Ready for Anything

Ready for its topping

I don't think I've ever eaten a baked potato in summer. It just seems wrong. However, when the weather grows colder, twice-baked potatoes are a staple in my house. I can enjoy them at breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Usually, I make a whole bunch at one time, since they take over an hour to prepare. I use russets and begin by baking them in a 400 oven for just over an hour. While they are baking, I sprinkle some dried onion flakes into a small glass of milk--perhaps a quarter of a teaspoon of flakes to 1/4 cup of milk. When the potatoes are done, I cut them in half the long way and scoop out the centers, being careful to preserve the skins.

I put the flesh into a big bowl and throw in some sharp grated cheddar. After a few minutes, when the cheese has softened, I mash everything together with a fork, adding the milk after I've broken up the big lumps. Usually, I keep adding milk, since the potatoes absorb it. I end up with a texture a bit like soft-serve ice cream. At this point, I add salt and pepper.

I refill the potato skins and sprinkle them with a bit more grated cheddar. Then I put them on a baking sheet and cook for about 20 minutes more, until the tops are browned slightly. Now they are ready to eat or cool down for freezing. These freeze remarkably well. I usually freeze them on the baking sheet until they're firm; then I toss them into a plastic bag.

If I'm eating these for breakfast, I usually add a dollop of cottage cheese. If I'm eating them for lunch or dinner, I usually top them with steamed spinach, broccoli, creamed chicken, chili, spaghetti sauce, or almost anything else that I have left over. Twice-baked potatoes plus a topping make satisfying and filling meals.

Salad Nicoise

I usually keep lettuce, olives, tomatoes, eggs, tuna, and tomatoes on hand.

The other day, I opened my fridge and realized that I had not only leftover green beans, but also leftover potatoes. My mind immediately jumped to salad nicoise,  a summertime favorite. According to most authorities, real salad nicoise—the salad as it is served in Nice, France— does not contain either green beans or potatoes. Hard boiled eggs are the only cooked ingredient. Since I live in Massachusetts, not France, I don't really care if my salad is authentic; I just want it to be good.

And it was good. In general, I followed Julia Child's recipe. Julia Child published her famous cookbook a few years before I got married, and it was one of the first cookbooks I bought. I also used to watch her on television and was mesmerized by her breezy manner, good cheer, and forceful delivery. Her recipes never failed me. Oddly enough, I have not watched a cooking show since that time. No other modern cook seems as entertaining.

While I was eating my salad, I realized that many of the same ingredients (anchovies, black olives, fresh tomatoes, olive oil) go into pasta puttanesca, which I first tried cooking a few months ago. Since I had never eaten it before, I don't know whether I was successful, but I sure enjoyed the results. I guess recipes are like anagrams; you can take a bunch of ingredients, rearrange them, and come up with something totally different.