Friends of ours are going to Bahamas for the winter to run a bone fishing camp. We think they are very adventurous and wanted to celebrate their new work with dinner. Of course! The night they came over was cold and blustery; the perfect evening for a long-cooked pot roast and silky mashed potatoes.
CIDER POT ROAST
(serves 6 to 8)
- 1 1/2 cups apple cider
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 3-to-4 pound chuck roast
- All-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Combine the cider brown sugar, salt, cinnamon,ginger, and cloves in a medium bowl. Put the beef in a 1-gallon zipper-lock bag and pour in the marinade. Let marinate in the fridge for 24 hours, jiggling the bag whenever you think of it.
Remove the beef from the marinade; reserve the marinade. Dredge the beef in the flour on a large plate. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or flameproof roasting pan over high heat ad brown the beef on all sides, about 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the reserved marinade, cover and simmer for 3 hours, or until very tender Let the roast rest for 10 minutes then slice and serve with hot mashed potatoes.
Karyl Bannister. Cook & Tell.(Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001)
BUTTERY PUREED POTATOES
(serves 6)
- 2 1/3 pounds baking potatoes, russet or Yukon gold
- coarse and fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
- 1 cup unsalted butter, diced
- freshly ground white pepper
Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks. Place them in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, and add 1 teaspoon of coarse salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover the pan and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Continue cooking the potatoes until they are very soft but not falling apart, 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the potatoes and the size of the chunks.
Drain the potatoes very well and puree them using the fine grill of a food mill. Return the potatoes to the saucepan and place over low heat. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the moisture from the potatoes evaporates and they begin to stick to the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat to very low beat in the creme fraiche, and then gradually beat in the butter. The potatoes will become very soft and smooth. Taste and add sea salt,if necessary; then season with pepper.
Jennifer McLagen. Fat.(Berkely: Ten Speed Press, 2008.)
I used a ricer on the potatoes; it worked just fine. The creme fraiche brightens the flavor of the potatoes and the butter makes them smooth as silk. Lovely, just lovely.
Comments