Created by a chef at the Hasselback Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden, this potato in no hassle to make. Combining the texture and flavor of a baked and roasted potato, this visually stunning side dish is an easy crowd pleaser.

There are numerous variations of this potato. Peeled or not peeled,  some adding slivers of garlic or onion between the slices, others sprinkled with herbs and drizzled with olive oil or butter, all of which are very good. But I kept hearing a small voice inside my head whispering “bacon”. So I acted upon the suggestion of the others who dwell inside, and  we all agree, success!

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Bacon-Stuffed Hasselback Potatoes

Delicious roasted potato with a tender inside and a crisp crust, stuffed with bacon. The perfect steak house side dish.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Scandinavian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 4 russet potatoes peeled or not
• 2 strips of bacon
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 400° F.
• Wash the potatoes thoroughly and peel if desired.
• Cut a flat spot on the bottom of each potato to prevent rolling. Lay chopsticks or wooden spoon handles on both sides of the potato. With a sharp knife make cuts ¼” to ½” apart, cutting down to the sticks but not completely through the potato.
• Cut bacon into 1″- 1½” pieces, and place in between each slice of the potato (if you hold the potato in your hand you can open it slightly like a fan to easily insert the bacon).
• Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and roast for 30 minutes. Remove potatoes and drizzle with a little more oil and return to the oven for another 30 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.
• Remove from oven and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Top with a dollop of sour cream and green onion or chives.

Notes

Any size of potato can be used for this. These potatoes would also be great prepared on the grill using indirect heat. A perfect paring for a steak!

The Hasselback potato has absolutely nothing to do with David Hasselhoff, even though some people seem to believe that Hasselhoff is back. I guess if you close one eye, and squint with the other, they kind of look the same? Sorry, the voices in my head told me to do this.

Originating in Provence, a tian is a French word that describes a shallow casserole as well as the food it contains. Traditionally it features a variety of vegetables, herbs and cheeses that are layered and then baked.

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Vegetable Tian

Originating in Provence, a tian is a French word that describes a shallow casserole as well as the food it contains. Traditionally it features a variety of vegetables, herbs and cheeses that are layered and then baked.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 red potatoes, unpeeled and sliced
• 1 zucchini, sliced
• 1 yellow squash, sliced
• 3 roma tomatoes, sliced
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• dried thyme, to taste
• 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a shallow 9”x9” baking dish with cooking spray.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the onions and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Spread the onion mixture on the bottom of the greased baking dish.
• Slice the potatoes, zucchini, squash and tomatoes in 1/4 inch thick slices. Alternate the wheels of vegetables in a single layer on top of the onions, fitting them in tightly in to the baking dish.
• Season with sea salt, black pepper and dried thyme. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the top.
• Cover the dish with foil and bake for about 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Uncover and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top and bake for another 25-30 minutes or until browned.

America’s most popular vegetable is the potato. We enjoy them boiled, baked, fried, microwaved, steamed, roasted, and mashed, with or without their peels. By themselves potatoes are quite low in calories and loaded with nutrients.

“Creamers” or “new potatoes” are terms used to describe all small waxy potatoes, but technically it refers just to immature potatoes harvested in the spring and early summer. You can tell if a potato is truly new by its skin. Immature potatoes have flimsy, parchment-like skins that you can peel off with your fingers. Creamers are prized for their high moisture content, smooth texture, and because they can be cooked whole. They are especially good steamed or roasted.  New potatoes are more perishable than other varieties, and need to be used within a few days of buying them.

Potatoes with a high starch content, like russets, bake well and yield light and fluffy mashed potatoes.  Those with a low starch content, like red-skinned potatoes, hold their shape after cooking, and are great for making potato salads and scalloped potatoes.

Some information about Potatoes:

• 1 lb of potatoes equals 4 cups diced or 1 3/4 cups mashed.
• Best for baking is the russet potato
• Best for potato salads, gratins, and scalloping are the Yellow Finn, new, red-skinned, white round, and purple potatoes.
• Best for mashing are the russet, Yukon gold, Caribe, and purple potatoes.
• Best for soups and chowders are the Yukon gold, Yellow Finn, red-skinned, white round, and purple potatoes.
• Best for pan-frying are the red-skinned, white round, new, and fingerling potatoes.
• Best for French fries are russet, purple, and Bintje potatoes.
• Best for purees are fingerling potatoes.
• Best for roasting are new, and fingerling potatoes
• Store potatoes in a cool, dark, dry, well-ventilated location.
• Do not refrigerate uncooked potatoes, doing so converts some of the potato’s starch to sugar.
• Do not expose potatoes to direct sunlight, it will turn them green and makes them bitter.
• Scrape away any sprouts or green spots, as they might contain a mildly toxic compound called solanine.

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Creamers in Dill Sauce

Tender new potatoes and fresh spring peas in a dill cream sauce.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Eastern European

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Christoph

Ingredients

• 1 pound of creamers
• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
• 1 shallot minced
• 4 tablespoon dill roughly chopped
• 2 cups medium béchamel sauce
• Salt
• White pepper

Instructions

• Cook potatoes until fork tender by gently boiling.
• Prepare the béchamel sauce. Sauté the shallot in the butter used to make the roux before adding the flour.
• Add the peas, dill and potatoes to the sauce.
• Season to taste with salt and white pepper.