Monday, October 20, 2014

A Tasty Fall Side Dish Served Up in a Fancy Viceroy Oval Bowl from Wilton Armetale - Recipe and Product Review

Disclosure:  I was sent a sample from the vendor in order to write up an honest review.  All views shared are mine and mine alone.



Will you be hosting a holiday dinner at your house in November or December?  Or, are you invited to a family gathering where you are expected to win a dish to add to the buffet table?  If you said, "Yes," to either, do I have the perfect side dish for you to make and share with guests -- Kale Potato Gratin. 

For me, I will be having family and friends over for both Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, and will be preparing all the entrees and side dishes.  While I have my go-to favorites that everyone expects every year, I also like to try out or create new recipes to surprise everyone with.  And, this year, I will be serving up this easy to prepare potato side dish that works well with turkey, ham, rabbit, or whatever other star entree you and your guests feast on during your holiday gatherings.  

Kale Potato Gratin



Ingredients:



24 ounces of Yukon cooking potatoes
4 cloves garlic, minced
10-12 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 cup of kale, removed from stem
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 TBSP. grated pecorino cheese
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere Cheese (can't find Gruyere Cheese at your supermarket? You can substitute this cheese with Comte or Beaufort Cheese, and wouldn't be able to tell the difference)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Then, rinse the potatoes, before thinly slicing. Add the sliced potatoes to a large pot and cover with cold water. Add a generous pinch of salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Blanch the potatoes until almost fork tender, about 8-10 minutes.

2.  While potatoes blanch, remove the thyme leaves from the stems. Discard stems.  Mince garlic.  Rinse and pat dry kale, before cutting from stem and roughly chopping.

3.  Once potatoes are done cooking, remove the pot from heat, drain and put blanched potatoes in a plate.  Gently blot the potatoes dry with a paper towel, and then season with salt and pepper.

4.  Using a large baking dish, begin to place 1/3 of the potato slices in a single layer on the bottom.  Then, add 1/2 the kale, followed by the minced garlic and thyme leaves.  Sprinkle 1/3 of the shredded Gruyere cheese and grated pecorino cheese on top of this layering, before repeating a layer. Finish with remaining 1/3 potatoes and 1/3 of the cheeses.

5. Before placing the potato gratin in the oven to bake, drizzle 1/4 cup of heavy cream evenly over the top.  Then, place in oven and bake until potatoes are tender and cheeses have melted, about 18-20 minutes.

6.  Remove from oven and serve warm. Enjoy!

Not a fan of kale? Then, why not swap out the kale with spinach.  

Prior to baking - using spinach instead of kale

I tried this recipe both ways, and they are both delicious.  I am thinking to make the kale version with the turkey dinner and fixings for Thanksgiving and the spinach potato grain with the ham dinner on Christmas Day.  

In addition to getting into the kitchen recently to create the above tasty potato side dish, I also used this time to try out a new from the Viceroy collection from Wilton Armetale, which I was recently sent to review.  



Prior to receiving this sample, I had never heard about WILTON ARMETALE.  Have you?  

Viceroy
"Designed by renowned artist Juan Vela, Viceroy is vintage chic with soft sculptural scroll elements cast in highly polished Armetale metal and is at home in casual to formal settings and can be used every day. From the stovetop, oven or fridge right to the table, looking great along the way."

At first glance at the Viceroy Oval Bowl I was sent, I couldn't get over the fine detail to design pattern --

Viceroy Oval Bowl

You could tell that fine craftsmanship goes into making this and other products available from Wilton Armetale collections.  The company itself has been around since 1892, and their products are available in department stores and specialty stores throughout the United States and internationally.

With so many other grillware and serveware available, what sets Wilton Armetale apart from others?

Armetale Metal

Just take the Armetale metal used in making each of their elegant cook and serveware.  The metal is a unique, non-toxic aluminum-based alloy, making it ideal for cooking and entertaining.  Users of this unique Armetale metal product offering will also find:

• Hot foods cooked and served in Wilton Armetale products stay hot longer.

• Cold foods and drinks served in Wilton Armetale products stay cold longer.

• ARMETALE products are also durable and will not rust, break, crack or chip under normal usage.

• Each ARMETALE product is a solid piece of metal with no coating applied.

Wilton Armetale products comes in two finishes - one finish is a high polish similar to silver and the other is a matte finish similar to pewter. The two types of finishes are produced through different manufacturing processes. Note: Armetale products are not dishwasher safe.

So, when it came time to making my kale potato gratin to serve up to family recently, I reached for and baked this side dish in my Viceroy Oval Bowl.  Those gathered around the table couldn't help but admire and comment on how beautiful this elegant serving bowl was.  My mom, who was in attendance, couldn't believe that you could cook in this bowl.  Most fancy metal serving bowls are only meant to add food into and serve.  It is hard to find ones you can actual put in the oven to cook with, and then take out and place on the table and serve one.  Being a busy mom on the go, I especially love the convenience and versatility of the Armetale products. They can go from freezer to oven to tabletop to fridge.  And, even though there is intricate detailing around the outer edges of the bowl, clean up was a breeze.  Whenever I am baking something in the oven, I find myself reaching for the Viceroy Oval Bowl.  Just last night, I made shepherd's pie for the family and used this bowl. :-)


To learn more about the Viceroy collection from Wilton Armetale, as well as other collections currently available for purchase online and at local retailers, visit http://www.armetale.com/ today. And, if you are planning on hosting a holiday dinner at your house, why not consider adding a few new serveware pieces from Wilton Armetale to your collection.  Both you and your guests will find yourselves admiring the beautiful pieces that you set out on the buffet table, or pass around the table.

If you get a chance to make this side dish for an upcoming holiday gathering, or simply to offer an alternative to mashed or baked potatoes for a family meal, I would love to hear what you thought of it. So, be sure to leave a comment below. :-)

Disclosure:  I was sent a sample from the vendor in order to write up an honest review.  All views shared are mine and mine alone.

1 comment :

  1. What a beautiful bowl perfect for Thanksgiving and Christmas parties.
    heather [email protected]

    ReplyDelete