Avocado Salad

Like the black beans side dish below, another very simple side that makes frequent appearances in the Foodie household. The avocado and a drizzle of olive oil provide a good dose of heart-healthy fats!

Avocado salad
1 Hass avocado, diced
1/2 tomato, diced
1/4 red onion, minced
A small amount of minced jalapeno, to taste
1/4 c. cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lime
Splash of red wine vinegar
Olive oil, salt and pepper

Combine avocado, tomato, onion, jalapeno, cilantro in a bowl
Add lime juice and red wine vinegar and toss
Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Black Beans

We have this particular side dish quite often. It's a great match for spicy foods, tacos, grilled meats or anything with Latin flavors.

Black Beans
1 can black beans, rinsed well and drained
1 can chicken stock
1/2 white or yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp. cumin
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp. adobo sauce (or more to taste)*
Juice of 1/2 lime
Olive oil, salt and pepper

* From a can of chipotles in adobo sauce, or the San Marcos brand sells large bottles of chipotle sauce near the salsas. I use the chipotle sauce in this recipe.

Saute onion and garlic in a bit of olive oil, about 2 minutes
Add black beans and about 1/2 cup of chicken stock
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, stirring well
Add cumin and bay leaf
Simmer, adding stock as needed, for about 30 minutes (you will use the whole can of stock)
Stir in chipotle sauce and lime juice
Add salt and pepper to taste (easy on the salt)

Hot Fries

These are hot, but they aren't fries. We aren't really sure why our family started calling them hot fries, but they are what they are. This side dish is super simple, and it goes great with anything off the grill. I've made it two ways - in the microwave, and on the grill if I have more time.

1.5 pounds red potatoes, thinly sliced
1 Hungarian wax pepper, thinly sliced into rings
1 small onion, thinly sliced into rings
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Combine all veggies in a bowl, drizzle with olive oil and generously salt and pepper.
For microwave - heat on high in a covered dish for 6-8 minutes.
For grill - wrap in foil and place on the grill until everything is cooked through.

Yukon Gold and Sweet Potato Gratin

I had a whole host of stuff leftover from our two Thanksgiving celebrations that I was trying to use up tonight. I found a recipe for a two potato gratin on Epicurious and adapted it to use up the myriad bits of fresh herbs, 1/2 carton of cream, etc.

This was sooooo good. However. It is not even remotely good for you. In fact, I am pretty sure I could hear my ass growing and my arteries clogging with every bite. I have posted the recipe as I made it, and afterwards my thoughts on how I will adapt it for a healthier version that we can eat more often.

Yukon Gold and Sweet Potato Gratin
6 baby Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
1 sweet potato, peeled
1 c. heavy cream
2 tbsp. butter (although even if you are making the unhealthy version, I think you can leave this out all together - it made gross little oily puddles)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 c. sharp cheddar, shredded
1/2 c. monterey jack, shredded
1/2 tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
1/2 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400.

Slice potatoes to 1/8 inch thickness using a food processor or mandoline.

Bring cream, butter (if using) and garlic to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat.

Spray a 8x8 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Spread half of the potatoes in the bottom of the dish. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with half of the herbs. Top with half of the cheese.

Repeat for a second layer.

Pour the cream mixture over the top. Cover tightly with foil.

Bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Remove foil. Bake for an additional 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through.

Now, my thoughts for a healthier version:
The heavy cream is what really makes this dish bad news. I would not recommend replacing the cream with lowfat milk because the dish will end up watery. Rather, I would make a simple bechamel sauce with lowfat milk (recipe to follow) and use that instead of the cream and butter. Bechamel is thickened with flour, so it still has that creamier texture.

You can also reduce the amount of cheese (though what fun is that) or use reduced fat cheese. I don't like using reduced fat cheeses in hot dishes because it just doesn't melt right. For this recipe, I would probably opt to use a stronger flavored cheese like Swiss or Gruyere and cut back on the cheese by about 1/4 cup.

Finally, you could opt to use all sweet potatoes or use a higher proportion of sweet potatoes to Yukon Golds.

Bechamel sauce:
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1 1/4 c. milk, heated

Melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Slowly whisk in the flour and cook for about two minutes. Slowly pour in the heated milk and whisk. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes.

For the potato gratin, stir in the minced garlic after the milk and use in place of the cream and butter.

German Potato Salad

Let me preface this posting with the following: I HATE potato salad. This American garbage that is smothered in mayo and mustard is revolting. Germans know how to do it RIGHT. New potatoes, bacon, hard cooked eggs and a really tasty vinaigrette.

The cooking, peeling and cooling of potatoes takes the longest. Allow 2-3 hours for this part. The rest is a snap.

This recipe has been in my family for generations. Don't eff it up, or I'll get Grandma Walsdorf on yo ass.

German Potato Salad (makes enough for a party)
5 lbs. red potatoes
8 oz. bacon, diced
4-5 green onions, chopped
2-3 hard cooked eggs, chopped*
1 medium white onion, chopped
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. white vinegar (the kind our cleaning lady uses to wash our floors, very versatile!)
1 cube chicken boullion, dissolved in 1/2 c. hot water
salt and pepper to taste (though I find the salt unnecessary)

Boil potatoes in salted water for 30-40 minutes until knife tender.
Drain and allow to cool until cool enough to handle.
Peel potatoes while still slightly warm.
Set aside to cool completely, and slice when cool.
Place in a LARGE bowl.

If you've made it this far, the rest is easy.

Fry bacon slowly until crisp.
Pour off the fat - NOT down your drain, dummy, unless you have a hot plumber. Then, by all means, clog that bad boy up and get Hottie McPlunger on the horn. If your plumber is a fat, balding dude with his buttcrack hanging out, use an old can or a bowl lined with tin foil. Discard when hardened.

Add the oil and vinegar to the bacon pan and cook over medium heat, scraping up all those delicious little bacon crusties stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Pour the hot vinaigrette over the potatoes.

Add green onions, white onion and eggs. Mix well.

Heat the chopped bacon and bouillion in the bacon pan until the bacon is softened and the bouillion is hot.
Pour over potatoes.
Mix well and season.

* See post: "Perfect Hard Cooked Eggs"

This should be served at room temperature for optimal deliciousness. Excellent as an accompaniement to anything off the grill.