SAVOR THE SEASON: Paying homage to onions and potatoes
This fall, I’d like to pay homage to two staples of the harvest which are in particular abundance: onions and potatoes. These humble ingredients are incredibly versatile, relatively inexpensive and fairly easy to source locally, especially this time of year.
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French Onion Soup
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First, I’d like to share my mother’s French Onion Soup recipe, which remarkably has only a handful of ingredients considering how rich and delicious it is. It’s quick to prepare and is the perfect antidote to a chilly fall day. It’s hearty, warm and satisfying.
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Ingredients
4 large onions, sliced thin
2 tablespoons butter
4 cups beef broth (low sodium)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Italian bread
Mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
Salt/pepper to taste
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Directions
Cook onions in a large skillet in butter until lightly browned, turning to prevent over-browning. Move onions to a large saucepan. Add broth and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle soup into crocks or bowls. Top with an Italian bread crouton* and slices or grated mozzarella, and sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese over that. Heat under broiler for a few minutes until bubbly and starting to brown. Watch carefully so as not to burn. Makes 4 servings.
* I make a simple crouton with Italian bread or a baguette in a 325 oven. Cook for about 5 minutes or til crisp, not too brown. Lightly butter and sprinkle with a bit of Parmesan before cooking if you like.
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German Potato Salad
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In celebration of Oktoberfest, as well as another recipe-box favorite of my mom’s, I’d like to share a family recipe for German Potato Salad. I’m not exactly clear on it’s origins, but we’re thinking it was from my father’s mother, Grandma Sanford.
For whatever reason, I have not one, not two, but THREE handwritten recipe cards for this, all from my mom. All with interesting little nuances. The ingredients are basically the same, tho on one card it calls for medium red potatoes, another small white, and the third simply “boiling” potatoes. I’ve made it many times, with different kinds of potatoes, and they all work quite well.
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Ingredients
2 pounds (about 4-5) potatoes of choice (red, white or “boiling”)
1/2 cup diced raw bacon (3-4 slices)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 teaspoons flour
4 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
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Directions
Cook potatoes, skin on (or as one of the cards says, “jackets on”) in salted water to cover. Boil 35 minutes or until fork goes in easily. Let cool until you can touch and peel and slice while still warm. In small skillet, fry bacon until crispy. Take bacon out and saute onion until tender, but not brown. In a small bowl, mix flour, sugar and 3/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Stir in vinegar and water until the mixture is smooth. Add this mixture to the softened onion and put back in bacon. Simmer, stirring until it is slightly thickened. Pour over sliced warm potatoes. You can eat while warm or get to room temperature. Or as another card says, “Let sit in a warm place to soak into potatoes 1/2 hour or so.”
I hope you enjoy the bounty of the season, and try one of these family favorites of mine, or one of your own. And remember to share recipes with your family to pass on for generations to come.
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Cook’s Notebook Quotable Quote:
“If a recipe cannot be written on the face of a 3×5 card, off with its head.”
— Helen Nearing, b. 1908, American pioneering homesteader