The Fully-Loaded Potato Bar

Serves 40

The list of things that could compel us to happily revisit our teen years might be short, but there's a good chance it includes at least one happy recollection of being dropped off at the mall, allowance in hand, for the thrill of an parentally-unsupervised visit to the food court with friends.  Or at least it includes a longing for the imagined perfection of that visit.  Such freedom!  So many choices!  1 Potato 2!  The parents are gone... you're a little nervous but loving every minute of it.  You choose the potato stand because it's comfortable and familiar, but you never have THAT many toppings to choose from on the table at home.  And somehow, potatoes at home never tasted THIS good.

The food court at the mall looses its magic, to be sure, but we would venture to guess that most everyone still likes to choose his or her own toppings.  Long gone are the teen years, thankfully, but does anyone ever really tire of the simple pleasures of a potato bar?  We've mentioned it before, but it bears repeating that in a shelter community where guests live without access to a personal kitchen for extended periods of time, the toppings bar is phenomenon that gives back a wee bit of culinary autonomy, if only for a meal.  Prefer turkey to ham?  OK!  Don't like broccoli?  No problem!  Extra cheese sauce?  Naturally!  It's a small gesture, but it can draw forth a smile and you'll find more than a handful of guests coming back for a second helping of their topping of choice.  And don't be shy with the cheese sauce!

P.S. The rendition below represents the potatoes of our childhood, before more interesting, international flavors took up permanent residence in our pantries.  Below is the chef's salad of baked potatoes...  with deli meat, cheddar cheese and a creamy topping of choice.  But feel free to scan the recipe for quantities only and take the flavors in any direction you choose.


Baked Potatoes

• 25 XL russet potatoes or 40 small russet potatoes, well-scrubbed
• 1/4 cup olive oil for brushing
• Sea salt
• Freshly grated black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Scrub the outside of each potato with a vegetable scrubber or with the rough side of a clean (i.e. new) kitchen sponge.  Thoroughly dry each potato then arrange on XL sheet pans making sure there is plenty of room between the potatoes for air flow.  Poke each potato  10-12 times with the prongs of a fork to allow steam to escape while cooking.  Using your hands or a basting brush, lightly oil the potatoes on all sides and generously season with salt and pepper.  Roast potatoes for 40-60 minutes, depending on size, until the skins are crisp and the flesh yields easily to a fork.  When ready to serve, divide each XL potato in half, and halve again to create a space for the toppings.  Serve a single half to each person, but allow two halves for some.  If you're using small potatoes, split each down the center to create a space for the toppings.

Cook's note:  XL potatoes take a bit longer to cook, but require less work to scrub and prep as there are less of them.


Roasted Broccoli Florets

• 6 lbs broccoli florets (pre-packaged) or 8 lbs whole broccoli heads, washed and trimmed
• 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
• sea salt and freshly grated black pepper
  

Divide broccoli into two batches and toss each batch in a large bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil.  Season each batch with sea salt and pepper and arrange in a single layer on a foil-lined sheet pans.  Roast  in a 425 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until crisp-tender.   Transfer to a deep hotel pan, cover tightly with the cooking foil and keep warm until ready to serve.


Roasted Cauliflower Florets

• 3 lbs cauliflower florets (pre-packaged) or 5 lbs whole cauliflower, washed and trimmed
  
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• sea salt and freshly grated black pepper
  

Toss cauliflower in a large bowl with the olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper.  Arrange in a single layer on a foil-lined sheet pan.  Roast in a 425 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until crisp-tender.   Transfer to a deep hotel pan, cover tightly with the cooking foil and keep warm until ready to serve.



Deli Meats

• 3 lbs good-quality, low sodium deli turkey breast*
• 3 lbs good-quality, low-sodium deli ham steak* 
• 1/4 cup olive oil, divided

Cube the deli meats into 1/2" bite sized pieces.  Lightly oil the grill top or a large saute pan with half the olive oil and saute cubed turkey for 10-15 minutes until lightly browned.  Transfer turkey to a small serving dish, cover with foil and keep warm until ready to serve.  Repeat process with ham steak.

* At the deli counter, request 1/2" thick slices of low-sodium, hormone-free and fill-free turkey breast and ham steak.  Overall, this is a very economical meal, so don't be afraid to spend a few extra dollars on high-quality deli meats.  Look for the brands Boar's Head, Dietz and Watson, Thumman's or Appelgate Farms where available.  In the Chicago area, Applegate is available at Whole Foods, Dietz and Watson is available at Stanley's and Boar's Head is available at NYC bagel.  Ask for a sample of each meat and taste for flavor and freshness before placing final order.  Try to purchase from a store that has good turnover in the deli department and don't be afraid to request a fresh batch.


Sharp Cheddar Cheese Sauce

• 1 lb unsalted butter
• 2 bunches scallions, white parts only 
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 gallon milk
• 3 lbs sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 4 TBS Dijon mustard'
• sea salt and freshly grated pepper to taste

Wash, trim and slice scallions into very thin rounds.  Transfer the green rounds into a serving bowl for garnish and reserve the white parts of the scallion for the cheese sauce. 

Melt butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed, medium stock pot.   Add the reserved scallions to pot and saute until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.   Whisk flour into pot and stir constantly as flour cooks for 4-5 minutes, or until the smell of raw flour has passed.  Add milk to pot and cook until warmed through.  Add shredded cheese to pot in thirds, stirring between each addition.  Add mustard and stir to combine.  Taste sauce for flavor and season with salt and pepper as desired. 

Garnish Bar

• 24 oz Reduced Fat Sour Cream
• 1 bunch scallions, sliced into super thin rounds
• 2 lbs shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 large bunch fresh chives, rinsed and minced

Finish off potato bar with the toppings above in matching bowls with lots of spoons.

Simple Greens with  Ranch

• 1 lb mixed baby salad greens, organic where possible
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered into bite sized
• 1 bunch scallions, very thinly sliced
• 8 oz yogurt ranch dressing
• sea salt and freshly grated pepper to taste

Toss greens, halved tomatoes and scallions in an XL bowl to combine.  About ten minutes before serving dinner, lightly dress greens with yogurt ranch and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve along side potatoes and enjoy!