and stir well to combine. Yield: 1 cup.
View the entire recipe here.
I love Nadia G. and her “Bitchin’ Kitchen” over on the The Cooking Channel. It is easily the most entertaining, as well as informative, show on the network. On the episode “Impress the In-Laws” she makes the irresistible Potato Croquettes. They are matched up with Roasted Tomatoes and Filet Mignon. Here are the recipes:
Ingredients
• Roasted Tomatoes
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• Pinch Greek oregano
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Pinch brown sugar
• Parmesan Potato Croquettes
• 4 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 green onions, finely sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup grated Parmiggiano-Reggiano cheese
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• Olive oil, for pan frying
• Filet Mignon
• 4 steaks, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons steak spice (recommended: McCormick Montreal)
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• Balsamic Syrup
• 1/4 cup aged balsamic vinegar*
• 1/4 cup real maple syrup
• *Cook’s Note: Minimum 7 years old
Directions
To make the roasted tomatoes: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the cherry tomatoes and garlic in a large baking dish in a single layer. Sprinkle them with Greek oregano, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and brown sugar. Mix well. Roast for 40 minutes.
To make the Parmesan potato croquettes: Boil the potatoes in enough salt water to cover for 10 to 15 minutes, or until fork tender. Drain. Saute the green onions and garlic in extra-virgin olive oil for a few minutes, until the onions are translucent and garlic is golden. In a big bowl, combine the onion and garlic mixture with the boiled potatoes. Add Parmesan cheese, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and mash together. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Pour enough olive oil to come 1/4-inch up the side of a heavy fry pan and heat to 375 degrees F. Roll the chilled potato mixture into finger shapes. Dip the fingers in the beaten egg, then coat them in Italian-seasoned bread crumbs. Fry the croquettes in the hot oil for 30 seconds, until all sides are equally crispy and golden.
To make the filet mignon: Season the steaks with a pinch of steak spice. Heat the canola oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add the steaks to the hot pan. Sear the steaks for 2 minutes on each side. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the steaks for another 2 minutes per side. Tent the cooked steaks in aluminum foil and let them rest for 10 minutes.
To make the balsamic syrup: Heat a pan on medium-high heat, add equal parts maple syrup and balsamic vinegar, and stir for 3 to 5 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and slightly reduced. Serve immediately, drizzled over the filet mignon.
How’s that for a rockin’ dinner to impress the in-laws. Or anybody? Go, Nadia G.!
Today’s Food Network Friday is also a Random Tater Pic of the Day.
Hungry Girl is, in reality, Lisa Lillien, a foodologist and just plain foodie who’s not only hungry, but also shares her recipes and cooking tips with all of us.
She has a daily email newsletter and her own show on The Cooking Channel, she’s even on Twitter. But most of all, she just rocks.
Here is a screen capture from the beginning of her show where it’s raining crinkle cut French fries on her. See? I told you she rocks.
On his TV show “Cook Like an Iron Chef” on the new Cooking Channel Iron Chef Michael Symon shows us how they do it in the Iron Chef Kitchen Stadium. Gee, do ya think I could have used the words ‘Iron Chef’ a few more times in that sentence? Anyway, the episode I just watched had the secret ingredient of the potato, so I was mesmerized.
Symon made ‘Pan Roasted Diver Scallops with Potato and Celery Root Puree and Brown Butter,’ and ‘Potato wrapped Pacific Cod with a Grilled Leek, Red Bliss and Purple Peruvian Potato and Lobster Salad,’ with their recipes found here and here, but what really caught my eye was when he made, yeah, you guessed it, French fries.
Iron Chef Mike Symon put an interesting spin on the favorite fried food with his ‘Duck Fat Fries with Rosemary and Parm with Greek Yogurt Aioli.’ First and foremost he cooked them in duck fat, a luxury I have yet to try. Rumor has it the best fries are done that way. But he also deep-fried sliced garlic cloves and sprigs of rosemary in with the fries as well, an intriguing technique, and there was also only one fry, as opposed to the par-fry/shock-fry method.
He can keep the yogurt and aioli, but the fries still looked darn good. You can check out the recipe here at the Cooking Channel website. Mmmm… fries…
french fry diary 