cream

Corn Mashed Potatoes

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My sister Lisa gave me this cookbook a few years ago for Christmas saying, “It may just end up being a coffee table cookbook, but I thought you’d like it.”  It really is a beautiful book.  It is also larger than your average cookbook, so it does look great just sitting out in my house.  I will admit though that for the 3 years I have had it I have merely perused its pages and admired the lovely photos and descriptions of dishes by Marcus Samuelsson.  He is an Ethiopian-born Swedish chef and co-owner at Aquavit in New York City.  I have never eaten there, but maybe I will someday.  You may have seen Samuelsson on Top Chef Masters and heard of his catering of a White House dinner this past November.

This recipe for mashed potatoes has been one that I’ve looked at and considered making more than once.  It seemed like the perfect side dish to serve with our steaks.

These potatoes are a step up from simple mashed potatoes with the addition of corn and thyme.  The potatoes are cooked in milk and cream, and this cooking liquid is used to create the consistency you like for your potatoes.  I did buy a new utensil for this recipe: a potato ricer!  I love it.  So what if it may only serve one purpose?  It made the potatoes so creamy and smooth.  Sometimes I really like a more rustic mashed potato with chunks and little pieces of the skin in there.  But there is something very special about the incredibly smooth and silky texture of potatoes once you squeeze them through the ricer.  This might be one of my most favorite tools to use in the kitchen.  The potato goes in whole and comes out in long lanky strings!  Fun stuff.

The corn adds a delicious sweetness and contrast in texture.  The thyme is a lovely herb to use in these potatoes.  I won’t try to tell you that these are something you should eat weekly.  These potatoes are decadent and rich, so consume in moderation!

Corn Mashed Potatoes

From Aquavit

Ingredients
  • 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled
  • 2 cups milk
  • 1 cup cream
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 tablespoon mascarpone cheese (or substitute cream cheese)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cup corn kernels, from about 2 corn cobs
  • kosher salt and black pepper
Directions
  1. Cook the corn on the cob in boiling water for about 3 minutes.  Let cool, then cut corn from the cobs.
  2. Combine potatoes, milk and cream in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 – 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.  Drain the potatoes, reserving the cooking liquid.
  3. Pass the potatoes through a food mill or potato ricer into a large bowl.
  4. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks lightly.  Add the mascarpone or cream cheese and mix well, then stir in the thyme and olive oil.
  5. Add the egg yolk mixture to the potatoes along with the butter and about half of the cooking liquid and mix well.  Add more cooking liquid if desired.
  6. Fold in corn and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  7. If not serving immediately, return to the saucepan, cover, and keep warm over low heat.  You may need to add a little more cooking liquid if the potatoes begin to get dry.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

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This dish can go horribly wrong.  I have nightmares of eating this at a bridal luncheon a few years ago.  Tough, dry chicken, ham with a strange texture, and fake tasting, rubbery cheese.  I still have a sneaking suspicion that the “caterer” was the frozen food section at Wal-Mart.  So, why make it for dinner, then?  Because chicken cordon bleu can be delicious.  And it was, oh, so very delicious.

cordon8

I looked at quite a few recipes, but this one from Bobby Flay sounded the best.  Gruyère cheese.  Yum.  While it is not imperative to use gruyère cheese I highly recommend it.  Go for it.  You will be rewarded for your cheese purchase.  But if you still don’t feel like taking the plunge, swiss cheese will work.

I used slices of black forest ham instead of the prosciutto called for in the recipe.  Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly.  Well, not exactly.  I didn’t pound the chicken breasts quite thin enough, so measure them if you need to and pound all the way to the 1/4 inch thickness instructed.  I had to secure my rolls with toothpicks, which turned out to work very well.  CAUTION:  Tell your husband that there are toothpicks in his chicken before he scarfs it down.

I loved the panko crumb crust.  If you cannot find panko, then dry bread crumbs is a fine substitute.

I served the chicken with a creamy parmesan sauce.  Some chicken cordon bleus are served plain, without a sauce, but I planned to serve the chicken with egg noodles and thought it needed a sauce.  It was perfect with the chicken and with the noodles.  Creamy and subtle with just a hint of cheese.

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