Carrots and Potatoes in Italian

Carrots cooked in cream sounds like an American dish, but I tasted it at the home of Venetian cooking teacher Fulvia Sesani. It was wonderful.

When I returned from Italy, following her directions, I used a vegetable peeler to shave thin ribbon strips from peeled carrots, then quickly simmered them in cream. The only seasoning I added was a little kosher salt.

Next I worked on reproducing an Italian dish that uses another seemingly American ingredient, golden potatoes, cooked with garlic and rosemary. I tasted the dish at the family restaurant Lancellotti in the Italian town of Soliera in Emilia Romagna. After peeling and halving small red-skinned potatoes, I sauteed them in olive oil and butter seasoned with sliced garlic. I added only crushed dried rosemary, salt and pepper as flavorings, according to the restaurant’s instructions. The potatoes, crisp, lightly browned and fragrant with an herbal hint, melt in your mouth.

Both these uncomplicated side dishes are ideal for entertaining. You could offer one or both as an accompaniment to roast chicken or beef. Or they would make a fine garnish to sauteed pork or lamb chops. Each recipe takes only about half an hour to prepare and cook, and each can easily be doubled or tripled for larger gatherings.

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Rosbottom is the author of “American Favorites” (Chapters Publishing, 1996).

CARROT RIBBONS IN CREAM ALLA FULVIA

2 pounds carrots (preferably very large), peeled and halved lengthwise

1 cup whipping cream

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more if needed

Using vegetable peeler (preferably one with horizontal blade), shave thin, ribbon-like strips from each carrot half. Discard stumps or use for another dish.

Heat cream in large, heavy skillet over medium heat until hot. Add carrot ribbons and stir well to coat. Add salt. Cover and cook until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt if needed. Serve carrots warm, mounded in bowl or on serving plate.

4 large or 6 small servings. Each of 6 servings:

203 calories; 657 mg sodium; 55 mg cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams protein; 1.57 grams fiber.

POTATOES WITH ROSEMARY AND GARLIC ALLA LANCELLOTTI

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 pounds red-skinned potatoes (2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter), peeled and halved

1 tablespoon dried rosemary, finely crushed

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more if needed

Freshly ground black pepper

Heat olive oil and butter in large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat. When hot, add garlic and saute, stirring constantly, until garlic is light golden, about 1 minute. Remove garlic with slotted spoon and reserve.

Add potatoes to skillet and cook, stirring to coat with oil mixture, about 2 minutes. Cover skillet tightly and cook, stirring and tossing often, until potatoes are golden and tender when pierced with knife, 15 to 18 minutes.

Season potatoes with rosemary, salt and several grinds pepper. Return garlic to pan and cook, uncovered, a few seconds more. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Mound potatoes in bowl or on serving plate.

6 servings. Each serving:

195 calories; 815 mg sodium; 5 mg cholesterol; 9 grams fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.76 gram fiber.