SYMPHONY OF POTATOES

SERVES 10 PERSONS

CARPET

10 SMALL WHITE POTATOES FOR THE “CARPET” OF THE SYMPHONY

CUT EACH POTATO INTO SMALL “MATCH STICKS”.

DROP MATCH STICKS INTO BOILING UNSALTED WATER FOR 8 - 10 MINUTES UNTIL JUST TENDER.  REMOVE STICKS AND SET ASIDE.

CHIPS

5 MEDIUM WHITE POTATOES
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
SALT & PEPPER TO TASTE

PEEL AND THINLY SLICE THE POTATO’S .  LAY ON A SHALLOW BAKING SHEET THAT HAS BEEN LINED WITH PARCHMENT PAPER.  SALT & PEPPER TO TASTE AND LIGHTLY DRIZZLE WITH OLIVE OIL.  BAKE AT 450 DEGREES FOR 6 - 8 MINUTES UNTIL JUST GOLDEN ON THE EDGES.  THEY WILL NOT BE CRUNCHY AND WILL CONTINUE TO COOK FURTHER AS THE APPETIZER IS COMPLETED.  SET ASIDE.

P.S.  YOU CAN COOK THE POTATO ’S UNTIL CRUNCHY AND EAT AS A SNACK.

POLENTA

FOR POLENTA RECIPE PLEASE SEE SEPARATE BLOG RECIPE

WHEN THICKENED POUR THE POLENTA MIXTURE IN TO A LARGE BAKING DISH AND ALLOW TO SET AND COOL.

WHEN READY TO COMPLETE YOU WILL CUT SMALL ROUNDS OF POLENTA  WITH FORM  AND GRILL ON STOVE TOP IN IRON SKILLET USING NO OIL.  JUST UNTIL THEY BEGIN TO BROWN.

POLENTA ROUNDS WILL BE TOPPED WITH FISH MOUSSE AND BAKED AT 400 DEGREES FOR 6 - 8 MINUTES.

MOUSSE

2 MEDIUM FILLETS OF WHITE FISH
2 LARGE WHITE POTATOES
WHOLE MILK
1/4 CUP FINELY CHOPPED FRESH PARSLEY

CLEAN AND BONE WHITE FISH FILLETS.  COVER WITH MILK .  SLICE THE POTATOES INTO THICK SLICES AND SIMMER SLOWLY UNTIL POTATOES ARE DONE AND FISH IS ALMOST DISSOLVED.

MASH POTATOES AND FISH WITH FORK AND WHIP UNTIL YOUR MOUSSE IS CREAMY.  STIR IN FRESH PARSLEY.  KEEP WARM.  THIS MOUSSE WILL BE SERVED ATOP ROUNDS OF GRILLED POLENTA.

PESTO

FOR PESTO RECIPE PLEASE SEE SEPARATE  BLOG RECIPE

CLEAN AND REMOVE STEMS FROM BASIL, USING ONLY THE LEAVES THEMSELVES.

ADD ALL OF THE INGREDIENTS IN FOOD PROCESSOR AND WHIP UNTIL PESTO IS WELL BLENDED AND CREAMY IN TEXTURE.

SET ASIDE IN REFRIGERATOR.  PESTO SAUCE WILL BE PAIRED WITH POTATO PUREE.

BOATS

5 MEDIUM WHITE POTATOES
3/4 LB. TALEGGIO CHEESE

PEEL AND CUT EACH POTATO IN HALF.  SLICE A THIN PIECE OFF OF THE BOTTOM OF EACH PIECE SO THAT THE POTATO CAN EVENTUALLY STAND ON IT’S BOTTOM.

SCOOP OUT A SMALL WELL IN THE TOP OF EACH POTATO TO FORM A BOAT.

KEEP IN PLAIN COOL WATER UNTIL READY TO COOK.

TO COOK, SIMMER IN UNSALTED BOILING WATER 8 MINUTES UNTIL JUST TENDER.  REMOVE AND PUT IN A BOWL OF COOL WATER.

WHEN READY TO COMPLETE DRY THE POTATOES AND FILL EACH BOAT WITH THE TALEGGIO CHEESE AND JUST PRIOR TO SERVING BAKE @ 400 DEGREES  UNTIL CHEESE IS MELTED...ABOUT 3 MINUTES.

WHIPPED POTATOES

 THE FINISHED POTATO NEEDS TO BE THICK ENOUGH TO BE SET.....SO BE CAREFUL NOT TO MAKE TOO THIN, BUT DEFINITELY NO LUMPS.

10 SMALL WHITE POTATOES
3 TBS. EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL
NO SALT & PEPPER NEEDED

PEEL POTATOES AND BOIL IN UNSALTED WATER UNTIL READY TO MAKE “MASHED POTATOES”.  DRAIN LIQUID. 

ADD OLIVE OIL TO POTATOES AND WHIP WITH FORK UNTIL CREAMY, BUT STILL THICK ENOUGH TO “STAND”.  YOU DO NOT WANT IT RUNNY.

WHEN READY TO SERVE YOU WILL USE THE ROUND CUTTER FORM AND PLACE ATOP THE POTATO CARPET.  FILL THE FORM TO THE TOP WITH THE POTATO MIXTURE.  ALLOW TO SET 1 MINUTE.  SLIDE OFF FORM....AND TOP POTATO WITH PESTO.

CHIP TOWER

PARTIALLY BAKED POTATO CHIPS
8 OZ. FRESH MOZZARELLA CHEESE - SLICED THIN
5 - 6 ANCHOVIES
EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

CLEAN AND RINSE ANCHOVY FILLETS.  REMOVE FIN, TALE AND ALL BONES.  SET ASIDE.

ON BAKING SHEET THAT IS LINED WITH PARCHMENT PAPER  PLACE A CHIP FOR EACH GUEST TO BE SERVED. TOP CHIP WITH A THIN SLICE OF MOZZARELLA AND JUST A PINCH OF ANCHOVY.  REPEAT FOR 3 LAYERS AND TOP THE TOWER WITH A CHIP.

BAKE AT 400 DEGREES FOR R 6 - 8 MINUTES.  TOWERS WILL FLATTEN AS THE CHEESE MELTS.

WHEN YOU ARE READY TO SERVE YOUR “SYMPHONY” YOU WILL USE A WARM PLATE AND YOU WILL WARM THE MATCH STICK POTATO’S FOR THE CARPET SLIGHTLY IN THE OVEN.

YOU WILL MAKE A “CARPET” ON THE PLATE WITH THE MATCH STICK POTATOES WITH ONE HORIZONTAL LATER AND ONE VERTICAL LAYER, OR  LAY IN SINGLE TIGHT LAYER IF YOU PREFER.

YOU WILL SERVE A ROW OF THE 4 DIFFERENT HOT
POTATO OFFERINGS, ALTERNATING PIECES WITH AND WITHOUT FISH.....SO THAT THE FISH OFFERINGS ARE NOT NEXT TO ONE ANOTHER.

1 POLENTA W/FISH MOUSSE
1POTATO BOAT
1 CHIP TOWER
1 WHIPPED POTATO W/PESTO

DRIZZLE THE  EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL ACROSS THE ENTIRE PRESENTATION

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THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE FAVORITE "LET'S GO COOK ITALIAN" DISHES CREATED AND SHARED WITH US BY MAESTRO CHEF "JERRY"

AKA ROBERTO ZANIERI

IT DOES HAVE SEVERAL STEPS BUT IT'S ONE TO IMPRESS ANYTIME YOU SERVE IT

SOME INGREDIENTS CAN BE PREPARED AHEAD OF TIME AND ARE READY FOR ASSEMBLY ON PRESENTATION DAY

 "YES, THERE IS WHITE FISH AND YES THERE ARE ANCHOVIES.

BE BRAVE.  I THOUGHT I DIDN'T ENJOY WHITE FISH (AKA BACALA) UNTIL I PREPARED IT USING THIS RECIPE AND ANCHOVIES ARE THE SECRET INGREDIENT IN MANY ITALIAN DISHES YOU LOVE....YOU JUST DIDN'T KNOW IT BEFORE NOW".