Knife Skills was fun. We learned the cutting terms and how to do them: Coarse chopping, mincing, julienne, batonnet, chiffonade, and paysannel. I discovered that watching all those cooking shows on PBS really paid off. I did better than the average student in the class because I’ve watched hours and hours of Jacques Pepin, Martin Yan, Caprial Pense, Ming Tsai, Rick Bayless, and Diary of a Foodie episodes. (My poor husband has suffered through many a show with me. But, it turned him from a “I don’t care at ALL what it is or how it tastes, I just eat because I have to” reluctant eater into a “I think I would have added a pinch of Basil to that soup and it really should have been seasoned more” food critic/ingredient detective. But, I digress.) Feeling all proud of myself and glowing, as humbly as possible, when the teacher praised my technique, I was eager to sign up for class no. 2.
There was a lot of testosterone in the Grilling Basics class, as you might imagine. Grunting and woo-hooing were acceptable forms of communication. Thankfully, we were spared the body slams and fist pumps because they served wine with dinner – not beer. Oh, did I mention that at each class we got to eat the food we prepared? So, ya, that was the detail that clinched the deal when we were wavering over the price of the class.
By the time we got to the Beginner’s French Cuisine, we were feeling pretty comfortable in the classroom and ready for some difficult French techniques. We were not disappointed. Béarnaise Sauce topped the list. The delicate line between smooth, creamy sauce and broken clumpy sauce was crossed more than once. But, we mastered it! And, it tasted divine on top of our grilled steak.
Somewhere along the way, perhaps during the Roasting class, we were introduced to a very different (new to us) potato salad recipe. I confess, as I read over the recipe, I was prepared to dislike it. No eggs, no mayonnaise, no pickles. How could it even be called potato salad? Well, okay, it had potatoes in it and it was a salad. But, it was not your typical potato salad. And, horror of horrors, it had roasted fennel in it! What?! Fennel? Really? I do NOT like fennel. I do not like fennel because I do NOT like licorice. This was going to be a big waste of time. But, I slogged on (along with my faithful friends) following the directions exactly as demonstrated by our chef-teacher. We used multi-colored baby potatoes, roasting them in a hot oven until they were blistered and starting to blacken. Then we learned how to properly trim and core a fennel bulb. They, too, were roasted into submission, then thinly sliced (good thing we took that knife skills class!) and added to the tortured baby potatoes. A few scallion slivers, a handful of halved Kalamata olives, a pinch of kosher salt, a grind of black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil later, we tossed it all together.
I’m a sucker for the way food smells. The aroma wafting up to me from that mixing bowl had the desired effect. The potatoes and fennel were still warm, which gently released the bouquet of the olive oil and Kalamata olives. I was in love, without even taking that first bite!
This is my new ‘go-to’ recipe for a picnic on a hot day (no refrigeration needed). I’ve taken it to many an occasion where it is usually received with raised eyebrows and a seriously puzzled expression, followed by “Oh, my! This is delicious!” and other similar comments. So, to all my non-fennel fan friends I say: Give this one a try. Who knows, you too may become a roasted fennel devotee.
Charred New Potato and Fennel Salad
INGREDIENTS
2
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lbs small red potatoes
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2
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Medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, & halved
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Freshly ground black pepper
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1/3
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cup pitted Nicoise olives
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1/3
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cup green onions, chopped
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6 or 7
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T red wine vinegar
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Salt
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2. Toss potatoes and fennel in ¼ cup olive oil; reserve and extra oil. Spread in single layer on broiler pan. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Broil until blistered and slight blackened, turning once, about five minutes per side. Bake in 400 degree oven until just tender, about 15-20 minutes. Do not overcook potatoes.
3. When cool enough to handle, cut potatoes and fennel into ½ inch dice. Toss with all oil, 6 T vinegar, and remaining ingredients. Season to taste. Add remaining 1 T vinegar if needed. Can be made several hours in advance and kept at room temperature or a day in advance and refrigerated, covered tightly. Let come back to room temperature before serving. Adjust seasoning.
(NOTE: I don’t think it tastes as good after being refrigerated.)
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