Recipe Thread: Side Dish

Cafe Society
1

I was going post my grandmother’s mashed potato recipe on this veggie side dish thread but OP wanted something other than potato dish… so I got this idea of a Side Dish Recipe Thread!

So contribute your side dish recipe!

…

Here is my contribution:
This is my maternal grandmother’s ‘Cold Mashed Potato with Cucumber & Onion’ that’s always been hit in every party so far (obviously except for those who hate cucumber). It works fine served warm or cold so you can make it ahead and keep in refrigerator.

  1. Peel and boil potatoes (as you would normally).
  2. Drain water, add butter & mayo and mash.
  3. Slice cucumber strips (1 to 2" cross cut stripes) as thinly as you can (food processor or mandolin works great) and put in a bowl and salt (not too salty; Japanese cucumber without developed seeds works best as they have tenderer skin and no seeds).
  4. Leave cucumber slices (30 minute?) in the bowl until most of the water is drawn out from cucumber slices (salt draws out water from cucumber).
  5. Slice/julienne cut onion, also as thinly as possible (also cross cut) and leave on the side.
  6. Add cucumber and onion slices, and also little black pepper and sugar (both optional) and mix in.

You want something like one cucumber slice per every other bite so do not put in too much. You want little more onion slices than cucumber slices. But you can adjust to taste. It’s just as good cold as when it’s warm.

2

Cacio e Pepe, the classic Roman cheese and pepper pasta.

Serves 5-6 as a side dish

8 ounces spaghetti
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons cracked fresh black pepper
1-1/2 cups freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Cook pasta in salted water, probably a minute or two less than what the package says. Heat skillet with olive oil, saute cracked pepper for a couple minutes. Remove pasta from pot with tongs, add to skillet, coat the pasta. Add cheese, toss and coat again. Add a bit of pasta water to the pot, coat again. Bam, you’re done.

3

Ooops, I forgot to write the step that you need to squeeze out (with your hand) remaining liquid out of cucumber slices before adding to potato; you don’t want runny/watery mashed potatoes.