Basque Potatoes Recipes

BASQUE POTATOES

Steps:

• Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, just cover with water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for 12-15 minutes until just tender.
• Drain well then mash with a potato masher or fork until smooth.
• Add the milk, season with salt and pepper and beat well. Cover and keep warm.
• Heat the oil in large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion, pepper and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes.
• Mix in the tomatoes, olives, orange peel, basil and wine, blend well and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions and bell pepper are just tender.
• Remove the orange peel and adjust the seasoning.
• To serve - place the potatoes in a shallow serving bowl, spoon vegetables and juices over the top and garnish with parsley. Serve hot.

MEAN'S BASQUE POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• In large pan, melt butter in oil over moderate heat.
• Add garlic, parsley, thyme, rosemary, paprika and cayenne.
• Add potatoes and toss well.
• Roast, basting until potatoes are tender.
• Season.

BASQUE POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook bacon in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat until almost crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Arrange potatoes and tomatoes in 10x15-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle with bacon, crushed garlic and thyme. Add mushrooms and olives. Season with salt and pepper. Pour Sherry over. Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes. Combine butter and minced garlic. Pour over potatoes. Bake uncovered until potatoes are tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve immediately.

BASQUE POTATO AND GREEN BEAN SOUP WITH GARLIC

Steps:

• Place the potatoes, one tablespoon of salt and the water in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are nearly soft through, about 15 minutes. Add the green beans and cook, uncovered, until they start to turn tender and lose their bright green color, about 15 minutes.
• While the beans and potatoes are cooking, heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the sliced garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until it turns golden brown, about five to eight minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve.
• When the beans and potatoes are cooked, add the garlic and olive oil to the soup and stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if desired, and serve immediately.

BASQUE-STYLE SWEET POTATO CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 450°F. Place sweet potatoes on a foil or parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast, turning once, until skins are puffed and scorched in spots where the juices have bubbled out and caramelized and a skewer easily slides into flesh, 55-65 minutes. Let sweet potatoes cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 425°F.
• Peel sweet potatoes; discard skins. Transfer flesh to a food processor and process until smooth (or, pass through a food mill into a large bowl). Let cool at least 1 hour.
• Lightly butter pan. Cut 2 long lengths of parchment paper and crumple to soften (this will help it lay flatter in the round pan). Line pan with both sheets of parchment so they overlap in a crisscross manner; overhang should extend at least 2" above the rim. Beat cream cheese, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed, scraping down sides of bowl as needed, until very smooth, about 3 minutes. With motor running, add 2 cups sweet potato purée by spoonfuls (reserve any remaining purée for another use); beat until fully incorporated. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down bowl and paddle as needed. Reduce speed to medium-low and mix in sour cream, cream, and salt. Scrape in vanilla seeds or add vanilla extract. Turn off mixer and sift in flour, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Beat on low speed just to incorporate, about 30 seconds. Fold batter a few times with a rubber spatula, making sure to scrape bottom of bowl. Scrape batter into prepared pan; smooth surface.
• Bake cheesecake until deeply bronzed and quite puffed on top but still with a pronounced wiggle in the center when gently shaken, 55-65 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cheesecake cool, about 1½ hours.
• To serve, carefully unmold cheesecake and peel away parchment before slicing. Do ahead: Sweet potato purée can be made 2 days ahead. Transfer to an airtight container and chill.