Curried Potatoes

Curried Potatoes

Ingredients:

Peel and cube 2-3 large firm potatoes into bite size pieces.
Madras curry powder
Minced garlic (fresh preferred by dry OK)
Sunflower or olive oil

Heat a heavy pan on high, add oil just to coat the base of the pan. When hot, add the potatoes and toss evenly in the oil and cook until a fork just pierces the surface...mixing occasionally to prevent burning.

Add about 2 tablespoons of curry power, 1-2 teaspoon of garlic (to taste). Toss well to be sure all the potatoes are coated.

Continue mixing to prevent burning, but if you like crispy edges, let sit longer before stirring.

If you want a stronger curry taste, add more curry powder and garlic.

If you like hotter curry, use a hot madras powder.

Serve warm.

Savory Potatoes and Squash

Savory Potatoes and Squash

Ingredients:

2 large firm potatoes (about 2 cups), cubed (skin on, optional)
1 small butternut squash, peeled/seeded/cubed (about 2 cups)
1 large onion, peeled and cubed
2 large garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon chopped thyme (fresh preferred but dry OK)
1 gelatin stock pot, chicken or vegetable
½ cup of hot water
Oil to cook, sunflower or olive

Method:

Preheat a heavy pan on high. Add oil to coat the base of the pan. When hot, add the potatoes and squash and toss together to coat evenly in the oil.

When you can just pierce the veg with a fork, add the onions and toss evenly.

Add the garlic and thyme and toss evenly.

Dilute the stock pot or cub in the hot water, then pour over the vegetables. Mix well, then cover the pan, turn the heat to low and cook until the potatoes and squash are cooked and most of the water has cooked away.

Serve warm.

Served here with a Spanish style fried egg.

Heart Shaped Country Fried Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic

Whoever doesn't love country style fried potatoes, raise your hand. Yep, thought so. Not a hand in the air! There's something comforting about hot potatoes with herbs that goes straight to the . . . well, heart. In this case, literally.

Why not try something different the next time you're making country style fried potatoes. Cut the potatoes in thinish, but not too thin, slices and break out your heart shaped cookie cutter. Just use the little one and press away. As you press out each heart, be sure to put them into a bowl of cool water to keep them from turning brown until you're ready to cook. This also rinses off some of that starch which can make potatoes gluey. Before you know it, you'll have loads of little hearts ready for frying.

What you'll need --

about a pounds of waxy potatoes (no need to peel as you won't be using the skin)
1-2 cloves of fresh garlic, finely minced
1-2 teaspoons of fresh rosemary, finely minced
2-3 tablespoons of good olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Pretty easy.

Prepare your potatoes as above.

Preheat a heavy skillet on high and pour in half of the olive oil and heat.

While the skillet is heating, pull out the potatoes from the water and pat dry on some paper towels. You don't want excess water to splatter when you put the potatoes in the hot oil.

Just as the oil starts to smoke, place half of the potatoes into the skillet and spread out in one layer on the bottom of the skillet. This will help all the potatoes to brown evenly. Sprinkle with some of the rosemary and garlic.

*Resist the urge to fiddle with the potatoes. Let them cook until they're golden brown and THEN flip them with a spatula. Spread evening to brown on the other side now.

When this batch is done, repeat until all of your potatoes are cooked.

Serve immediately, salt and pepper to taste.

Some people like finely chopped onion in their potatoes, some also add in chopped cooked bacon or chorizo. A fried egg on top with a fully cooked liquid yolk is also wonderful.

However you serve yours, enjoy. And next time you make these potatoes, try some other cookie cutter shapes. And let's face it. Potatoes are just a bit healthier than cookies but pack a similar comfort factor :-)