Spicy Potato Spread from Mom's Kitchen

One of my favorite local restaurants in Southern California is Chef Hannes in El Segundo, not far from the Los Angeles Airport.  When you arrive for lunch or dinner, the first dish that lands on your table is a complimentary bowl of thick green spread accompanied by slices of French bread.

I wasn’t sure what I was eating, but I knew that I liked it.  I hinted to the owner, who sometimes also serves as the waiter, that I would like the recipe. All I got were two clues: garlic and potatoes.

For several years I tried to duplicate this appetizer in my kitchen.  After making another inedible version, which this time included vinegar, I finally had a breakthrough.  Pesto.  I had a jar of Basil Pesto, which I keep around as an easy topping for spaghetti.  It’s green and garlicky.  Why not mash a boiled potato and stir in a few spoonfuls of pesto.  It worked.  I drizzled some hot sauce on the top, heated up some French bread and demolished the whole bowl.

Spicy Potato Spread – serves 4 

2 medium potatoes
1/4 cup basil pesto + more if needed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Several drops hot sauce + more if preferred
Sliced French bread 

Boil the potatoes in water for about 20-25 minutes, or until they can be pierced easily with a knife.  Drain the water and pull off and discard the potato skins.  Roughly mash the potatoes with a fork. 

Stir in the basil pesto, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is mostly green, with only a few flecks of white showing.  Add the salt and pepper and mix thoroughly.  Taste to see if more seasoning is needed. 

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and top with some hot sauce.  Serve with slices of French bread, warm if possible.

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Question for Mom

 Now that uncooked boneless chicken breasts often weigh more than 1 pound each, I’ve been wondering what’s the best way to prepare them.  Do they need to cook longer than smaller breasts? –Evelyn K.

One large chicken breast can feed a family of 4, especially if you cut the meat into stir-fry pieces and supplement with some fresh vegetables.  Spices would help provide flavor because this size breast is pretty bland.  Cooking time would be a few minutes longer because of the greater amount of chicken, but you could get a meal on the table in 30 minutes.

Marinating and roasting the chicken breast is also an option.  In order to keep the breast from drying out, cut it into 4-to-6 relatively equal-size pieces and marinate them in a spicy sauce for at least 1 hour.  Roast for 20 minutes, or until thin slices are white in the middle, not pink.  Slice the cooked breast pieces as thinly as possible. Pour any leftover cooked marinade on top and serve with pita bread, if using, and sliced cucumbers and tomatoes.

Spicy Chicken Slices – serves 4 

1½ pound boneless chicken breast or 2 smaller boneless chicken breasts
¼ cup olive or canola oil
1 large onion, cut into large pieces
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
¾ teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
2 Persian cucumbers or 1 medium-size cucumber, sliced
Pita Bread, heated (optional)
Rice (optional) 

Cut the chicken breast(s) into 4-6 large chunks and set aside. 

Add 1 tablespoon oil to a small frying pan and begin heating over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring continually until it starts to soften.  Remove from the heat and transfer the onion and oil left in the bottom of the pan to a large bowl. 

Add the rest of the oil, garlic, cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, salt and black pepper and stir well.  Add the chicken chunks to the marinade and stir until they are covered with marinade.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 

When you are ready to roast the chicken pieces, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with foil or use a silicone mat to cover the sheet.  Transfer the chicken pieces to the foil/mat sheet and pour any remaining marinade on top.

Bake about 15 minutes, turning the chicken pieces once.  Test to see if done by cutting the largest chicken piece in half.  If it is pink in any way, bake for another 5 minutes, or until it has turned white.  

When the chicken pieces are fully cooked, remove from the oven.  Slice as thinly as possible and pile the meat on a serving plate.  Pour any cooked marinade left in the pan on top.  Serve the tomatoes, cucumber and pita bread, if using, separately.  If serving rice, offer it in a separate bowl.

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Welcome Home! Real Tomatoes

I just read that tomatoes may be getting their flavor back!  This probably sounds odd to anyone under 30, who may well assume that tomatoes are used in salads and sandwiches mostly for their color.