The Bliss That Is Tian

We're nearing the end of the growing season in New England. I went to our CSA yesterday and picked up what was purported to be "the last" of the cherry tomatoes. I also got some of the first of this season's potatoes, a late-summer luxury, creamy and delicious.

And I picked up a dozen eggs. Because real eggs from an honest farm are one of life's more exquisite pleasures--although not at first. These were pretty filthy with what's politely called "chicken dirt." Bruce washed them and put them in a large bowl of water with a teaspoon of bleach to get rid of some of the more persnickety problems. But the task is so worth it--if only because he then used those eggs in a potato and greens tian.

A tian? Not exactly an everyday dish, eh? We were rather ignorant of the Provençal wonder until we went to friends' house for dinner earlier this summer. They served it--and we were undone. Isn't it wonderful to learn new things, even when you've been thinking about food for so many years?

Well, we've never looked back. Tian has become a go-to standard.

A tian is actually the name for the round dish that this eggy wonder is baked in. Sort of like "tagine"--it's the pot and the meal cooked in it. But Bruce uses a large skillet--everything works out fine. He mixes eggs with herbs, potatoes, and greens to create this wonderful treat. Oh, and anchovies. Lots of anchovies. But more on that after the jump.

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Roasted Aloo Matar Edamame

I was going to blog something else today. Um, cocoa brownies. Don't worry--they're on their way. But I got so excited about this recipe, I couldn't let it go.

We had a dinner party last night, an East Indian affair. Bruce charged me with the first course.

I waffled. I asked for advice on twitter. I hinted for help on facebook. It was disgraceful. But he was doing some major braise for the main course--with goat-cheese samosas as the intermediary course. Shoot. How was I going to come up with something for a first course?

I soon thought of aloo matar gobi, the potato-cauliflower-and-pea stew that's something of a staple. Yep, OK, that's a start. But I wanted to push it.

Boy, did I. Here's how. . . .

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Mashed Potatoes in Minutes

At the end of the White Wine Coq au Vin post (right here), I promised a recipe for making mashed potatoes in no time flat.

Here goes. A few years ago, Bruce and I were hired to represent the U. S. Potato Board for some publicity events. They told us we'd be making mashed potatoes. In a microwave!

OK, we're both snobs. And were duly shocked. No way, we thought. Gross. Can't work.

Except it does. Every time. (Shows us.) In fact, I now think the nukulator makes the best mashed potatoes, hands down, period.

Why? Because when potatoes are boiled, they get waterlogged. A better technique is to steam them--but it's a hassle. From the microwave, they're as good as steamed--but much faster. Crazy.

Start with up to eight 6- to 7-ounce potatoes. You can use small baking potatoes like Russets or yellow-fleshed potatoes like Yukon Golds. Think of each one about the size of your fist. Just don't use waxy red-skinned potatoes. Wash the spuds and put as many as you want in a microwave-safe bowl or a microwave container with a venting lid.

Did you notice what I didn't say? Do not poke, prod, or in any way rupture the skins. They will seal in the super-heated moisture as the spuds cook.

Seal the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and make a small, 1- to 2-inch slit in the plastic wrap, as I've done--or seal the container and open the small vent in the top.

Put it in the microwave and cook on high for 8 minutes. Then leave the bowl or container sealed in the microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bowl and you're good to go.

For the White Wine Coq au Vin, I added some milk and Dijon mustard. But you could use chicken broth and mustard. Or milk, sour cream, and chives. Or milk and chutney. Or chicken broth and tons of fresh herbs.

After that, you're one your own: butter, if you like, plus salt and pepper. Ever had them with toasted pecan or hazelnut oil? Ridiculously good. Yes, I use a hand masher. I like the coarser texture. But you can also use an electric mixer. The sky's the limit. And I promise: they're terrific mashed potatoes without much fuss at all. Snob or not, I don't make mashed potatoes any other way.

Salmon with Crisp Potatoes and Olives

Ah, the lowly salmon fillet. It's the boneless skinless chicken breast of our day: a cliché, really. One that gets a tad tired. Or tiring. Whatever. It can be decidedly dull. But stocked with omega-3s, it's real food, a high-nutrition feast. How then to make it exciting?

I've been puzzling on this and I think I've come up with one delicious solution. Delicious enough that Bruce and I have had it for dinner now on two Tuesdays running. I had to share it with you: a skillet sauté for salmon fillets with potatoes and olives that get crisp.

Yes, even the olives. You really let them go. The potatoes, too. Until you have this crisp, salty bed for the salmon. Pure bliss. I sucked mine down last night with a glass of Coffaro Fresco. (If you don't know about the fantastic wines from the Coffaros in California, then check them out here. They'll drop ship right to your house. Plus, Pat's a pleasure to get to know!)

OK, so here's how to get the job done.

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Oven-Fried Potato Chips

It's been quite a day of writing. Heavy lifting all around. But I think I finally cracked the code of the second chapter of our book named for this blog, the chapter about detoxing your taste buds from the modern world of packaged, processed food.

To celebrate, and to relish something so real it made me dance around the kitchen, we whipped up some oven-fried potato chips, the perfect snack: crunchy, salty, and without any preservatives or unnecessary fat. With a glass of iced tea, who could ask for more?

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