We have had the loveliest May Bank Holiday this past weekend with beautiful sunshine and warm temperatures. We have had to dig out fans out of storage and have been cranking them up all weekend. Its almost been too hot to do much in the kitchen.
There is no denying it. I am having a long-standing love affair with potatoes. In any way, shape or form, this love affair has been going on for all of my life. My mom always made the best mashed potatoes on the planet. Her secret was to grate a bit of raw onion into them. Talk about small addition that packs a walloping flavour punch. They were fabulous. Love my mom's mash!
And don't get me started on her pan fries. Occasionally she would boil extra potatoes (in the skins) just so she could make us pan fries for supper the next night. I can remember watching her peel them and then she would methodically cut them into thin slices and pan fry them . . . in butter . . . a few slices at a time, until they were golden brown all over. I think they were everyone's favourite!!! There were never enough of them to satisfy our appetites! Just enough to keep us wanting more!
A real treat would be on Saturday evenings when she would occasionally make us weiners and chips. Hand cut, home fried chipped potatoes, with hot dogs added to the fat for the last few minutes . . . the chips all golden brown and delicious, the hot dogs, gilded and crisp. Just the thought makes me salivate.
Rich and creamy scalloped potatoes . . . she didn't make any fancy sauces . . . they were simply sliced potatoes and onions, layered in a dish with salt, pepper, a bit of flour, and some dobs of butter between the layers and rich creamy milk pour over top. Baked until the potatoes were meltingly tender . . . the milk would scald, and a rich sauce would form from the flour and butter between the layers, seriously tasty. Always a treat.
My Todd is a MASH fiend. He quite simply adores mash. Today I amped it up a bit by using some additional flavours . . . with the addition of parsnips and swede (rutabaga to you North Americans) in a mash that gives you a triple whammy of deliciousness!
Mashed together into a fabulous meld of loveliness along with some butter, milk and cream . . .
Mmmm . . . so good, so easy, so tasty, but that is not all, no . . . that is not all . . .
I have added some interest and additional flavours by creating a delicious horseradish bread crumb to sprinkle over top of the potatoes. Oh so scrummy!
These were . . . there is no other word to describe them . . . FANTABULOUS!!!
So fantabulous that I am surprised as much made it to the table as did . . . my fork kept accidentally dipping into them for just one more taste test . . . oh, yes . . . I can be that naughty.
*Triple Mash with Horseradish Crumbs*
Serves 6
Place all of the vegetables into a pot of lightly salted water
to cover. Bring to the boil, then cook at a quick simmer until all of
the vegetables are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
While the vegetables are cooking, melt 2 TBS of butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once it begins to foam, add the bread crumbs. Cook, stirring, until the crumbs start to toast and brown. Add the horseradish and stir it in, cooking for about a minute longer. Set aside and keep warm.
Once the vegetables are tender, drain well. Return to the pot and shake over the residual heat from the burner until they have dried out. Mash well with the remaining butter, stirring in the milk and cream. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt as requried and the pepper. Spoon into a serving bowl and sprinkle the crumbs over top. Serve immediately.
Next time you are doing a roast dinner, or simply grilling chicken, chops or steaks, do yourself a favour and try out this most delicious mash. You won't be sorry. I promise. Bon Appetit!
Later this month, on the 19th May we are all going to be glued to the television screens watching the making of a Fairy Tale come true as we watch Miss Meghan Markle walk down the aisle to her waiting Prince, Prince Harry. What little girl does't dream about one day marrying a Prince?
I am so pleased that today, in thse modern times, this can be a reality, and that our Princes are now allowed to marry for love rather than obligation and duty. Hooray!
With that in mind, I have written a little tongue-in-cheek bit here this morning as the residents of Downton Abbey receive the news of the impending nuptials . . . and yes, there will be scones . . . every fairy tale deserves a happy ending.
Hello? 36410, Downton Abbey, Earle of Grantham speaking. (psst . . . Cora, where the hell is Carson? I shouldn't be answering the phone. Ugh.) What's that you say? Oh golly gosh!
Everyone, heads up! Great news! Dust off the silver Carson and check the wine cellar!!!
There's going to be a Royal Wedding! And soooooon!! More sooner than soon!!
Oh goodie, goodie!!! I do so love a Royal Wedding! Such an occasion! Oh joy, oh joy! Break out the family jewels! Prancing here. Prancing here. I'm a pony, I'm a pony!!
Ummm . . . . but, will there be scones? Please tell me there won't be scones. I am no good at scones. No good at all. They make me all flustered, you hear . . . all flustered. Mine always come out flat.
That's because you don't pay attention Daisy! You never do. Straight up and down. You cut them straight up and down, and you use a light hand.
There will be no heavy handedness when we are talking about scones. Not in MY kitchen! Pull yourself together girl!
Who cares about scones. Will there be dogs? Bracing young courtiers to flutter my eyelashes at??? A whiff of scandalous secrets I can, ahem . . . use to my own advantage??? Cheap black market goods to flog????
I simply must double Cora's "oh goodies". I do so love an occasion, and I hear she is a commoner, and an American at that!
What a cause for celebration!!!! I just love it when the underdog rises to the top! Hooo - ray! Pip pip and all that!
Oh dear me, a Commoner you say? And an American? I suppose that next you will be telling me that she is also divorced. This just isn't done. What is the world coming to . . . this just isn't done. How will they live down the scandal. Dear . . . dear . . . tut . . . tut . . .
Hmmmm . . . . I'm not sure you really want to be doing all of that tut-tutting Violet . . . me-thinks you are forgetting the regrettable Mr. Pamook . . . ahem . . .
Oh yes . . . giggle, giggle . . . the dear Mr. Pamook, let's not forget Mr. Pamook . . . Pamouk . . . PAMOUCK!!!!!
Edith . . . do you really want me to start rattling some skeletons in closets here. Do you? Do you?
Ummm . . . no. Will there be scones?
What??? Scones???? Skeletons in closets you say? Like when our Miss Sybil married the chauffeur????
I was wondering when that was going to come up . . . . lets just let sleeping dogs lie . . . lay . . . lye . . . oh forget it!!
Again with the dog . . . I know nothing about a missing dog . . . honest . . . does this look like a face that would lie tell untruths?
Thomas . . . don't do anything I wouldn't do . . . when in doubt deny everything . . . some things are just best left unsaid. Follow my lead . . .
But . . . um . . . . really . . . all I wanted to know is . . . will there be scones???
Forget the scones!!! Will there be new dresses involved??? Jewels!! Parties??? Dancing perhaps???? Clubbing??? Fun! Fun! Fun!
Just let me check with my friends . . . one minute . . . one minute . . .
Consensus is yes! There WILL be dancing . . . there is nothing like dancing and new dresses and parties. I do love a good party. PAR TAY!
Scandle . . . dogs . . . Pamouk . . . dancing . . . scones. Par . . . tay!!! If they are lucky there won't be any soup.
Ladies . . . pull yourselves together. You must remember who you are. You are the daughters and servants of an Earle . . .
Quite . . .
Am I too late???
Indoubitably . . . somewhat . . .ahem . . .
What about the scones????
There will be scones Carson . . . big fluffy soft scones, preferably filled with something lovely, what do they call it . . . . that fruity stuff . . . and the white stuff that goes with it.
Jam and clotted cream . . . yummy . . . scones and jam and clotted cream.
Yummy indeed . . .
There WILL be scones . . .
Oh goody . . . scones . . .
I also love a good scone and these scones are very befitting of a Royal Wedding Teatime Celebration!
They are delightfully light and flaky, with just the right amount of dried cranberrys and a hint of orange zest.
The best way to cut up the cranberries for these is to put them in a plastic cup and snip them with the kitchen scissors, not to fine, you want some chunks.
I think Meghan would like this, and Harry too . . . in between the Kale shakes. (I know she is a health food nut and these are definitely not health food!)
In any case they went down well here today with some berry jam and clotted cream . . .
I even dug out my best cloth and crystal . . . they were totally worth it.
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Drop in the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar, cranberries and orange zest. Make a well in the centre and pour in the cream. Stir in with a fork until you have a soft dough that comes together, adding more cream if necessary. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead gently two or 3 times Press out to a disc which is about 1 1/2 inches thick. Stamp out into rounds with a 3 inch fluted cutter, using a straight up and down motion without twisting the cutter, trying to cut as many out of the first cut as you can. (Subsequent cuts will not be as tender when baked.) Bring the scraps together and pat out again, cutting more until you have used all the dough.
Place well spaced apart on the baking sheet. Bake in the heated oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. Scoop onto a wire rack to cool.
Note - You can add an optional glaze if you wish. Just wisk together 65g (1/2 cup) sifted icing sugar with enough milk to make a thin drizzle and flick it over top.
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