Two sides: Ina's Rosemary Roasted Potatoes and Rutabega with Crispy Shallots

What can I say? Ina is the best. And of course, these sides are divine. They went perfectly with our roasted turkey roulade and gravy last year. Even if you don't make these with your turkey, be sure to try these lovely potatoes sometime soon. I'm seeing them everywhere online. There's nothing simpler, it makes a super presentation and who doesn't love a crunchy potato? Or as Ina puts it: "How easy is that?"


Rosemary Roasted Potatoes
2010, Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients:
3 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes
1/3 cup olive oil
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary (divided)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Slice the bottom off each potato and cut crosswise at 1/8-inch intervals, cutting to within 1/4 inch of the bottom. (You can place the potato on a large spoon so the edges of the spoon prevent you from slicing completely through the potato.)

Place the potatoes in a large bowl, add the olive oil, salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon of the rosemary and toss well, working the salt mixture in between the slices. Arrange the potatoes on a sheet pan cut side up.

Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes, until they are tender and golden and crisp on top. 
Sprinkle with remaining rosemary and serve.

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This is the end of my recipes from last year's Thanksgiving. Aside from a couple old favorites, I tried all new dishes. A lot of people don't care for rutabega. I love it. It's also known as a yellow turnip.

It's got a waxy outside, so you peel it and inside is a hard orange/gold vegetable which you can roast, boil, mash, whatever. My mother served it to us a lot when I was a child so we grew up loving it. Oddly, I don't remember serving it to my kids very often, but they really enjoyed this side dish last Thanksgiving.


Mashed Rutabega with Crispy Shallots
1994, The Union Square Cafe Cookbook, by Danny Meyer and Michael Romano, All Rights Reserved and as reprinted in Barefoot Contessa Family Style, by Ina Garten, by permission of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups light olive or vegetable oil 
3 tablespoons unsalted butter 
5 to 6 shallots, peeled and sliced into thin rings 
2 large rutabagas, about 4 pounds total 
Kosher salt 
1 cup whole milk 
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) salted butter 
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Method:
Heat the oil and unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 220 degrees F. Reduce the heat to low, add the shallots, and cook until they are a rich golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes. The temperature should stay below 260 degrees F. Stir the shallots occasionally to make sure they brown evenly. Remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, drain well, and spread out to cool on paper towels. Once they have dried and crisped, they can be stored at room temperature, covered, for several days. 
Peel the rutabegas to remove the waxy skins and cut them into generous 1-inch chunks. Place them in a saucepan with water to cover and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, until easily pierced by a paring knife, about 35 minutes. Drain. 
In a separate saucepan, heat the milk and salted butter over low heat until the butter has melted and the milk just begins to simmer. 
Puree the rutabega in several batches in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. With the motor running, add the melted butter and milk in a steady stream. The turnips should be smooth. 
Return the puree to the saucepan, season with 1 teaspoon salt and the pepper, and reheat, stirring, over medium heat. Serve piping hot, sprinkled generously with crispy shallots. 



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