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Potatoes are usually a reliably cheap item, but there must be a glut in the spud market, because this week finds mounds of them all over the city at great prices. Morton Williams’ $1.49 price for a 5-pound bag might sound absurd at first, but a quick glimpse revealed that it’s not even the best price this week. No -- that title once again goes to C-Town, where a 5-pound bag will set you back all of $1.29. But those precious 20 cents you'll be saving will take you away another mighty deal at Morton Williams. On Wednesday and Thursday only Morton Williams will sell 2 packages of bacon for $3.
It’s probably not great bacon. These aren’t thickly sliced slabs. But there’s nothing wrong with bacon, and if used correctly can just about save any dish you’re cooking. So basically, you can buy 5 pounds of potatoes and 2 pounds of bacon for under $5. And now you’ve just got to think about ways to use the two. Luckily they get along nicely.
The simple way is to just bake those suckers, fry up some bacon, and have a nice baked potato with all your favorite fixings. If the usual cheese and sour cream topping is getting you down, look across the pond to England where their Jacket Potatoes are cause to throw nearly anything in you’d like. A hearty potato soup with bacon also sprang to mind. But for some reason we were drawn to that ordinary domestic staple, the twice baked potato.
Just bake the potatoes as usual for 50 minutes at 400 degrees. Cut up two scallions and mix with 1/4 cup of sour cream, teaspoon of mustard, 1/2 teaspoon of hot sauce, 2 crumbled strips of bacon, and finally a 1/2 cup of a cheese like monterey jack or cheddar. When the potatoes are done, cut off 1/4 off the top, scoop out the insides, leaving 1/4 of inch for structure. Mash the potatoes with a fork, then dump them in the bowl with the other ingredients. Mix until all is combined, then scoop the mixture back into the potato skins, put in a baking dish, and set back in the oven for another 20 minutes. That'll be about half a pound down, and some six and half to go. So get creative.
Anyone have any particularly inspiring choices with this cheap pair?
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This recipe takes a-little time, but is close to the top of the ultimate comfort food list.
Potatoes Au Gratin
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into thin,round slices
1/2 cup grated Gruyere
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
11/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/8 teaspoon Nutmeg
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Butter a 1 1/2 quart baking dish with about 1 tablespoon of the softened butter.
Arrange a layer of potatoes in the baking dish, and sprinkle some of the cheeses over them. Continue layering potatoes and cheeses until you've used them all, ending with a layer of potatoes.
In a small bowl, whisk the cream with the salt and pepper; pour this over the potatoes.
Bake covered in foil for 1/2 hour then up to 1 hour uncovered, or until the potatoes are tender and golden brown on top.
Let stand covered with foil for 5 minutes before serving.
Thank me later..
Two things came to mind: breakfast potatoes cooked in bacon grease (with eggs and bacon, natch) AND colcannon (potatoes, cabbage, bacon-- trust me here). Happy fryin', ya'll.