Turkey Day

The chefs from Harvey Rd Cafe hit the highway for Thanksgiving in Fortine, MT. And as one would expect from a road trip, you can't always plan everything. Due to some fierce and unyielding belief in what traditions to support we ended up with two different types of dressing (stuffing) and two different types of sweet-potatoes. But it all turned out well in the end. Everyone had a good time and there was plenty of wine on hand.

Roasted Turkey - Not stuffed, but the cavity was filled with aromatics

Mom's Classic Sweet Potatoes - equal parts boiled yams, butter and brown sugar topped with pecans

Chipotle sweet potato mash - This stuff was awesome , unfortunately no leftovers

Mom's Stuffing - made with white bread, giblets, and raisins

Cornbread sourdough stuffing - a happy medium between the crunchy and soft, this had some great flavors including tequila soaked raisins and roasted green chilis

Trad Mashies - mom's traditional Mashed white potatoes served up with some turking dripping wondra assisted flour.

Cranberry sauce - I love this stuff with turkey and 4 days after T-day, I'm still eating it as dressing on my salads.

The neighborly assist was provided with green jello "salad" which was actually made with a packet of Pistatio pudding mix, a can of pineapple and a container of cool whip. Additionally, our neighbor brought out the big guns with a heaping platter of "green-bean" casserole.

Mom went nuts on the dessert and bought a pie and a chocolate tort from COSTCO that must have clocked in at about 7 lbs each.

19Nov07 - Butternut squash lasagne

One dish meals are awesome. Butternut squash lasagne with a side salad. (We're still recovering from an over indulgence on Friday )

Dinner 15Nov07 - Baingan Bhurta, Cauliflower Paratha with Buttermilk Curry sauce

The perfect comfort meal, hot fresh Cauliflower Paratha with an awesome Buttermilk curry sauce, both of which Jen has been perfecting for months. The Baingan Bhurta is a roasted eggplant curry from ifood.tv, which looks awesome.

Dinner 14Nov07 - Blackened Fish Tacos and Pineapple pico

Temperatures are dropping outside but it's gonna be mexi-cajun inside with Blackened Fish Tacos with Pineapple Pico and a side of organic black bean soup and mesclun greens with an awesome red-onion dressing

First Post - Warm Sirloin, French Potatoes, Asparagus and Bernaise sauce

Dried Tarragon for $6! insane, decided on Tarragon flavored wine vinegar since I needed vinegar anyway only $2.28(woot!).

• Bernaise Sauce
• French Potato Salad (from Americas test kitchen, subscription required)
  
• Warm Sirloin Slices (leftover from Thai Beef Salad on sunday)
• Lightly Steamed then Chilled asparagus
  

Potato Salad Recipe

French Potato Salad with Dijon Mustard and Fines Herbes

If fresh chervil isn’t available, substitute an additional 1/2 tablespoon of minced parsley and an additional 1/2 teaspoon of tarragon. For best flavor, serve the salad warm, but to make ahead, follow the recipe through step 2, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Before serving, bring the salad to room temperature, then add the shallots and herbs.

Serves 6 as a side dish
2 pounds small red potatoes (about 2-inch diameter), unpeeled, scrubbed, and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons table salt
1 medium clove garlic , peeled and threaded on skewer
1 1/2 tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small shallot , minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon minced fresh chervil leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon leaves


See Illustrations Below: Dressing the Potatoes

1. Place potatoes, 6 cups cold tap water, and salt in large saucepan; bring to boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium. Lower skewered garlic into simmering water and partially blanch, about 45 seconds. Immediately run garlic under cold tap water to stop cooking; remove garlic from skewer and set aside. Continue to simmer potatoes, uncovered, until tender but still firm (thin-bladed paring knife can be slipped into and out of center of potato slice with no resistance), about 5 minutes. Drain potatoes, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Arrange hot potatoes close together in single layer on rimmed baking sheet.

2. Press garlic through garlic press or mince by hand. Whisk garlic, reserved potato cooking water, vinegar, mustard, oil, and pepper in small bowl until combined. Drizzle dressing evenly over warm potatoes; let stand 10 minutes.

3. Toss shallot and herbs in small bowl. Transfer potatoes to large serving bowl; add shallot/herb mixture and mix gently with rubber spatula to combine. Serve immediately.