(Long Island, N.Y.) Heading to a holiday party–or hosting one? Well, chances are, you’ll need to whip up a nifty appetizer. No need to flip through cookbooks or search online for creative ideas. I asked Long Island based celeb chef Danny Gagnon for his best holiday app suggestion. Here goes:
POTATO SKIN SPRING ROLLS
Bacon Mashed Potatoes:
- 10 potatoes(peeled and soaked in water)
- 1/4 pound apple wood smoked bacon(small diced)
- 2 large white spanish onions(small diced)
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme( picked off of stem and small miniced)
- 1 quart of heavy cream
- 1 pound of butter
- 1 cup of parm cheese
- Salt and pepper
METHOD FOR MASH POTATOES
Boil potatoes in boiling salted water till fork tender. Cook applewood smoked bacon till crispy and save the fat. Sautee the white onions with a little oil and the fresh thyme till golden brown. Mix the bacon, the bacon fat and the onions with the potatoes. Add the hot cream and butter to the potatoes also. Begin to mash, season with salt and pepper and finish with the parmesan cheese. Let cool.
SPRING ROLLS
- 1 pack of spring roll wrappers
- 1 bag of cheddar cheese
- 1 batch of the bacon mashed potatoes (like shown up above)
- 6 eggs
METHOD OF MAKING SPRING ROLLS
Get 1 spring roll wrapper ready on the cutting board. Brush the corners of the spring roll wrapper with the beaten eggs. Fill with 4 oz of mashed potatoes and 1 oz of cheddar cheese. Fold into a spring roll shape and then fry till golden brown.
Danny Gagnon, besides being a contestant on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef” Season 5, is best known for his Italian/Asian Fusion style of cooking. Danny was influenced by his grandmother at a young age to cook from the heart and keep family in mind.
After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, he worked for several restaurants including East By Northeast, Harvest on Fort Pond, Pacific East and Babylon Carriage House where he gained invaluable knowledge that made him an asset in any kitchen. His motto is: “No Guts, No Glory, No Gold!”
For more info on Danny Gagnon and Social Sports Kitchen, please check out www.socialsportskitchen.com
