Risotto-Style Bulgar with Wild Mushrooms and Goat Cheese

I found the most amazing Mediterranean market near where I live, thanks to a tip from a restaurateur I spoke with while writing an article for a local newspaper.

Halloumi cheese (more on this later), every kind of grain, lentil, spice and multiple variety of olives and cuts of lamb, this place was seriously fun to browse. I went home with the halloumi, red lentils and Bulgar with no action plan at all.

There the dry goods sat in my pantry and the cheese calls my name every time I open the refrigerator.

Tonight was the night for the Bulgar - risotto-style creaminess, nutty flavor and just enough texture, this is a close runner up for arborio rice. More nutritious than rice, slightly more flavorful and interesting, Bulgar is just as, if not more, delicious than a classic risotto recipe I make often.

Risotto-Style Bulgar with Wild Mushrooms and Goat Cheese:
(serves 2-3 as an entree, 4-6 as a side)
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 c dried Bulgar wheat
Olive oil as needed
Salt and pepper
1 c dry white wine
4-8 c chicken broth, warmed on the stove top
1 c re hydrated dried wild mushrooms (about 1/4 c dried)
1/4 c goat cheese, crumbled
Dried or fresh chopped parsley for garnish (if desired)

Directions:
Heat broth, let stand. Heat olive oil in a large saute pan and sweat garlic, shallot and onion, add salt and pepper. Once translucent and fragrant, add Bulgar, stirring until grains are translucent.

Add wine, simmer and stir often until the pan is dry. Continue adding 2-3 cups broth, 1/2 c at a time until Bulgar is getting creamy and liquid is absorbed. Add mushrooms and soaking liquid, stir until liquid is absorbed. Continue stirring and adding liquid until Bulgar is creamy and the texture is right (as soft as you like). Salt and pepper to taste, remove from heat, add goat cheese and serve while still slightly soft and creamy, garnishing with parsley if desired.

Ground Lamb Kebabs with Saffron Rice and Hummus

Spiced but simple, fresh and savory, I love the delicious variety of Mediterranean cuisines, but something I always order if it appears on the menu is Lamb Kofta (various spelling) Kebabs, or ground lamb kebabs. Whether with a pita, with rice, with hummus, a salad or just plain, I can't get enough.

This is my first attempt at making them at home and it was so simple and the results so successful this recipe will be made again and again. For anyone who isn't sure they like lamb, this fresh herbs in this recipe balance any gaminess.

I served them atop a bed of saffron rice with a side of hummus and a simple green salad with cucumbers and an oil-and-vinegar dressing. A Syrah or a Pinotage is a nice wine to pair with this - I had it with a Pinotage.

Ground Lamb Kebab with Saffron Rice and Hummus:
(serves 4)
Lamb Kebabs
1 lb ground lamb
1 egg
1/2 c fresh breadcrumbs
1 large shallot, minced finely
1/2 c chopped fresh herbs (parsley, mint and cilantro)
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
Mix all ingredients just until blended, don't overwork meat. Form long, thin kebabs around wooden (pre-soak to prevent burning) skewers. Grill, turning, until brown on all sides and just cooked through.

Saffron Rice
1 c jasmine rice
2.5 c chicken broth
Pinch of saffron (3-4 threads soaked in water for an hour or so)
1/2 c golden raisins
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Bring broth to a boil, add saffron and rice, stir and reduce to low simmer. Cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring once. Turn off heat, let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and add raisins and parsley. Serve.

Hummus

1 can drained and rinsed chickpeas
1/4 c tahini (paste of ground sesame seeds, look in health food stores)
1 clove garlic
1 tbs olive oil
Pinch salt (not traditional, but I also added a touch of honey - my garlic was strong and a little bitter)
Water as needed for consistency

Directions:
Blend all ingredients in a food processor, adding enough water to allow for blending and to achieve desired consistency. Serve drizled with olive oil and a pinch of paprika for color with warm pita bread on the side.

Snails...with Crimini Mushrooms & Roasted Red Peppers over Grilled Polenta

First things first, I believe this may be one of my more breakthrough posts for two reasons.

1. This was a reader request. I got an email from a cousin of my boyfriend (he and his wife are very into cooking and food) and their only question was whether I had any recipes for snails or paella. Wow, stumped me there.

But, if there is anything I respond best to, it's a dare (or even a minor suggestion). Anyone who knows me from high school can surely attest to the lengths I would go on a dare for $7. (hint, it involved the teacher's cafeteria) So, I decided today I would summon my inner sense of youth and cook with snails.

2. The title of this blog is about my "adventures" in cooking and I am sure, somewhere out there, a reader has scoffed and said "Adventures? She makes pasta, salad and cocktails...seriously?" But, I will say that each new recipe, food item or preparation for me, the food-obsessed, truly is an adventure, so I stand by my title. That said, tonight was actually an adventure.

I have tried snails in restaurants and loved them; but to take them as a raw ingredient, stare at them on the counter while the sauce cooks and the polenta readies for grilling, wow, that really was an adventure. Thank goodness is was very delicious and was worth it!

So, the takeaway? I really believe I am an adventurous girl and an adventurous cook...and I create recipes by request - hope you like it Nik!

Snails with Crimini Mushrooms & Roasted Red Peppers over Grilled Polenta:
(serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 as an entree)
1 7 oz can cooked and prepared snails, drained and rinsed*
1 c chopped roasted red peppers**
8 oz whole crimini mushrooms
1 tbs butter
1 tbs olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
2-3 c dry white wine (as needed)
Salt and pepper
Chopped parsley for garnish
Polenta, salted and peppered, cut into rings or triangles***

Directions:
Heat butter and oil in a saute pan, add garlic and cook slowly being careful not to brown garlic. Add mushrooms, salt and pepper and simmer until mushrooms have released liquid and are reduced in size. Add roasted peppers and 1 c white wine and bring to a simmer for 30-45 minutes or until almost all liquid is absorbed.

Add prepared snails and remaining wine, simmer on low for 30-45 minutes or until mushrooms and snails are tender and smaller than when you started and the sauce has thickened.

Meanwhile, grill pieces of polenta until a crisp skin forms on both sides and they are warm throughout.

Lay polenta pieces on serving plates, pour pepper/mushroom/snail mixture over polenta and top with parsley for garnish. Serve immediately.

*Snails:
After a lot of Web research and not a lot of information readily available, I came to the conclusion that preparing snails fresh is possible only if you have access to them, if they are non-toxic, you are willing to endure very gross and tedious procedures and you have lots of time (weeks) to wait. For the rest of us, admit defeat and buy them prepared (either canned or in the seafood/meat section of a high-end or ethnic market). If you must try it yourself, here is one place I found with information on how it is done:
Garden Snails as Escargot (Sunset Magazine)

**Roasted Red Peppers:
To roast red peppers, blacken them over an open flame, on a grill or over a broiler. Once all sides are thoroughly blackened, put into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let "sweat." Once cool, peel off blackened skin. Or, if you are in a hurry, buy them in a jar/can or in the deli section of your grocery store.

***Fresh polenta (cornmeal):
It isn't hard to make, it just requires some patience and time. To create a shortcut, look for prepared polenta by Amy's or at Trader Joe's - it comes in a tube like cookie dough and can simply be cut into slices, seasoned and grilled for this recipe.

Spicy Grilled Steak with Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Steak and potatoes. Always classic and delicious, but this time, it was even better because the beef came as a gift from a friend. SOOO delicious!

The Story of the Beef:
The steak is top round, and comes to me from friends Luke and Tabitha who earlier this year purchased a cow from a nearby ranch. Imagine, a full-size freezer, filled with neat white packages, some edged with dried blood, labeled neatly in blue pen, of every cut of beef imaginable. This is their freezer.

Tab is a great cook and has been quite impressively cooking her way through this gorgeous cow, but a few cuts stumped her and she asked for help, which is how I lucked out and got a piece of the action. Top round, eye-of-round and bottom round were the cuts stopping her up. Specifically, she wants to know how to cook it to make it not too tough, flavorful and easy (she teaches and is a new mom!)

So, here is what I found out after some research and here is a recipe just for you Tab (and Luke & Mason.) Thank you for sharing your cow!

The Verdict:
Round steaks come from the cow's hind area which are used most, so they are the toughest. Top round is the portion of the muscle used the least, so is slightly more tender than bottom round, but they all can be tender and delicious if cooked correctly, or not so much if cooked incorrectly.

Here is my recommendation; either marinate in a tenderizing marinade and grill quickly and serve medium rare and sliced thin. Or, if rare meat isn't your thing, braise (slow cook in the liquid plus a bit of water or beef broth) for the best results. For a roast, any normal pot roast method should work well.

Spicy Grilled Top Round Steak with Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes:
(serves 2 hearty eaters, 3-4 lighter eaters)

Steak:
1.5 to 2 lb top round steak, thawed if frozen
1/3 c red wine
1-2 tbs balsamic vinegar
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 tbs brown sugar
Salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
1 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl (except steak). Pour over steak and marinate for 2-4 hours, up to 8 hours. The acids in the marinade will help tenderize the meat.

Remove from marinade, grill about 3 minutes per side. For this cut of meat, you want medium rare at the most done or it will be tough.

Meanwhile, boil remaining marinade rapidly until reduced and thickened for a sauce.

Remove steak from grill, let rest on a plastic cutting board (so you can wash it) for 5-10 minutes. Slice thin across the grain and serve with reduced marinade drizzled over top.

Mashed Potatoes:
6 medium red potatoes, washed and partially peeled and cut into chunks
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled and whole
1/4-1/2 c milk (as needed for texture)
1 tbs butter
1-2 tbs grated Parmesan
1/4 c sour cream (can use light)
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Place potatoes and garlic cloves in a stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer until fork-tender. Drain well (leave garlic in). Add butter, milk, sour cream, Parmesan and salt and pepper and mash potatoes and garlic with a fork (they will be chunky potatoes) until incorporated. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve with steak and sauce. Garnish with additional parsley if desired.

Sweet & Spicy Roasted Salmon with Sunchoke Puree & Truffle-Scented Roasted Asparagus

Spring is here! At least here in Arizona. Fellow blogger and dessert diva Peabody from Culinary Concoctions by Peabody is still getting snow up in the Pacific Northwest.

But here in Arizona, one of my favorite markets had fresh Alaskan salmon, beautiful asparagus tips and sunchokes, so I wove them all together into a delicious spring meal.

Sunchokes (or Jerusalem artichokes) are not really artichokes at all, nor do they have anything to do with Jerusalem. They are a type of sunflower, in the same family as the garden sunflower. This according to Wikipedia. In my opinion they are a cross between turnips, rutabaga and parsnips because they are crunchier and sweeter than a potato, but still having similar properties.

Here is what they look like:

Sweet & Spicy Roasted Salmon with Sunchoke Puree & Truffle-Scented Roasted Asparagus:
(serves 2)
1 lb fresh salmon, cut into 2 filets
2 tbs mirin (sweet rice wine)
2 tbs sake
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs whole grain spicy mustard
1 tbs honey
1 tsp (or to taste) hot sauce like Siracha

1 lb sunchokes, peeled and chopped into 1/2 cubes
1 c milk
1 c water
Salt and white pepper
2 tbs cream or half and half (or as needed)
1 tbs butter
1 tbs chopped parsley, plus additional for garnish

1 lb asparagus, stems trimmed
2 tbs (approx) olive oil
1 tsp white truffle oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350.

Place sunchoke pieces in a large saucepan and cover with water and milk. The milk helps the chokes not to discolor. The water/milk mixture should cover all the pieces. Bring to a simmer and cook until the chokes are soft enough to puree. Drain and mix in a blender, with a egg beater or with an immersion blender. Add cream, butter, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. You may need more or less cream depending on desired consistency. Keep warm.

Meanwhile mix all liquids for salmon marinade in a small bowl. Place salmon in a shallow baking pan and pour marinade over salmon. At the same time, toss asparagus in oils and salt and pepper and spread out on a baking sheet. Roast fish and asparagas for about 15 minutes (they should both be done at about the same time).

To serve, place a mound of sunchoke puree in the center of the plate. Top with salmon filet and drizzle a bit of the marinade over the top. Place asparagus around plate. Garnish with remaining parsley if desired.

Sweet Potato Fries

A trip to the farmer's market this afternoon turned up this gigantic 4 pound sweet potato. (the lime is for proper perspective)

It is being cut up for sweet potato fries as I type!

The recipe:
Sweet & Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

Turnip & Rutabaga Gratin

It started with Garlic and Sapphires, then I began to take more notice to the letter from the editor in Gourmet each month and now I just outright adore Ruth Reichl’s writing.

I do not, however, adore admiring someone whose name I cannot pronounce, so after some Googling, came across a 2004 interview with Reichl and Terry Gross of NPR’s Fresh Air and listened, determined to hear the correct pronunciation.

Rie-shell (2 syllables, emphasis on first syllable) is how Gross pronounced her name. I meant to just listen to the intro, but was sucked into the interview and I listened for the full 35 minutes, mesmerized by Reichl’s soothing, smoky voice and by just how much of her passion for food came through in the interview.

She talked about foods of the decades with Gross and something she said about the canned goods revolution struck me. She said despite the blow canned vegetables dealt the food industry for some time, recent decades show a backlash to this trend and have not only sprouted farmer’s markets in most every city in America, the average supermarket now carries a wide variety of seasonal vegetables.

Reflecting on my own home cooking adventures over the past few years, I have to agree. Fresh fennel bulbs, red currants, kohlrabi, every kind of fresh herb, bok choy, parsnips and today turnips and rutabagas are appearing in even the lowliest chain grocery store near me. Or maybe I am just now noticing them? Either way, my recipes are better for it.

Turnip and Rutabaga Gratin:
(serves 6-8 as a side dish)
2 lbs rutabaga, peeled and sliced thin
2 lbs turnips, peeled and sliced thin
Sea salt, to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/4 c heavy cream
1 c half and half (can use milk)

Directions:
Layer slices of rutabaga and turnip in a shallow baking dish or gratin dish.

Season with salt and pepper, pour over milk and cream (mixed together).

Cover and bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake another 45-60 minutes or until golden brown and crisp on top. Let stand a few minutes, serve.

Fragrant Cous Cous Salad

Fragrant Cous Cous Salad:
(serves 4)
2 cups cous cous
2 cups water
1 shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 green onion, sliced thinly, white and green parts
½ c dried cranberries or white raisins
2 whole star anise
4 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt to taste
Olive oil

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a sauté pan, add shallot and garlic and cook until slightly softened, add star anise, cloves, cinnamon, cumin and salt and pepper. Add water and bring to a boil. Simmer for a few minutes to ensure water is infused with flavors.

Strain water into a medium saucepan. Bring back up to a boil, add cous cous and stir, remove from heat and let stand, covered, for about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and add green onion and cranberry. Adjust salt to taste. Can be served warm or at room temperature.

Wild Mushroom Risotto

This risotto is very basic, made decadent by using imported wild mushrooms and real Parmegano Reggiano cheese. The Italian parsley adds a peppery zing, leave it out if you don't like the taste but I think it gives a nice clean bite to a creamy and rich risotto.

Wild Mushroom Risotto:
(serves 2)
1 c arborio rice
2-3 c chicken stock, warmed
1/2 c dried wild mushrooms, rinsed and soaking in 1 c hot water
2 tbs olive oil
1/3 c shallot, chopped finely
2 tbs Italian flat-leaf parsley, chopped finely
1/4 c white wine
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4-1/2 c grated Parmegano Reggiano cheese

Directions:
Heat saute pan over high heat, add olive oil. Saute shallots until softened, add rice and saute until rice begins to be translucent around edges. Add wine, simmer, stirring until all liquid is absorbed. Add 1/2 c stock at a time, stirring constantly and not adding any more liquid until all has absorbed. Once rice is creamy and almost all liquid is absorbed, stir in mushroom soaking liquid and simmer until almost absorbed. Add mushrooms, cheese, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately with more grated cheese on top, if desired.

Potato Gratin

This must be the most basic potato gratin recipe, but simplicity is sometimes a good thing.

Infusing the cream with garlic by simmering slightly crushed garlic cloves in the cream would be a great addition, as would be grated parmesan over the top. Bacon would be fantastic too. No matter how the preparation, this is classic and comforting.

Thank you to Chris & Randi for my new mandoline! This potato deliciousness would be SO tedious without my new toy. I LOVE it.

Basic Potato Gratin:
(serves 6-8 as a side dish)
2 lbs new potatoes, skin on, or larger starchier potatoes, peeled
1.5 c heavy cream (can use half and half)
2 tbs butter
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Slice potatoes in uniform slices. Salt and pepper to taste and layer in casserole dish. Pour cream over potatoes and dot top with butter cut into little chunks.

Bake covered for 45 minutes at 400, then uncover and cook for another 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender when stabbed with a knife and top is golden brown and crisp. Let stand a few minutes before serving.

Roasted Parsnips

Trader Joe's had fresh parsnips today, and after realizing honestly that I may have never had parsnips, I had to buy them. I chopped them up, tossed them with olive oil, S&P and chopped fresh rosemary and roasted them. Delicious, crunchy and slightly sweet, I'll be making these a lot more often.

Roasted Parsnips with Rosemary:
(serves 4)
1.5 lbs parsnips, ends trimmed and cut into uniform pieces
1/4 c olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbs chopped fresh rosemary

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400. Toss all ingredients in a large bowl and pour into a baking sheet. Roast until golden brown and crisp, about 45 minutes.

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

A very basic potato preparation that never fails. Plus, the rosemary smells just delicious while roasting.

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes:
(serves 4)
3 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
2 medium onions, peeled and cut into thin slices
1/4 c good quality extra virgin olive oil
2 tbs fresh rosemary, chopped
1-2 tbs sea salt
1 tbs fresh ground black pepper, or to taste

Directions:
Toss all ingredients together. Roast on a foil-lined baking sheet for about 45 minutes at 350, or until golden brown and crisp on the outside and cooked through.

Cornbread Sage Stuffing

Thanks once again to Laura Rebecca's Retro Recipe Challenge #4 for the inspiration to cook a recipe from before 1980 that classifies as a "fall favorite."

I've never cooked with liver, made cornbread or made stuffing of any kind before, so this was quite an adventure, although thankfully resulted in delicious, rich stuffing that will become my standard stuffing recipe.

The recipe (and the cornbread included in the stuffing) was originally printed in the November 1975 issue of Gourmet, and re-printed in 2002.

Cornbread Sage Stuffing:
(serves 8-10)
8 c fresh white bread crumbs
4 c coarsely crumbled buttermilk corn bread (see recipe below)
1/4 c finely chopped parsley
3 tbs finely chopped fresh sage
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2-3 chicken livers, trimmed and finely chopped
1 c finely chopped celery
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 c chicken broth
1/2 c heavy cream

Directions:
Heat oven to 325°F. Spread all bread crumbs in 2 shallow baking pans and bake until dry, about 15 minutes. Cool crumbs, then transfer to a large bowl and stir in parsley, sage, salt, and pepper.

Melt butter in skillet over moderate heat, then add onions and liver and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Add celery and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.

Transfer to bowl with crumbs and toss well. Add eggs, stock, and cream and toss well. Transfer stuffing to a buttered 2 1/2- to 3-quart shallow baking dish. Bake, covered, 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until browned, about 30 minutes more.

Cornbread:
(makes about 7 cups, crumbled)
1 all-purpose flour
3/4 c yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp finely chopped fresh sage

Directions:
Heat oven to 425. Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients (and sage) separately.

Mix together just until combined. Pour into non-stick or greased pan and bake until golden brown.

Crisp Polenta Cakes

These are a nice (and easy!) alternative to rice, potatoes or any starch. Plus, they are fairly neutral in flavor so they go well with and absorb a variety of sauces nicely. You can make these up to a few hours before serving, then let them sit uncovered at room temperature. Reheat briefly before serving.

Crispy Polenta Cakes:
1 round of prepared polenta (sliced), or follow the directions for instant polenta, spreading onto a sheet pan and chilling
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions:
Cut out rounds, squares or the shape of your preference (mine are heart shaped) in the polenta with a cookie/biscuit cutter or knife. Pat dry with a paper towel.

Here it is before pan frying:
Meanwhile, heat oil in a hot skillet. Pan-fry the polenta cakes until brown and crisp on both sides. Season while hot with salt and pepper. Serve immediately or reserve uncovered at room temperature until serving.

Easy Mushroom Risotto

This is an easy way to make mushroom risotto, and it's virtually impossible to mess up.

Mushroom Risotto:
(serves 2-4)
1/2 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup sherry
2 cups beef (or chicken) broth, reduced sodium, warmed over medium heat
1 shallot
1 small onion
2 tbs butter
2 tbs olive oil
8 oz sliced mushrooms
Salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
2 tbs fresh, chopped parsley

Directions:
Heat saute pan over medium-high heat. Melt butter and add olive oil. Add chopped shallots and onion, cook until softened slightly. Add mushrooms and cook until softened. If pan is entirely dry, add 1 tbs more of olive oil. Add arborio rice and stir, cook until the rice begins to be translucent on the ends. Once this happens, add sherry and stir.

Once sherry is absorbed completely, add 1/2 cup of broth at a time, stirring the entire time. Once all liquid is absorbed, add another 1/2 cup of broth. Continue stirring and adding broth until the rice is creamy and cooked through. Stir in grated cheese if using. Add salt & pepper to taste. Serve garnished with fresh, chopped parsley.

Grilled Sweet Potato Fries with Garlic Curry Aioli

These are grilled, so I guess they can't technically be called "fries" but they are just as good. Serve with ketchup and garlic-curry aioli for dipping (recipe for aioli below).

Grilled Sweet Potato Fries:
2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into long thin wedges
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (or as needed)
2 tbs light brown sugar
1 tbs dried thyme and rosemary, chopped
Dash of cinnamon and nutmeg
Cayenne pepper to taste
Sea salt or course salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper

Directions:
Toss all ingredients with peeled, sliced sweet potatoes. Start with half the oil and add more if needed making sure all potato sticks are coated enough to not burn and crisp up, but none are greasy.

Grill on medium high heat for approximately 5 minutes per side or until browned with grill marks and appear done.

Serve with ketchup and aioli.

Garlic Curry Aioli:
1/4 cup light mayo or miracle whip
2 small (or 1 large) garlic clove, mashed to a paste with salt, or use garlic powder
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Dash of black pepper
1 tsp curry power, or more to taste
1 dash cayenne pepper
Sea salt to taste

Directions:
If using fresh garlic, mash garlic into a fine paste with the side of a knife on a cutting board, using salt as an abrasive. Mix all ingredients together, serve with fries.

Goat Cheese and Garlic Smashed Potatoes

A very easy recipe for smashed potatoes that has great flavor and good visual appeal.

Goat Cheese and Garlic Smashed Potatoes:
(serves 6-8 as a side dish)
2 lbs red new potatoes
6 cloves garlic, peeled and whole
4 oz goat cheese, room temperature
4 tbs butter, room temperature
1/2 cup half-and-half, milk or cream
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
Depending on size of potatoes, half or quarter the potatoes and bring to a boil with whole garlic cloves in a large pot of water. Boil until fork-tender.

Drain potatoes & garlic, leaving some liquid in the bottom of the pan. Return to the stovetop, turn off heat, add goat cheese, butter, cream and salt and pepper to taste. Stir/mash well with a fork until incorporated and potatoes are smashed. Add chopped fresh parsley and stir to incoporate. Taste a final time and season if needed. Serve immediately.