Chef's Kitchen

Each month, a guest chef gives us a tip that elevates their cooking or simplifies things in the kitchen; something a home cook might not know. They also provide a recipe that uses the tip, so you can practice at home. Our guest chef this month is Chef Aimee Louise Chick of Paragon Seattle. Paragon is a Pacific Northwest gastropub with an elevated cocktail program perched on top of Queen Anne Hill. When it changed ownership in the spring of 2019, the main goal of the new owners was to maintain as much of its original charm as possible while bringing a new focus to an incredible food and bar program.

Aimee Louise Chick enjoys long walks down the corridor of Pike Market; hunting for small, local purveyors and the delicate nature of her favorite seafood, Loup de Mer. She got her start in the culinary industry at Fabi + Rosi in Austin, Texas, peeling potatoes for pennies in exchange for an apprenticeship. She stayed for two years learning under the chef's mentorship. Since then, Aimee has traveled around the States in her trusty GMC Vandura (his name was Ste-van) earning her cooking chops when all she had was a cooler, a camping stove, and simple ingredients like spam, potatoes, and ramen. She's worked in kitchens all over the country from Alaska to Idaho, Austin, L.A. and Spokane. Aimee's favorite childhood meal is her Mum's Sunday Roast which always includes vegetables, proper English gravy, roasties (roast potatoes), roast chicken, bread sauce, and Yorkshire puddings.

Tips to ensure evenly-cooked and extra-crispy potatoes by Chef Aimee Louise Chick

Par-cooking potatoes starting in cold water prior to roasting will ensure they cook evenly. Pre-heating your roasting pan with butter and oil in a hot oven prior to adding the par-cooked potatoes will make them extra crispy.

Traditional Roasties (English roasted potatoes)

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Peel and rough cube 6 large russet potatoes (or enough to suit your yield).

In a large pot, add cold salted water, a bouquet garni (I use thyme, rosemary, peppercorns, bay leaves, and garlic) and your potatoes.

Adding your potatoes to cold water instead of boiling water guarantees you have a completely even cook.

Bring water and potatoes to a boil.

Strain potatoes when parboiled (top tip, test a potato with a sharp knife, if it falls off, its done.)

Let it steam out for about 5 minutes, once dry, shake your strainer to rough the potatoes up.

On a large roasting pan, add olive oil and 1/2 pound cubed butter.

The secret to my mum's recipe is to get the butter and oil screaming hot in the oven before adding your potatoes.

Cook for 30-45 minutes, tossing the potatoes occasionally, until crispy and golden brown.

Finish with your best salt.

Paragon Seattle
2125 Queen Anne Ave N
Seattle, WA 98109
206-283-4539

www.paragonseattle.com

January 2020