Recipe: Jeff's Cheesy Vacation Potatoes with Sweet and Spicy Sausage Patties

JEFF'S CHEESY VACATION POTATOES WITH
SWEET AND SPICY SAUSAGE PATTIES

"This is for my best buddy, Jeff. He's the kind of friend I'd do anything for, and when we're together, there's no break in the laughter. I've known him since my radio days in New Orleans, but only recently began cooking for him, and these are his potatoes. One time I made them on vacation and ever since, they're his number one request from me in the kitchen.



"Think of a potato gratin that is tender throughout, but also has a bit of crunch from pan-frying the potato slices first. Add melting cheese and pico de gallo, and it's kind of like a potato pizza born in Texas (though it was first made for Jeff on Eleuthera in the Bahamas). Make it for your best friend and continue the chain."

FOR THE POTATOES:
3 russet potatoes, unpeeled, sliced 1⁄8 inch thick (poker-chip thick)
Peanut or vegetable oil
Kosher salt

FOR THE PICO DE GALLO:
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 scallions, finely minced (white and green parts)
1 teaspoon hot sauce (I like Frank's Red Hot)
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE CASSEROLE:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar/ Monterey Jack blend
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Mexican crema, for garnish

Sweet and Spicy Sausage Patties (for serving, recipe follows)

1. Prepare the potatoes. Put the potato slices in a large bowl with ice water to cover and soak for 30 minutes, stirring a bit. Transfer the potatoes to a colander and rinse until the water runs clear. Pour the potato slices onto a clean kitchen towel or several layers of paper towels and pat dry as much as possible.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Fry the potatoes. In a large straight-sided pan or a stockpot over medium-high heat, pour oil 1-inch deep. Fry the potato slices in batches, flipping halfway through until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes on each side. They should be stiff and crispy on the outside, but remain fleshy inside. Taste one, cook's treat! Transfer each batch to a paper towel-lined plate and immediately season with a sprinkle of salt.

3. Prepare the pico de gallo. In a small bowl, toss the tomatoes with the scallions, hot sauce, lime juice, cumin, cayenne pepper, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.

4. Bake the potatoes. Butter the bottom of a pie pan or an 8 8-inch baking pan. Using half the potatoes, layer the slices in a circular pattern, beginning at the outside of the pan and moving toward the center, with the slices slightly overlapping. Cover the entire bottom this way. Then evenly sprinkle half the Cheddar/Jack blend over the potato layer. On top of that sprinkle half the pico de gallo, then half the mozzarella. Repeat the layers, ending with the mozzarella cheese.

Bake until the cheese is melted and golden on the edges, about 18 minutes.

Cut into slices and serve warm with a dollop of Mexican crema. Serve with Sweet and Spicy Sausage Patties.

SWEET AND SPICY SAUSAGE PATTIES
Makes 8 patties

"Like with a good meatloaf, you can use a blend of ground meat for these patties; just make sure the total weight is still a pound."

1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed with a knife or mortar and pestle
1/4 teaspoon Hungarian or hot paprika
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon tightly packed light brown sugar
1 pound ground beef chuck (80 percent meat, 20 percent fat)
1 teaspoon olive oil

1. Mix the sausage seasonings. In a small bowl, combine the onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, fennel seed, paprika, salt, pepper, and brown sugar.

2. Add the seasonings to the beef. Break the beef into chunks and put in a large bowl. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over the top, then with your hands, gently mix the beef until the seasoning is evenly distributed.

3. Prepare the patties. Portion the beef into 8 servings and roll gently into balls. Place each ball between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, flatten the balls into 1/8-inch patties. Refrigerate between the sheets of parchment for at least 2 hours.

4. Cook the patties. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Peel the parchment away from the sausage (you may need to use a dull knife) and cook the patties in batches. Sear on one side until caramelized and golden on the bottom, about 2 minutes, then flip to cook just 1 minute more.

Makes 4-6 servings
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Clarkson Potter
Source: Sunny's Kitchen by Sunny Anderson