Celery Root & Potato Puree

• 1 pound celery root, peeled and sliced .5 inch thick

• 3 pounds potatoes, preferably Yellow Finn or russet, peeled, in 1-inch cubes

• 4 to 6 garlic cloves, peeled

• Salt

• 1 cup milk or half-and-half, more if necessary

• 1 stick unsalted butter (¼ pound), cut into 8 pieces, at room temperature
  

Put the celery root, potatoes and garlic cloves in a soup pot. Cover with cold water and salt generously, then boil over medium-high heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and press through a ricer or the large holes of a food mill, then return to the pot. (If you prefer a rough-textured purée, mash with an electric beater or a hand-held potato-masher.)

Over medium-low heat, whisk in the milk or half-and-half until the thickness of the purée is to your liking. It shouldn’t be too stiff. Whisk in the butter and incorporate. Taste for salt and adjust. Make sure the purée is heated through. May be made up to 2 hours in advance, held at room temperature, and reheated in a double boiler.

Potato Salad with Green Beans and Salsa Verde

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup minced chives

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped mint

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 large garlic clove, minced

Salt

1 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 pounds green beans, trimmed

Chive blossoms, for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil with the chives, parsley, mint, lemon zest, lemon juice and garlic and season with salt. Let the salsa verde stand at room temperature for 15 minutes to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold water, add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes over moderately high heat until just tender, about 8 minutes; drain and return them to the saucepan. Add 1 tablespoon of the butter and toss to coat. Season with salt.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and cook until crisp-tender, 4 minutes; drain. Return the beans to the pot and stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Season with salt.

Add half of the salsa verde to the potatoes and half to the beans, stirring to coat. Transfer the beans to a serving bowl. Top with the potatoes, garnish with the chive blossoms and serve right away.

Source: Sheamus Feeley, Food & Wine Magazine

Fingerling Potato & Shallot Homefries

1 pound fingerling potatoes

salt
olive oil
2 large shallots, diced

Place the potatoes in a pot, cover them with water and season the water abundantly with salt. Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes until a fork slides in and out of them easily. Drain potatoes and cool.

Coat a large saute pan generously with olive oil. Add the shallots, season with salt and bring the pan to a medium high heat. Saute for 7 to 8 minutes or until the shallots are soft.

Slice each fingerling potato into 1/4" rounds. Add to the pan, toss with shallots and cook until potatoes are lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper.

MASHED POTATOES WITH GARLIC SCAPES

2 1/2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces. 
2 Tablespoons butter
1-2 Tbsp, olive oil 
1/4 cup finely chopped scapes
1/4 cup hot milk (or more)

Cook potatoes until very tender. Drain and return to pot. Over medium high heat, melt butter with olive oil in a small skillet. Add scapes and saute about 5 minutes. Add to potatoes and mash. Gradually add milk while stirring. Season with salt and pepper.

MULTICOLORED POTATOES with PESTO & PARMESAN

8 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
2 large shallots
4 garlic cloves olive oil for brushing pan 
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes 
1 1/2 pounds yellow potatoes 
1 pound purple potatoes
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Blend 4 tablespoons olive oil, basil, shallots, and garlic in processor until smooth. Season basil sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat baking sheet with oil. Cut all potatoes into 1 1/2" pieces. Toss potatoes with 4 tablespoons olive oil, salt, and pepper in large bowl to coat. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Roast potatoes until almost tender, about 35 minutes. Pour basil sauce over potatoes and toss to coat. Continue roasting potatoes until golden brown and tender when pierced with skewer, about 20 minutes longer. Transfer potatoes to serving bowl. Add cheese and toss to coat.

LEEK AND POTATO SOUP

3 tablespoons butter
3 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced (about 4 1/2 cups)
4 medium potatoes (about 18 ounces total), peeled, diced
4 1/2 cups (or more) chicken stock or vegetable broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives 

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks; stir to coat with butter. Cover saucepan; cook until leeks are tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add potatoes. Cover and cook until potatoes begin to soften but do not brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add 4 1/2 cups stock. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes. Puree soup in batches in processor until smooth. Return to saucepan. Thin with additional stock if soup is too thick. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with chives and serve.

FENNEL MASHED POTATOES

2 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes
1 1/2 pounds fennel bulbs including fronds (about 2 medium)
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 

Peel and quarter potatoes. In a kettle cover potatoes with salted cold water by 2 inches and simmer until very tender, about 30 minutes. While potatoes are simmering, trim fennel stalks flush with bulbs, reserving fronds and discarding stalks. Halve bulb and discard core. Cut bulbs into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Chop reserved fronds and in a large saucepan poach sliced fennel and three fourths fronds in milk at a bare simmer, covered, until very tender, about 30 minutes. Drain potatoes in a colander and transfer to a large bowl. In a blender (or using hand-held whizzer) purée fennel mixture until smooth (use caution when blending hot liquids). Add fennel purée to potatoes and mash with a potato masher. Season potatoes with salt and pepper. Potatoes may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat potatoes, covered, in a 350°F. oven about 30 minutes. Serve potatoes drizzled with oil and sprinkled with remaining fennel fronds.

CELERIAC MASH

3 cups 1/2-inch dice peeled celeriac (celery root; from about one 18-ounce celeriac)
1 12-ounce russet potato, peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup cream or milk
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter or olive oil

Cook celeriac in large saucepan of boiling salted water 15 minutes. Add potato and boil until celeriac and potato are very tender, about 15 minutes longer. Drain. Return to same saucepan; stir over medium-high heat until any excess liquid in pan evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add cream and butter; mash until mixture is almost smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

COLLARD POTATO SALAD WITH MUSTARD DRESSING

2 pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed
1 pound collards, coarse stems discarded and the leaves washed well and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1/3 cup olive oil
6 slices of lean bacon, cooked until crisp, drained, and crumbled (optional)
3 tablespoons thinly sliced scallion 

In a kettle combine the potatoes with enough water to cover them by 2 inches, bring the water to a boil, and simmer the potatoes 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are tender. Transfer the potatoes with a slotted spoon to a colander, reserving the cooking liquid, and in the reserved cooking liquid boil the collards, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Drain the collards in a sieve, refresh them under cold water, and squeeze them dry in a kitchen towel. In a bowl whisk together the mustard, the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste, add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the dressing until it emulsified. Quarter the potatoes and add them to the dressing. Add the collards, pulling them apart to separate the leaves, the bacon, and the scallion and toss the salad well.

RED POTATOES WITH OLIVES, FETA AND MINT

1 3/4 pounds small red-skinned potatoes, cut into quarters
1 bunch fresh mint, chopped
8 ounces feta-cheese, crumbled
3/4 cup brine-cured black olives (such as Kalamata), pitted, chopped
1/4 cup extra-virgin oil 

Place potatoes and 3 tablespoons mint in large pot of salted water. Bring water to boil, reduce heat and simmer potatoes until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes; transfer to large bowl. Set aside 2 tablespoons each of mint, cheese and olives; add remainder to warm potatoes. Mix in oil. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish potatoes with reserved mint, cheese and olives. Serve warm.