THE YANKEE CHEF: This hearty side dish is packed with flavor

If you don’t have a mandolin for this recipe, it is easily prepared simply by slicing the potatoes and apple with a sharp knife as thinly as possible. If desired, cut potatoes in half and lay the flat side on a work surface to cut. Other than slicing, this recipe is simple, elegant looking and enticing enough to enjoy with a salad and roll only. It lifts out of the skillet with ease and is packed with flavor.

Oven Roasted Potato Slices INGREDIENTS

Nonstick cooking spray2-3 pounds potatoes (See note)

1 Granny Smith apple3/4 cup vegetable broth

1/4 cup apple jelly, warmed and whisked smooth

1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon garlic powderBlack pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONSLiberally grease a 9-inch oven-safe skillet, or cake pan, with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Begin by peeling all potatoes if desired. Slice potatoes very thin using a mandolin; set aside. Peel and cut apple in half. Remove the core and slice it very thin as well; set aside.

Preheat oven to 400-degrees F. Arrange potato slices in a concentric circle in prepared pan leaning against each other, adding apple slices intermittently. If you need to add another potato, go ahead.

In a small bowl, whisk the broth, apple jelly, cheese, garlic and black pepper well. Pour over potatoes and apples and bake 35-45 minutes (depending on the width of potato slices), or until crisp on top and the potatoes are tender, but still a little firm. Remove from oven to cool slightly before scooping out to serve or let it rest for a few extra minutes and loosen around the edges and bottom with a spatula. Lift out onto a serving plate to cut with a pizza cutter into wedges if desired to serve. Sprinkle some additional cheese on top as well.

Note: Potatoes should be about 2 inches in diameter. Also try to sneak some turnip slices in there or even use yams or sweet potatoes.

The Yankee Chef Jim Bailey is a third-generation chef, food columnist, cookbook author and food historian. Bailey lives in Maine with his wife and four children.