This week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe was Broth-Braised Potatoes, a simple side dish which would seem to go with pretty much anything else you chose to put on the plate. So, what to serve them with?
This past Christmas my parents sent me a new cookbook called Food52. I had never heard of this book before but it is apparently the result of a year-long project whereby each week home cooks submitted their recipes to be tested and voted on by the community. The winning recipes in each category were included in the book, plus a few tasty extras. Doesn’t this sound like a great idea?
I decided to serve this week’s potatoes with two of the Food52 recipes which I have been eyeing, Chicken with Creamy Dijon Mustard Sauce and Grilled Brussels Sprouts (both recipes available on the Food52.com website). As a typical home cook, I tweaked both recipes just a little. In the chicken recipe I cut the oil and butter in half and for the brussels sprouts I doubled the amount of sprouts but left the rest of the ingredients alone (otherwise I think they would have been over spiced). I also threw them under the broiler instead of breaking out the grill in the middle of winter. Verdict? Both recipes were absolutely delicious and the sauce for the chicken was good enough to eat off a bumper!
And what about Dorie’s potatoes? These are essentially boiled potatoes which (to borrow a phrase from Mr. Lagasse) have been kicked up a notch by boiling them in broth and a fragrant mix of herbs. I found the potatoes to be quite good, more flavorful than your average boiled potatoes, but still not strong enough to stand on their own. My standard treatment for boiled potatoes is to throw a little butter and chopped parsley into the pot and then bash them around a bit and I think that would have worked well with these. But since I already had a sauce from my chicken recipe I ended up throwing that over my potatoes and enjoying every bite. I can definitely see making this exact meal again.
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I adore the look of your brussels sprouts – and the cookbook sounds like a fun concept. I agree tht these potatoes were better than your average boiled potato but needed a lift. I added some mango lime chutney to them and the chicken.
The brussels sprouts were delicious, I love roast brussels sprouts to begin with and these were extra good.
Yes the Food 52 cookbook is on my list of things to get too 🙂 I liked these potatoes but they were nothing specail, ya know?
I had never heard of the book until it arrived in the mail for Christmas. But now I have about a dozen or so recipes marked.
That sounds like a good cookbook, I must look out for it 🙂 I have not heard of it too. I ate this potato dish as a stand alone 🙂 I cooked my own broth , thus the braised potatoes tasted much more flavorful 🙂 Have a nice weekend!
I don’t go to the food52 site as much as I would like, but those Brussels sprouts are calling my name. What a lovely char! I’m starting to feel okay about not loving the potatoes. I just saw Elaine’s fennel and did the requisite “why didn’t I think of that” that comes with reading FFwD posts.
LOL – I do the requisite “why didn’t I think of that” every Friday!
I visited the food52 web site, lots of good recipes that I’d like to try. We need more than 3 meals a day so I can make everything I want:) We LOVE brussels sprouts!
I love those bowls!! So cute. Looks like a nice meal.
Thanks! We love them too, they were a wedding present.
Your whole dinner looks scrumptious!
Thanks for the tip…I need a good recipe for some brussels sprouts I have in my fridge. We like this potato recipe and because it is simple it will get made again soon.
Food 52 and The Kitchn are two of my favorite inspiration sources. I haven’t caved into the cookbook yet, but I have eyed it more than once…
Brussels sprouts are always a hit in our house 🙂
Never heard of the Kitchn, will have to check it out. I had also never heard of Food52 before my parents bought me the book.
I like Food 52 for the contests (the book you have is the result of those contests). I don’t actually participate, I just love seeing what everyone pulls together!
I made a Maple Yogurt Cake from the Food 52 cookbook and loved it. This chicken is one of the other recipes I had tagged to make. Everything looks lovely!
I have already marked the Maple Cake in my book, it looks so tasty.
I am going to have to check out Food52’s site. Both those recipes look and sound delicious. Looks like you had another great dinner!
I may have to use, “good enough to eat off a bumper” as my new standard! It’s an awesome visual! I love the Food52 site. I wish I had enough time to really delve into all the sites I like!
I’m so confused, I came by earlier and read your post but I guess I forgot to comment!? Spaced out today, oh well, I’m back and dinner looks so good, it’s not easy to pay a visit right before dinner,lol! The Food52 site is fun to subscribe to by email, it’s like receiving a free food magazine when it arrives!
Looks like a wonderful meal!!
I never heard of Food52–thanks for the tip. Your dinner looks delicious–smart of you to come up with the combination!
I love the Food 52 site. The videos are fun to watch. I treated myself to the book (along with Melissa Clark’s newest) as a holiday-gift-to-me. I haven’t made anything yet, but now I’m eyeing both the recipes you made. BTW, I love your bowls!
Food 52 is a great site and the book is fabulous! Everything I’ve tried on their site turns out wonderful. The meal looks like a definite repeat – and the brussel sprouts look delicious!
Thank you for letting us (who didn’t already know) about Food 52. I’ve marked the Site, will visit it often and probably buy the book. Why not????? Any sauce good enough to “eat off a bumper” is a sauce I am going to try THIS WEEK. I have never heard that expression nor know its origin but love it! I had absolutely the same thoughts about Dorie’s potatoes but liked the idea of doing something other than parsley and butter.
Your potatoes look delicious! I won that Food52 cookbook in a blog contest a few weeks ago but haven’t tried anything from it – putting those 2 recipes on my list!
I think cutting my potatoes would have made a huge difference in flavor! Glad you enjoyed these, Rose!
Oooo the Food52 cookbook! I’m sure you’ll create many many tasty meals from it! The brussel sprouts look especially good.
Sounds great! 🙂 I loved the potatoes, it was an easy preparation and it will surely hit our table again 🙂 Your chicken looks great too!