SUMMER SIDE DISHES

          Here are a few side dishes you can add to one of those Summer Sunday Afternoon Dinners.  I added them to a meatloaf dinner I made with gravy and homemade biscuits, but they would go with any good meal to complete a starch and vegetables.

     I make four kinds on mashed potatoes, regular, garlic, three cheese, and this dish I call Homey Baked Potato Mash. As well below I’m going to give a recipe for Summer Creamy Fresh Vegetables.

     We’ll go with potatoes first:

BAKED POTATO MASH,   INGREDIENTS

  One first tip is when making mashed potatoes folks often ask, “How many potatoes should I use?”

The rule I’ve gone by for years is always start with 5 medium size potatoes to serve 2-4 people. After four people, count one potato for each person, plus one more…up to ten guests, then count one potato for each person plus two. So say you are serving 7 people (remember to include yourself in the count) you start with 8 potatoes …7+one more = 8.  Say you are having to serve 12 people, start with 14 potatoes… 12 +two more since its over ten=14. And then if you have one particular person who just loves mashed potatoes and always takes a lot, like my son, add one more for him.

 I’m going to make a recipe using 8 potatoes.

-8 medium potatoes

-smoked paprika, salt, and pepper

-1 small onion

-1 garlic bulb, about ten cloves… plus two or three extra cloves to toast

-4 tbsp. margarine, plus 4 to 6 more when mashing

-1 tsp flour

-sage, salt and pepper to taste

-about 1 cup of lukewarm milk

This is best made with an electric mixer. And you will need foil for wrapping the potatoes. Instructions will follow below for potatoes in red and for veggie dish in green.

And now for the  Fresh Summer veggies list:

CREAMY FRESH VEGETABLES,   INGREDIENTS

-  ½  of each a red and orange bell pepper

- 1 small onion

- 2 stalks of celery

- 2 serrano peppers seeds removed, or jalapeno

- about 1 cup of fresh green beans, cleaned

- about 2 cups of fresh cut from the cob, or frozen corn kernels

- 2 small tomatoes

- 1 cup of chicken bouillon

- 1 cup milk

- 4 slices of bacon

- 1 tsp (heaping) of prepared mustard

- 4 tbsp. butter

- 3 tbsp. flour

- fresh ground black pepper

- possibly salt to taste

Instructions below:

     First scrub all your potatoes well.  Pierce them a few times with a fork. While they are wet roll them in a plate which you have sprinkled well with paprika salt and pepper. Then wrap each one in foil. After they are all wrapped place them to bake in a 400 degree oven. Baking in foil in the oven is preferable for this recipe as the peels are used and need to be tender the way this method makes them, as opposed to any microwave method. They will bake for about one hour till they feel soft enough to squeeze with a potholder and your hand.

     Next chop your small onion. Peel all of the cloves of your garlic, and set two, or three if they are small, cloves aside. Cut the others in half. Melt 4 tbsp. of margarine in a small sauce pan that has a lid. Add the onions and halved garlic to the pan and cover. Put over a very low heat. You want them to cook for about 30 minutes, but not brown. For the other two or three, you will slice very thin and toast them as per the method in my Garlic Knots recipe.  After they are toasted, mince them small and set aside in a little ramekin.

     Now for the creamy fresh vegetables. Fry 4 strips of bacon in a large cast iron or other skillet that has a fitting lid. While that is starting to chop your onions and celery and add to a bowl. When bacon is done drain it on a paper towel. Turn the heat off under the skillet, reserve the oil, adding to it 4 tbsp. of butter. Put lid on and let it sit to melt the butter. 

     Continue chopping the bell peppers. Mince the Serrano peppers quite small. Add these both to the bowl of other chopped veggies. Have your corn measured out in a bowl, and your green beans (you may wish to cut the green beans a bit to keep them from being too long). Slice the tomatoes very thin and cut the slices into quarters.

 

     Crumble the bacon into a small ramekin. Set all the veggies neatly within arm’s reach next to the skillet. Get a medium size sauce pan out for another burner. Measure your cup of bouillon, and milk and set them next to your cooking area. Have mustard and pepper grinder handy. having everything at arms reach and handy is called MISE EN PLACE. after setting up cooking areas you can clean off cutting boards or areas and straighten up before going on to next step. this way there is no clutter in the way and cleanup is easier, cooking is neater.

                                     Your garlic and onions should be done now, just slightly browned if at all. Take them off the heart and add the tsp of flour. Puree this mixture then set in a little dish for adding to the potatoes later.

     Back with the veggies, turn the heat on under the skillet and add the green beans. Cook them until they slightly have brown places on them. Draining them well but reserving the grease, place them in the medium sauce pan. Add the milk and bouillon to the beans and start them to simmer with a lid on.

     Back at your skillet, have on high heat and add the chopped onion celery and peppers and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add then the fresh corn and sauté for another five minutes. Add the tsp of mustard and mix in. Ground the fresh pepper into the skillet to taste. Add in the bacon crumbles. Add three tbsp. of flour to skillet and mix in. now pour your green beans and their liquid into the skillet mixing well. It should thicken just right.  Check for salt needs and add any if needed. I find the butter, bacon, and bouillon give enough saltiness for my taste. Now disburse the thin sliced tomato quarters over the skillet contents, but DO NOT mix in. cover the skillet and turn the heat down low for another minute then turn off the heat. You want the tomatoes warmed but not cooked.

     Returning to the potatoes they should be baked soft by now.  First warm your milk and have 4 to 6 tbsp. of butter in a container close at hand, and also the garlic onion puree from earlier. Unwrap each one in a plate and cut slightly to break them up. Add them all to the mixing bowl, you are including the peels. 

     With beaters, or for stand mixers, use the whip attachment, whip on low until the potatoes are well broken up. Have sage, salt, pepper, and toasted garlic at hand as well.  Add the 4 – 6 tbsp. butter to the hot potatoes and whip on high.  Turn off beaters and scrape the sides down. Add the garlic onion puree, toasted garlic, sage to taste (about 1 tsp), and salt and pepper to taste while blending with mixer on low. Scrape down sides as needed. Now with mixer whipping on high pour the warm milk into the middle a little at a time till potatoes are getting creamy. Scrape down as needed to blend all well. Continue to add the milk until the potatoes are a light and creamy texture. Serve warm with or without gravy.

     As I said I had these sides with my meat loaf and homemade biscuits (with honey butter) and a fine gravy. They also go well with fried chicken. I will probably give my biscuit recipe at some later date. 

     Meanwhile add these sides to your own Sunday Summer Dinner, whatever the main course. Blessings mes amis.