Mash Favorites

Coloring and flavoring mashed potatoes can be as simple as adding a separate colorful purée as the last step. To go with Copper River salmon, Clark McDaniel, executive chef at Italian restaurant Paesanos 1604, San Antonio, folds in a purée of Italian parsley and green onions for an intense green when he makes mashed potatoes. For fall, he makes roasted-beet mashed potatoes, where he adds the puréed roasted beets at the last minute for a “Mary Kay” pink presentation. “We also do puréed chipotle peppers in mashed potatoes for steak dinners,” he says.

Most of the purées also work with rice. For instance, cook white rice in chicken stock, and at the last minute, add puréed basil or cilantro for a nice bright color. “But don’t cook it with the rice, or the greens will fade away,” McDaniel advises.

Ragoût To Rave About

Though it can be considered a sauce, a hearty ragoût also makes a fun side. McDaniel makes a colorful edamame/ roasted corn/diced tomato ragoût to go with Copper River salmon. He makes another ragoût to go with chicken piccata, using whole sugar snap peas, artichoke hearts, tomatoes and capers. He pours a white wine/butter sauce over the chicken breast, adds the colorful ragoût and tops with thin fried prosciutto crumbled like bacon bits.

“Next, an interesting twist that’s perfect for summer – a cold, gluten-free crab cake. This one comes from Paesanos 1604 in San Antonio. Light and airy, it still packs plenty of flavor.”