Potatoes Roasted In Warm Ashes Recipes

ASH-ROASTED POTATOES

Steps:

• Build a large and very hot charcoal fire. Put the potatoes in the fire, burying them completely (you can cook something else on top of the grill as the same time). The potatoes will be done after anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes, so keep checking them by piercing them with a skewer. When they feel soft on the inside, they are done. Let cool slightly before eating.
• To eat, slice them open and serve with butter and salt on the side for each person to season the potatoes to taste. A spoon is the easiest way to get to the tender potato flesh. Don't eat the burned shells.

ASH-ROASTED POTATOES

Steps:

• Wash the potatoes and wrap each one in a sheet of aluminum foil.
• Bury the potatoes in the ashes and let them cook for about 60-90 minutes (see note 3).
• Check for doneness by unwrapping one, cutting it open and tasting (you can also insert a skewer or knife to see if they are soft). They should be almost black on the outside and have hard skin.

ROASTED POTATOES WITH WARM BLUE CHEESE SAUCE

Steps:

• For the potatoes: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the olive oil, rosemary, lemon zest and juice and some salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking sheet and roast until tender, about 35 minutes.
• For the blue cheese sauce: While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the flour begins to toast, about 3 minutes. Add the rosemary and nutmeg and cook, whisking, for 15 seconds more. Add the milk, bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cheese and 2 tablespoons of the chives.
• Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Top with the cheese sauce and garnish with the minced Fresno, torn parsley and remaining chives.

POTATOES ROASTED IN WARM ASHES

Steps:

• 1. Build a large fire in a fireplace or barbecue using wood, not charcoal briquets. Do not start the fire with fire starter, either, or there will be a residue of petroleum flavor in the ashes.
• 2. When the fire has generated a deep layer of warm embers, carefully move away the logs and bury the potatoes in the ashes. If they aren't completely buried it doesn't matter, but you'll need to rotate them once so they roast evenly. Roast them until they are tender through, which will take about 20 minutes.
• 3. Remove the foie gras from the refrigerator about 8 minutes before you remove the potatoes from the fire so it loses its chill but doesn't soften too much.
• 4. Remove and brush the ashes from the potatoes. Slit them down the center with a sharp knife, and push the ends towards the center to open up the potato. Insert a slice of foie gras into the potato and either season it with the salt and peppers, or leave that for your guests to do. Eat immediately!

EMBER-ROASTED SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• Prepare a fire and let the charcoal burn down to a bed of embers, coals, and ashes for rescoldo. If cooking indoors, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Bury the sweet potatoes in the embers, coals, and ashes, making sure they are completely and evenly covered. Roast until they are tender all the way through. If cooking indoors, arrange the sweet potatoes on a sheet pan and roast for about 45 minutes, or until tender all the way through. The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the sweet potatoes: after about 20 minutes, part the embers with long-handled tongs and try to pierce a sweet potato all the way through with a long bamboo skewer. It will probably meet with some resistance toward the center and feel about half baked. Turn the potatoes over with the tongs and replace the embers and ashes, adjusting them as necessary for even cooking, and roast for about 20 minutes longer. When the sweet potatoes are done, carefully dig them out and wipe off the ashes with a dish towel or paper towels.
• Turn the potatoes over with the tongs and replace the embers and ashes, adjusting them as necessary for even cooking, and roast for about 20 minutes longer. When the sweet potatoes are done, carefully dig them out and wipe off the ashes with a dish towel or paper towels.
• If serving simply with butter and crushed red pepper flakes, split the sweet potatoes open, add a tablespoon of butter to each, and season to taste with fleur de sel and red pepper flakes. Otherwise, omit the butter, fleur de sel, and red pepper flakes, and continue to the next step.
• If serving with yogurt and almond-mint gremolata, make the gremolata while the potatoes are roasting. Whisk together the parsley, mint, almonds, olive oil, honey, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• When the sweet potatoes are done, cool them very slightly, then cut them crosswise in half. With your fingers protected by a dish towel, slowly push the skin inward so the insides explode up from the top. Transfer the sweet potatoes to serving plates. Sprinkle with fleur de sel to taste, drizzle with olive oil, and add a large spoonful of cold yogurt to each potato. Spoon some gremolata over the yogurt and serve the rest on the side.

ROASTED GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Drizzle garlic with olive oil, then wrap in aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and chop. Stir in butter, milk, salt and pepper.
• Remove the garlic from the oven, and cut in half. Squeeze the softened cloves into the potatoes. Blend potatoes with an electric mixer until desired consistency is achieved.