Rich, creamy and deeply comforting, these crème fraîche mashed potatoes take a classic side dish to the next level. The tangy richness of crème fraîche adds depth and silkiness, balancing buttery potatoes for a mash that’s smooth, savory and irresistibly spoonable. Simple to prepare and easy to love, they’re a natural fit alongside just about any main.
Read more about laying flavors in our The Union article.
Ingredients
3 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled/quartered
1 cup crème fraîche
8 Tbsp unsalted butter
Salt/pepper, to taste
Directions
Boil potatoes in 6 qt. pot of salted water until very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain potatoes, mash with masher or pass through a food mill or ricer into a big bowl.
Bring crème fraiche and butter to a simmer in 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour over potatoes, stir to combine. Add salt/pepper to taste.
Whole Wheat Penne with Cannellini Beans and Veggies
8-10 servings
Nevada City School of the Arts received the School Food Professionals Award for this recipe. This dish is a vehicle for so many local ingredients to reach students in their lunch. The school had success taste testing vegetables lightly roasted in olive oil and simply seasoned with salt, pepper and a splash of lemon juice. That flavor profile was perfect for the pasta and beans, too, and brought out the sweetness of the roasted eggplant.
Ingredients
2 16 oz cans cannellini beans
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
4 oz arugula
1 pint saladette tomatoes, sliced into bite-sized pieces
3 carrots, chopped into 1/4″ half moons
1 eggplant, cut into 1” cubes
1/2 bunch fresh basil
2 lbs whole wheat penne pasta
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1-2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°.
Wash and drain all vegetables. Drain and rinse beans.
Set up a large pot on stovetop and fill 2/3 with water. Set to boil.
Separate vegetables by type onto a sheet tray and toss with olive oil, two pinches salt & pepper, and even portions of garlic. Roast, pulling each vegetable when it’s cooked (generally 10 minutes for fennel, 15 minutes for eggplant, 20 minutes carrots).
Chop basil. When water is boiling, add penne to pot. Cook 13-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain pasta. Pour into desired serving dish.
Toss pasta with lemon juice and ¼ cup olive oil. Add roasted veggies, beans, arugula, chopped tomatoes, and basil. Adjust seasoning to taste.
This is another recipe Nevada City School of the Arts adapted from the Chef Ann Foundation Lunchbox. We make our own pesto, which changes ingredients with availability. We love this recipe because it was an instant hit with students the first time I served it seven years ago—a result that surprised fellow staff and parents.
Ingredients
8 slider buns
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced into ½ inch rounds
16 oz log of pre-sliced mozzarella cheese
1 bunch basil
¼ cup sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp sea salt
1/3-1/2 cup olive oil
Directions
In a food processor or blender, make the pesto. Pick the leaves off of the basil stems and add to mixer container. Add sunflower seeds, lemon juice and salt. Pour in ¼ cup of olive oil and start the machine, adding rest of the oil in a slow drizzle until desired pesto consistency is reached. Add more salt to taste.
Spread pesto on both bottom and top of slider buns. Place one slice of mozzarella and one slice of tomato on each bun. Simple, refreshing, and filling.
Every time Nevada City School of the Arts had a student survey, sushi was the number one request for a meal to add to the menu. They were getting stuck trying to figure out how they could make nori rolls for 450 students. Then they realized they could just serve all the components with squares of nori and let the students construct their own wraps (or eat everything separately).
Ingredients
2 cups sushi rice, rinsed
4 cups water
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp sesame oil
Pinch of salt
1 bag frozen, shelled edamame
2 carrots, shredded
1 cucumber, peeled on four sides, sliced in quarter moons
6 red radishes, finely sliced
1 golden beet, shredded
8 oz mixed baby salad greens
4 oz microgreens
4 sheets toasted nori wrappers
For the Sriracha Tuna:
2 cans tuna
1/3 cup mayo or Vegenaise
¼ cup sriracha
1 Tbsp garlic granules
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp furikake (optional)
1 tps salt
Directions
Warm sesame oil in a saucepan. Stir sushi rice grains to coat, add water, rice vinegar and salt, and turn heat up to high. Once boiling, turn down to low and cover. Set a timer for 20 minutes.
In the meantime, mix sriracha tuna, and prep veggies to their specifications, and simmer edamame in a little water until thawed all the way through. Slice nori sheets into 4 pieces.
When the rice timer goes off, turn off burner and allow to sit another 5 minutes to steam. Transfer to a bowl with an ice cream scoop or rounded spoon to serve.
Set up a line with rice at the beginning, then sriracha tuna, mixed greens and veggies down to microgreens. Have nori sheets at the end, with any soy sauce, extra sriracha, furikake or flavorings you wish.
Everyone can build their own bowl with a rainbow of nourishment.
3/4 lb chanterelle mushrooms, wiped or brushed clean and finely chopped
1/4 cup Field Day All Purpose Flour
Separated drippings from turkey roasting pan, plus enough Field Day Chicken Stock or chicken broth to total 3 cups
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper
Directions
In a heavy bottom saucepan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat, melt butter and swirl to coat pan. Add shallot and sauté until soft but not browned, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and sauté, stirring frequently, until mushrooms soften and give up their juices, about 5 minutes. Remove shallot and mushrooms with a slotted spoon and set aside.
In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together flour and 1/2 cup of stock until flour is dissolved. Whisk flour mixture into the pan you cooked the mushrooms in and stir continuously until roux is “peanut butter” in color.
Add remaining 2 1/2 cups drippings/stock gradually to roux and simmer until gravy thickens and flour is thoroughly cooked. Adjust to taste with salt and pepper. Gravy should be a little thinner than desired as it will thicken as it cools. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Submerge potatoes in large pot of cold water. Bring to boil with 1 tsp salt. Boil until fork-tender.
Drain potatoes into a colander and return warm, empty pot to the stove with burner OFF. Add ¾ cup butter and cream to pot, then dump potatoes back into pot.
Keeping heat OFF, cover pot and let sit until butter melts, about 5 minutes. Mash until creamy, adding another Tbsp of cream if you prefer them creamier.
Dot top of mashed potatoes with pats of remaining butter, cover and serve as soon as possible.
Potatoes can be kept warm on very low burner, or in a 200° oven, for about 30 minutes, just add a bit more cream and stir just before serving.
