Couples Night- Meat and Potatoes

HAM AND CABBAGE POTATO GRATIN

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

• 2 cups deli ham (thinly sliced) or chopped bacon 

• 1/2 head green cabbage (cored and sliced 1/2-inch thick) (or Savoy cabbage is better)

1 onion sliced

• 2 cloves garlic (minced)

• 1/2 cup chives (finely sliced)

• 1/2 cup parsley (finely chopped)

• 2 pounds russet potatoes (peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick)

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 teaspoon paprika

dash of nutmeg

• 2 cups gruyere or Parmesan (shredded and divided) 

directions

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Butter a large 8x8-inch baking.

Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon butter. Add the ham (or don't do butter and do bacon instead) and cook until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and add remaining 1 tablespoon butter (or cook cabbage in some of the bacon grease). Add cabbage, garlic, and onion, season with Kosher salt and cook until the cabbage has wilted, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the ham back in with the herbs. Allow to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, add the potatoes, cream, paprika and 1 1/2 cups of the gruyere. Season with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix to combine. Add half of the potato mixture in an even layer. Spread all of the cabbage mixture on top and top with remaining potato mixture. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese evenly on top of the potatoes. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Then remove the foil and continue to bake another 20 minutes, until golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Garnish with chopped chives if desired.

Helpful tip: do not hold the potatoes in water after slicing. This will remove too much starch before cooking.

Broiled Feta Appetizer (recipe found HERE)
*I doubled the amount of tomatoes for this recipe

Carmel Apple Pretzel Salad (recipe found Here)
*For the pretzel/pecan topping, I found that it needed to bake longer than 7min, I'd try 10 or 11min.  Also I'm not sure that it really needs that much butter?  It was really greasy - not dry and crumbly like her pictures show on the website.
*I also think she was way off on the #of apples, I think one recipe can easily handle 5 apples

Pork Sandwiches with 
Cilantro Lime Pesto:
1 C. Mayo
1 C. chopped cilantro
1 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh Lime juice
1/2 tsp. cumin
Combine in food processor and serve on rolls with a package of shredded cabbage, Smoked Pulled Pork (Kirkland brand pork), and your favorite barbecue sauce.


Here's my ice cream recipe.  For gourmet group, I added 1 T coconut extract instead of the vanilla and of course, no raspberries. 

Krumkake (Norwegian Cookies)

Whisk together:
6 eggs
1 cup milk

Add:
1-3/4 cup sugar
2-2/3 cup flour
1-1/2 teaspoon Cardamom

Add:
¾ cup melted butter
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla
a sprinkle of Nutmeg

Cook in the Pizelle  Maker – then form into a cone shape while still warm.

Delicious when filled with fruit and whipped cream.