Oven Baked Scalloped Potatoes

Oven Baked Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients:
Potatoes (generally I prefer red, russett also work well; yukon, purple, white will also be fine) (generally one good size potato per adult)
One good size white onion per 3-4 potatoes
Olive oil
Ingredients for white sauce as below


Ingredients for white sauce

1 cup water
1 cup organic free range chicken stock
1 clove garlic crushed
1 strip of ginger approximately 1” x 2” x ¼”
½ tsp salt
dash of black pepper (1/8 tsp)
1 tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp tapioca flour mixed in 3 tbsp water

In a saucepan mix water, chicken stock, garlic, ginger, salt, pepper, and vinegar. Bring to a low boil then reduce heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes (this lets the ginger and garlic mix well with the other flavors). Then thoroughly stir the tapioca flour and water mixture and teaspoon by teaspoon add it to the simmering sauce, stirring vigorously with each addition to prevent “clumping”. Once the tapioca is added mildly increase the heat and bring the sauce to a low boil stirring frequently. Then reduce heat back to low until ready to serve.

Instructions:
1) Prepare white sauce as above
2) Wash the potatoes and then slice into rounds of approximately a quarter inch thickness (I prefer to leave the skin on, but this also works well with the potatoes peeled).
3) Slice the onion into small to moderate sizes, for texture and appearance I will quarter the onion then cut each quarter into quarter inch slices.
4) heat a good non stick frying pan to medium high heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and then drop a small handfull of potataoe into the pan with some of the onion. Allow onion and potato to brown stirring occasionally. Once browning has occurred transfer to a oven safe casserole dish.
5)add a few teaspoons of white sauce to the potatoes and onions in the casserole dish.
6) heat oven to 350 and place the casserole dish with the potato’s and onions in the oven.
7) heat up frying pan and incrementally brown the remainder of the uncooked potatoes and onions adding them to the casserole dish when they’re ready, add a little more white sauce with each addition of potatoes and onions.
8) allow the casserole dish to cook for at least 45 minutes.
9) remove from oven and serve, but be careful of the very hot casserole dish.

These potatoes are wonderfully moist and flavorful due to the combination of the white sauce and onions. It’s a dish that pairs quite well with any meat.

Pad Toscano

Pad Toscano

Ingredients

Noodles

1 pack rice noodles (ideally the fresh rice noodles available in the refrigerated section at 99 ranch; next to the fresh produce. Noodles should be between spagetti and fettucine in thickness) (other rice noodles can be substituted but the fresh ones really absorb the pesto flavor).


Viktorian Pesto

1 cup fresh basil leaves (note 1)
4-6 tablespoon olive oil (note 2)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt
Pinch black pepper
Juice of 1/8 – 1/4 of a lemon
2-4 cloves garlic crushed


Preparation

Prepare Viktorian Pesto by adding the basil, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and garlic into a food processor. Briefly puree until minimally chunky.

Have your non stick sautee pan or non stick wock hot and ready for your rice noodles.

Test the rice noodles for firmness. If they are already limp and slightly soft they will only need to be placed in warm water for about thirty seconds. If they are slightly hard place them in hot water for a couple minutes, and if they are dry and hard drop them into boiling water for a few minutes. Never oversoak your rice noodles or they will end up mushy very quickly. Soak them only long enough to make them mildly firm; firmer than al dente pasta. Err on the side of too firm rather than too soft.


Place a teaspoon of olive oil in your non stick pan. Swirl it around your hot pan then throw on your rice noodles. Flip your rice noodles around for 20 to 30 seconds, then add the Viktorian past teaspoon by teaspoon. Continuing to toss the noodles around. Sautee time for the rice noodles for one to two minutes total then transfer on to serving plate or bowls and serve.




Notes:

1) basil leaves should be genovesian basil not sweet thai basil.
2) Olive oil should be lightly flavored. In my experience a dark green olive oil will be too dominating in its flavor, whereas a brown to light green oil will be more subdued and meld better with the overall recipe.

Mango Sauce

Mango Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup water
1 cup organic free range chicken stock
1 ripe mango cut into pieces
½ medium size white onion finely chopped
2 cloves of crushed garlic
1 strip ginger 2” x 1” x 1/4"
1/8 – 1/4 cup white vinegar
Pinch of salt
dash of black pepper
2 tsp tapioca flour mixed in 3 tbsp water
1/4 tsp fresh cilantro (cilantro smell will dominate most sauces, lemongrass can be used as a lighter alternative, or the herb can be omitted)



Add water to a food processor with the mango. Puree smooth then add this processed mix to a saucepan with the chicken stock, vinegar, onion, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper. Bring all the ingredients to a low boil for 5 minutes, then reduce heat and allow to simmer for an additional five minutes. Thoroughly stir the tapioca flour and water mixture and teaspoon by teaspoon add it to the simmering sauce, stirring vigorously with each addition to prevent “clumping”. Once the tapioca is added mildly increase the heat and bring the sauce to a low boil stirring frequently. Then reduce heat back to low until ready to serve, once heat is reduced add in fresh herb (cilantro or lemongrass)

Mango sauces are capable of surprising complexity, able to meld with onions, garlic, and fiery spices in main meals as well as with other sweet fruits in snacks and desserts, and of course delicious on their own.

Fruit Sauce

Fruit Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup hot water
1 cup organic free range chicken stock
Juice of 1/2 to 3/4 lemon
2 tbsp apricot jam (use a simple apricot jam sold at most grocery stores with just apricot,
sugar, and pectin).
2 tbsp dried cherries (dried cherries with just cherries and sugar)
Pinch of salt
dash of black pepper
2 tsp tapioca flour mixed in 3 tbsp water



Add hot water to a food processor with the apricot jam and cherries. Puree smooth then add this processed mix to a saucepan with the chicken stock, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Bring all the ingredients to a simmer. Then thoroughly stir the tapioca flour and water mixture and teaspoon by teaspoon add it to the simmering sauce, stirring vigorously with each addition to prevent “clumping”. Once the tapioca is added mildly increase the heat and bring the sauce to a low boil stirring frequently. Then reduce heat back to low until ready to serve.

This is a very good sauce to go with meat, though it’s lacking something to make it really blend well with rice.
The cherries can be reduced or left out to have a more apricot flavored sauce.

Lemon Sauce

Lemon Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup water
1 cup organic free range chicken stock
Juice of 1/4 to 1/2 lemon
Pinch of salt
dash of black pepper
2 tsp tapioca flour mixed in 3 tbsp water

Option to add 1 tsp – 1 tbsp sugar

In a saucepan mix water, chicken stock, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, (also sugar if a sweeter sauce is desired). Bring mixture to a simmer. Then thoroughly stir the tapioca flour and water mixture and teaspoon by teaspoon add it to the simmering sauce, stirring vigorously with each addition to prevent “clumping”. Once the tapioca is added mildly increase the heat and bring the sauce to a low boil stirring frequently. Then reduce heat back to low until ready to serve.

This is another basic starter sauce, a bit too simple in my opinion to bring together a meal but can work well in the background of asparagus, cabbage, pork.

Viktorian Pesto

Viktorian Pesto

Ingredients

1 cup fresh basil leaves (note 1)
4-6 tablespoon olive oil (note 2)
1/4 - 1/2 tsp salt
Pinch black pepper
Juice of 1/8 – 1/4 of a lemon
2-4 cloves garlic crushed


Place all ingredients in a food processor and briefly puree.

Notes:

1) basil leaves should be genovesian basil not sweet thai basil.
2) Olive oil should be lightly flavored. In my experience a dark green olive oil will be too dominating in its flavor, whereas a brown to light green oil will be more subdued and meld better with the overall recipe.

Ginger Sauce

Ginger Sauce


Ingredients

1 cup water
1 cup organic free range chicken stock
2-3 clove garlic crushed
1 strip of ginger approximately 1” x 2” x ¼”
½ tsp salt
dash of black pepper (1/8 tsp)
1 tbsp white vinegar
2 tsp tapioca flour mixed in 3 tbsp water

Optional: ¼ tsp of red pepper flakes (or amount of hot pepper of your choice)

Puree the skinned ginger and garlic with a small amount of water then in a saucepan mix the garlic and ginger mix with the water, chicken stock, salt, pepper, vinegar, and if desired the hot pepper. Bring to a low boil then reduce heat and let simmer for about 15 minutes. Then thoroughly stir the tapioca flour and water mixture and teaspoon by teaspoon add it to the simmering sauce, stirring vigorously with each addition to prevent “clumping”. Once the tapioca is added mildly increase the heat and bring the sauce to a low boil stirring frequently. Then reduce heat back to low until ready to serve.

This is a bolder sauce and goes well with noodles, cabbage, and as additional flavor to meat.