Old MacDonald's Potato Box Recipes
Asparagus & Grilled Potatoes with Beet Vinaigrette Ingredients 4 medium russet potatoes, unpeeled, sliced 1/2-inch thick Approximately 1-1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil 12 sprigs fresh thyme 8 garlic cloves Gray salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 2 cups beet juice (from about 6 large red beets) 1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more for the asparagus 1/3 cup basil oil, or extra virgin olive oil 2 pounds jumbo asparagus, white ends removed Ricotta salata cheese Edible flowers or herb blossoms for garnish, optional Directions Prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire and preheat oven to 325 degree F. When the coals are covered with gray ash, toss the potato slices with a little of the olive oil, then grill them about 5 minutes on each side to mark them. Put them in a baking pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. (You may need more than one.) Add enough olive oil to come one-third of the way up the sides of the potatoes. Scatter the thyme and garlic cloves over the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and bake until tender, about 20 minutes. Let potatoes cool in the pan. You can bake them several hours ahead. Simmer the beet juice in a saucepan until reduced to 1/2 cup. Watch carefully; the juice may want to boil up and overflow. Add the 1 tablespoon lemon juice and continue simmering until volume is reduced to 1/3 cup. Strain into a bowl; when cool, whisk in herb oil. The dressing will not emulsify; it is meant to be "broken." Season with salt and pepper. Boil asparagus in a large quantity of salted water until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, shock in ice water, then pat dry. Dress the asparagus lightly with some of the herb oil that floats to the top of the dressing. Season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Make a bed of potato slices in the center of each plate. Stack a bundle of asparagus on top of the potatoes. With a cheese plane or vegetable peeler, shave ricotta salata over each portion. Shake or whisk dressing, then spoon some over the cheese. Garnish with edible flowers or herb blossoms, if you have them.

Old MacDonald's Potato Box Recipes

Asparagus & Grilled Potatoes with Beet Vinaigrette

Ingredients

4 medium russet potatoes, unpeeled,
sliced 1/2-inch thick
Approximately 1-1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
12 sprigs fresh thyme
8 garlic cloves
Gray salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 cups beet juice (from about 6 large red beets)
1 tablespoon lemon juice, plus more for the asparagus
1/3 cup basil oil, or extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds jumbo asparagus, white ends removed
Ricotta salata cheese
Edible flowers or herb blossoms for garnish, optional

Directions

Prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire and preheat oven to 325 degree F. When the coals are covered with gray ash, toss the potato slices with a little of the olive oil, then grill them about 5 minutes on each side to mark them. Put them in a baking pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. (You may need more than one.) Add enough olive oil to come one-third of the way up the sides of the potatoes. Scatter the thyme and garlic cloves over the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and bake until tender, about 20 minutes. Let potatoes cool in the pan. You can bake them several hours ahead.
Simmer the beet juice in a saucepan until reduced to 1/2 cup. Watch carefully; the juice may want to boil up and overflow. Add the 1 tablespoon lemon juice and continue simmering until volume is reduced to 1/3 cup. Strain into a bowl; when cool, whisk in herb oil. The dressing will not emulsify; it is meant to be "broken." Season with salt and pepper.

Boil asparagus in a large quantity of salted water until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain, shock in ice water, then pat dry. Dress the asparagus lightly with some of the herb oil that floats to the top of the dressing. Season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Make a bed of potato slices in the center of each plate. Stack a bundle of asparagus on top of the potatoes. With a cheese plane or vegetable peeler, shave ricotta salata over each portion. Shake or whisk dressing, then spoon some over the cheese. Garnish with edible flowers or herb blossoms, if you have them.