roast potatoes | Bewitching Kitchen

It’s been quite a long time since I shared recipes that are so easy, it’s hard to call them as such. Come to think of it, my most recent post in this series was from May last year (check it out here). So, without further ado, let’s get this ball rolling!

APPLE-PROSCIUTTO APPETIZER

Get some apples, cut them in wedges, any thickness you like. Sit the slices over a couple of crisp Romaine lettuce leaves cut the same size as the apples. Place a slice of cheese on the other side, roll it all together with prosciutto. Sit on a serving plate and drizzle balsamic vinegar reduction (store-bought is totally fine).

AIR-FRIED BRUSSELS SPROUTS

Use small sprouts, if you can find them. Cut them in half. Place them in a bowl with very hot water for 10 minutes. Drain. Coat them lightly with olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Air-fry at the highest temperature your fryer goes, until golden brown. Probably 15 to 20 minutes. Shake them around every once in a while. I drizzled a little balsamic reduction when I served them. Love that ingredient so much… If you don’t have an air-fryer, simply use your oven at 420F.

YUKON GOLD ROAST POTATOES

Cut each potato in half. Place them in cold salted water and boil gently for 12 minutes. Drain. Drizzle olive oil over a baking sheet that can hold them in one single layer, covered with aluminum foil (non-stick foil works great). Place them cut side down, season lightly with salt and herbes de Provence. Roast them at 420F without moving them for 20 minutes, then flip them around and roast for 5 to 10 minutes more.

ZA’ATAR AIR-FRIED EGGPLANT

I don’t bother salting eggplant anymore, but you can if you prefer. Cut the eggplant in half, score it with a sharp knife in a diamond pattern to expose the flesh. Mix a little olive oil with lemon juice, salt and za’atar. Brush all over the surface, then air-fry at 385F for 25 minutes, until the flesh is cooked, test with a fork.

I hope you enjoyed this small collection of super easy recipes. The apple appetizer is really delicious, I was inspired by a recent show from Molly Yeh (Girl Meets Farm) to make them. Normally I am not too fond of prosciutto without cooking it (like on pizza), but in that recipe it worked nicely with the apples providing nice texture.

ONE YEAR AGO: Zucchini-Prosciuto Parcels

TWO YEARS AGO: Double Peanut Sourdough Loaf

THREE YEARS AGO: Fennel-Rubbed Shrimp in Light Coconut Sauce

FOUR YEARS AGO: Puff Bread Balls, Two Salads and a Cookbook Review

FIVE YEARS AGO: Pistachio-Caramel and Apple Mousse Cakes

SIX YEARS AGO: La Couronne Bordelaise

SEVEN YEARS AGO: A Special Birthday Dinner

EIGHT YEARS AGO: Duck Confit for a Special Occasion

NINE YEARS AGO: Tuscan Grilled Chicken and Sausage Skewers

TEN YEARS AGO: Celebrate Wednesday with Pork Tenderloin & Apples

ELEVEN YEARS AGO: Salmon Wellington

TWELVE YEARS AGO: The Green Chip Alternative

THIRTEEN YEARS AGO: Weekend Pita Project

FOURTEEN YEARS AGO: Let it snow, let it snow, eggs in snow

This gem of a recipe was made by my beloved husband. I know what you’re thinking: if only all women could be so lucky, right? Since he was in charge of the meal I did not take pictures of the whole process, but it turned out so good, I have to share. Duck is a tricky bird to cook. Legs and breast cook at different rates, so roasting can pose problems. The combination of smoker and clay pot did a magical job, but if you don’t have a smoker, the clay pot alone will work beautifully (check out this post from 10 years ago – !!! – by my friend Celia).

CLAY POT SMOKED DUCK WITH POTATOES
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

1 whole duck
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
fingerling potatoes
hickory wood pellets (for smoker, optional)

Soak your clay pot in water, reserve.

Season the duck inside and outside with salt, pepper and Herbes de Provence. Place in a smoker at 250F for 30 minutes. This will give it a very light smoky flavor.

Place the duck in the cold clay pot, add the potatoes all around it, season them lightly with salt, pepper, and Herbes de Provence. No need to add any oil. Close the clay pot and place in a cold oven. Turn it to 425F. Roast for 2 hours. After one hour, open the clay pot and carefully remove some of the accumulated fat with a baster. Close the pot again and continue roasting.

At the end of 2 hours, open the lid and reduce the temperature to 375F. Roast for 30 minutes longer, or until the skin gets as crispy as you like it.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: This was one outstanding meal. Phil made a little duck stock with the neck and gizzards of the bird and used that to make a simple gravy, but I tell you, it was excellent straight from the oven, nothing else needed. The potatoes put up a beautiful fight with the duck for the spotlight, because they got infused with duck fat and absolutely perfect. The most amazing thing is that the duck itself did not turn out fatty or overly greasy. As I said, if you don’t have a smoker, just go straight for the clay pot.

In the very near future, I will adapt this method to make a Chinese-style roast duck. I actually tried a very convoluted recipe a couple of months ago and it was an epic disaster. It involved spatchcocking, sous-vide for 20 hours, fridge-drying overnight, roasting, and a side of grievance. It did not bring me joy. But now, enlightened by the man I married, I am ready to re-visit the issue. Stay tuned.