Cookbook #49: Think Like a Chef
Think Like a Chef, Tom Colicchio (2000)
I found this at a used bookstore and got it for new_man, as he's a Top Chef fan and not so much for following traditional recipes. The book explains a bunch of techniques, like braising and then gives you some components to use in some of the recipes, like roasted tomatoes. And then different dishes using three ingredients. Lastly, there's a section on seasonal vegetables.
Most of them were well beyond my patience level. I don't really have the time to braise artichokes just to use them as an ingredient in another dish. Or acquiring ramps and morels to make a ragout with asparagus (as delicious as that might be).
I was musing about Roasted Duck, Root Vegetables, and Apples vs. Pan-Roasted Quail with Swiss Chard and Mushrooms for some future fancy meal, when I found Roasted Potatoes, Leeks, and Bacon. We just happened to have an over-abundance of potatoes and also some leeks that needed using up. We had bacon and the only other ingredients were olive oil (check), salt (check), and fresh thyme (check). It called for slab bacon, so I tried to find some at the supermarket, but just ended up with some thick cut.
Slice potatoes, quarter leeks lengthwise, dice bacon. Throw it all into a little hot olive oil. Add salt & thyme and cook until the potatoes & leeks start to brown. Stick the skillet in the oven at 350 for 15 minutes and serve.
Verdict: easy and good. I probably could have used even more thyme. I agree that slab bacon would be better because you could get a nice dice instead of the raggedy pieces of sliced bacon I ended up with. The potatoes never really browned on the stove and I ended up just tossing them in the oven about 15 minutes before the chicken that was roasting was done.
49/96, 12 this year.