Potatoes With Fleur De Sel Butter Grilled Sardines And Ham Recipes

SARDINE AND POTATO BAKE

Steps:

• Boil potatoes in a large pot of water, until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool.
• When cooled, slice potatoes into 1/4" rounds.
• While potatoes are cooking, prepare sardines by slitting through the belly lengthwise. Turn so that skin is facing upwards and press down on backbone. Turn over and remove backbone.
• Heat the tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat and add onion and garlic. Sauté until softened.
• Arrange the potatoes in a well-oiled casserole dish and sprinkle with the onion mixture, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Place the open sardines (skin side down) on top of the potatoes and cover with tomato slices and other herbs.
• Pour wine over all. Cook uncovered at 300F for about 45 minutes, until fish is tender. If casserole is dry, add additional wine (by the tablespoon).

TOURTIERE DE FLEUR-ANGE (FLEUR-ANGE'S PORK PIE)

Steps:

• In a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine pork, water, celery and leaves, onions, garlic, parsley, savory, cinnamon, cloves, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes, adding more water, if necessary, to prevent mixture from drying. Adjust seasoning, if necessary. Let cool.
• Line two 8-inch pie plates with pastry and fill with meat mixture. Roll out top crusts, cutting a generous vent in the centre of each. (Mme Fleur-Ange Rochon always cut her vents in the shape of an evergreen tree.) Cover each pie with top crust, trim pastry, crimp the edges to seal, and cut small steam vents. Brush top of pastry with egg yolk and milk mixture.
• Bake pies in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden. Serve either hot or cold with pickles or relish.
• Tip: Meat pies may be made ahead and refrigerated. Unbaked pies may be refrigerated for 24 hours, or frozen. Thaw in refrigerator before baking.
• For Pastry:
• In a bowl, mix 2 cups sifted, all-purpose flour with 1/4 teaspoon salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in 3/4 cup chilled, cubed shortening or lard until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Measure 1/4 to 1/3 cup ice water. Sprinkle over mixture, a spoonful at a time, stirring with a fork, adding just enough water so dough holds together. Shape into a ball, press into a flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour. Leftover pastry can be frozen for later use.

LAYERED POTATOES FROM BAHIA DE CASARES

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the potatoes with enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat and simmer actively for about 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are just tender. Remove from the heat, drain and, when cool enough to handle, slice the potatoes 1/8inch thick.
• While the potatoes are cooking, in a large heavy skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, for 4 to 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and remove from the heat.
• Preheat the oven to 425/. In a small bowl, combine the garlic and herbs and toss together to mix evenly. Brush a large oval or rectangular baking dish with a little olive oil and place one layer of sliced potatoes, slightly overlapping, in the bottom. Distribute about 1/4 of the sliced onions
• evenly over the potatoes, then scatter a little of the garlic-herb mixture over the top and drizzle with a little olive oil. Make another layer of potatoes and repeat until all the potatoes, onions, and garlic mixture have been used up, finishing with a layer of the olive oil and herb mixture.
• Pour the chicken stock around the edges of the pan so as not to disturb the herb topping, and cover with aluminum foil. Bake on the lower middle shelf of the oven for about 30 minutes,until the potatoes are perfectly tender. Remove the foil and cook for 5 to 10 minutes more, until the top is slightly dried. If desired, scatter the cheese over the top after removing the foil. Serve warm.

SMALL POTATOES WITH FLEUR DE SEL

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a large pot. Cover with 2 inches of water, and season with about 1 1/2 tablespoons sea salt. Bring to a boil, and cook until the potatoes are just tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
• In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, and saute, shaking the pan from time to time, until the potatoes are browned in patches, 10 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve, passing a small dish of fleur de sel at the table.

GRILLED SARDINES

Steps:

• Scale and gut the sardines (you can have your fishmonger do this). Wash the sardines under cold, running water and pat dry with paper towels. Lightly salt the sardines with coarse sea salt and refrigerate. Meanwhile, boil 2 potatoes until a knife is easily inserted. Drain and cool.
• Roast 2 red bell peppers over an open flame until charred. Place in a bowl and cover it with plastic to allow it to steam for approximately 20 minutes. Remove the plastic and peel and seed the peppers.
• Cut peppers into 3-inch wide strips and combine in bowl with 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1/8 cup white wine vinegar, onion, and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Preheat a grill.
• Place the sardines on a hot grill. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and place on the grill. When the sardines are done on first side, flip them over, and give the potatoes a quarter turn to create the grill marks.
• Place 3 sardines on each plate with 2 potato halves and some red pepper salad. For decoration and extra flavor, sprinkle with some thinly sliced onions and garlic over the sardines and drizzle with remaining olive oil.
• The ideal accompaniment for this dish is some Portuguese rolls and a nicely chilled Vinho Verde Portuguese wine.