Crisp Potato Galette

Treat yourself and loved ones to this outstanding French country-side potato dish - Crisp Potato Galette. Crunchy on outside and tender inside, it is an easy, fast and indulging food.

Blog's Category: International, Kid's Favorite, Perfect Breakfast, Side Dish, Vegetarian

I never met a person, who doesn't like potato. Especially fried potato. Here is the most refined, in my humble opinion, form of fried potato - French Crispy Potato Galette. It is very crispy and beautiful on outside and tenderly soft inside.

Notes 

- To serve two, you will need 8" skillet. Use high-quality stainless steel skillet, such as All-Clad, or your old reliable skillet, either cast iron or non-stick. I used All-Clad. If using stainless steel, make sure it is impeccably clean, because any tiny blemishes will make your potato to stick to it. I always clean my stainless steel with fine metallic mesh sponge to make sure it's smooth like a mirror.

- To thinly slice potato, I used mandolin (see pictures below). If you don't have it, just slice potato thinly, about 1-2 mm thick.

- I used clarified butter and duck fat for frying. It is the best for this recipe. If you don't have it, you can use any combination of coconut oil, avocado, walnut or flavorless olive oil.

- Do not cover skillet with lid at any time during the cooking process, or you will loose that awesome crisp.

- Fresh thyme is often sprinkled, along with salt, when you lay your potato slices before frying. I didn't use it. I encourage you to do the same, if you making galette for a first time. This galette is delicious in its pristine form, just salt and pepper. Then, after you already tried it, feel free to experiment adding herbs or cheeses. Just keep in mind that some additions may easily burn before your potato gets cooked.

- It may seems like a lot of fat used here, but, I'm afraid, you have no choice. We need all that fat to form nice crispy galette.

- Crisp potato galette is often served on a wooden board, cut in wedges. It is a neat presentation, especially if you are serving it as an hor d'oeuvre or appetizer. I usually make my galette for a breakfast and love eating it strait from a skillet, with some sauerkraut or pickles on a side.

- Cooking time is about 7-10 min on one side and about 5-7 min on an other. It is approximation and depends on your cooktop, skillet etc. I cooked my galette on electric stove. 

French Crisp Potato Galette

• 2 medium-size potatoes, peeled 
• 1 tsp clarified butter (or other high-temp oil or fat of your choice)
• 1 tsp duck fat (or other high-temp oil or fat of your choice)
• some salt
• freshly ground black pepper

- Slice potatoes thinly, about 1-2 mm thick. Do not rinse it, we need that starch on a surface in order slices to stick to each other.

- Heat butter and fat in a skillet on a high heat until almost smoking. Then take off heat and quickly lay your potato slices, starting from outer circle going inward. Return to heat as soon as it stops sizzling and continue to lay slices, if you didn't finish doing this yet. You should have about 2 - 2.5 layers of potato. Do not forget to sprinkle both layers with salt.

- Switch heat to medium or medium-high and continue to cook without lid. It shouldn't sizzle like crazy, but you should hear nice even mellow sizzling sound. Check the bottom of your galette occasionally with something like a butter spreader, because you don't want to break or poke your galette with a sharp tip of a knife. When it's nice golden-brown, it's time to flip it. 

- Before flipping, make sure galette doesn't stick to skillet anywhere. Using same butter spreader, "unstick" edges or anywhere it might stuck. Shake skillet back and force to make sure galette sliding freely in a skillet. Now flip! If you are not experienced in flipping, no problem - cover skillet with a large plate, then turn plate around, together with a skillet, upside down. Now your galette is on a plate and you can easily slide galette back to a skillet.

- Turn heat just a little bit down. Continue to cook galette on an other side. You still should hear light sizzling while it cooks. Don't cover! Cook until bottom is golden-brown. Test your galette with a toothpick to make sure it's soft inside. 

- Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper before serving.

- Enjoy!



*******************************************************************************************************************************

IN PICTURES

 For slicing I used my hard-working Benriner mandolin. It is the best.

 It's all layered and ready to get back to heat.

 When edges are golden-brown, it's time to check the bottom side.

 Ready! to flip.

 Well, it's hard to catch a flip in action, when a cook and photographer is a same person. It was a 99% success with a one tiny slice rebelliously sticking to a side. I left it alone for now. As a punishment, I ate it first, as soon as it was ready ;)

 Poking with a toothpick to check doneness.

 Process of disappearing of galette just started.

 It's so tender inside, while the other site is beautifully crisp!

Marinated Red Cabbage Salad

It's not just about color. Although science insists - better color means more nutrition. This marinated cabbage salad is also delicious! And easy to make too! 

Blog's Category: Appetizer, Healthy, Holidays, Salads, Side Dish, Vegetarian, Vegan

Note 

- For this recipe I was inspired by the old recipe from my Ukrainian past. Back in Kiev, we  cut regular green cabbage into fairly large pieces and blanched in a boiling water until it softens a bit. It was drained, some fresh herbs, garlic, splash of vinegar and sunflower oil, a little bit of sugar and salt was added and you had a delish dish!

- This cabbage is a great addition to any meal. It can be stored in a fridge for a few days and it is best when eaten cold.

- Some substitutions can easily be made here. I used fresh cilantro, but parsley or dill would be great here too. Use green cabbage, if you don't have a red one. But red is so pretty here :)

- Recipe calls for ground coriander. Try to toast and ground coriander seeds on your own. You will see the difference - it's huge!

Marinated Red Cabbage Salad

• 1 small to medium size red cabbage, chopped into large bite sizes
• 1 orange bell pepper, seeded and cut into thick matchsticks
• 5 garlic cloves, finely minced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 tbsp white vinegar
• 5 tbsp flavorless olive oil (or other salad oil to your taste)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp ground coriander (preferably freshly toasted and ground)

- Bring about 1/2 large pot of water to a boil. Add cabbage, cook at medium heat just until it's half-tender. It can take about 5-10 minutes depending on how tender you like your cabbage.

- Drain into colander and transfer into large bowl. Add all vinegar and mix. Set aside.

- Bring a small pot of water to a boil and cook bell pepper for 1-2 minutes just to make it a bit softer. Drain. Add to cabbage.

- In a bowl with cabbage and pepper, still warm, add all remaining ingredients and stir it well. 

- Transfer to a fridge to cool completely.

- Enjoy it cold! It will keep in fridge for a few days.



*******************************************************************************************************************************

IN PICTURES

Mujadara

Mujadara is a real comfort food, Middle Eastern way! As an extra bonus, it is also very healthy choice, great take-to-work lunch idea and kids friendly.

Blog's Category: Healthy, International, Kid's Favorite, Pilafs, Side Dish, Vegetarian

- Mujadara, sometimes spelled as mujaddara, is a popular vegetarian dish from Middle East. 

- Key ingredients for mujadara are rice, lentils and fried onion.

- It can be used as a great side for grilled meat or as a stand alone, pretty filling, vegetarian meal.

- Some cooked vegetables can be mixed in Mujadara, such as carrots, celery, bell peppers or hot chili pepper. But Mujadara is the best served with diced fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, onion and maybe some fresh cilantro on top. Today I topped mujadara with fresh cilantro and served yellow tomato salad on a side. Also a cup of cold buttermilk on a side is a great addition to your mujadara meal.

- Plain brown or green lentils are the best for mujadara. French green lentils, or black beluga lentils (which I actually have used this time for my mujadara) are not the best just because they will make mujadara sort of dry.

- Basmati rice is preferable for mujadara. Although I often use jasmine rice, just try not to overcook it, add less water than usually.

- You can change measures depending on you liking more rice, or more lentils. I like my mujadara with a lot of lentils :) Yes, and a lot of onion too!

Mujadara

• 2 cups of cooked lentils (not overcooked, they should more or less keep their shape)
• 2 cups of cooked rice (leftovers are perfect for this recipe)
• 5 tbs olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 tsp cumin seeds (optional, but highly desirable)
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (if you like spicy food)
• salt to taste

As a garnish use all or any of these:

• fresh chopped tomato
• fresh chopped cucumber
• fresh chopped onion
• fresh cilantro
• unsweetened yogurt or buttermilk
• chopped pickles or pickled jalapeno

- In a large skillet/pan heat oil. Add cumin seeds and black pepper and stir fry for about half of a minute until fragrant.

- Add onion. Cook until golden. Set a half of cooked onion aside to use it as topping. Add rice, lentils, ground cumin, cayenne pepper and cook on medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

- Taste, add some salt if needed. Serve hot or warm, topped with fried onion and fresh vegetables. Enjoy!



*******************************************************************************************************************************

In Pictures

Don't forget to rinse lentils. Here I used black lentils which keep their shape wonderfully but made my mujadara somewhat dry. No worry though.. salad on a side, extra onions on top, cup of yogurt solved this problem easily.

Cumin and pepper will sizzle nicely in an a hot oil. Don't burn them. A few seconds may be enough before adding onions.

Don't forget to set aside some cooked onions for garnishing.

Cilantro is optional. You can mix it in at the end or just use it as a garnish.