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DRUNKEN POTATOES
This simple potato dish can be cooked easily and quickly in a hooded gas barby, in a kettle or, if they're in use, the kitchen oven does a reasonable job.
The combination of crispy and soft potato slices with a subtle herb and wine flavour complements any roast and is perfect with steak.
One medium sized potato for each person
A bunch of fresh thyme sprigs
A bunch of fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley
A few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
A cup of crisp white wine (Riesling is ideal)
Quality Australian salt flakes
Freshly cracked black pepper
Carefully wash the potatoes and slice thinly widthways (long potatoes are best for this recipe). Soak slices in water for a few minutes and dry on paper towels. Take a sample sip of the wine and, if it’s acceptable, measure out a cup and put aside.
Put the knife away carefully before taking a few more tiny sips to confirm the quality of the wine. Lightly oil the base of a shallow baking dish. Refill wine sampling glass. Spread a layer of potato slices and sprinkle with oil and some of the reserved wine. Add some thyme sprigs, parsley and pepper and salt to taste. Continue evaluating the vino while alternating the potatoes and herbs and sprinkling lightly with wine and oil. You may decide to indulge in a little karaoke while you are doing this – anything by Dean Martin is probably appropriate.
Restore the vocal chords with the remains of the bottle and lick up any plonk left in the cup measure. Bake the potatoes in the barby or kettle for about 20 minutes and then check every few minutes until the potatoes are golden on the top and edges and soft in the centre.
This recipe will accommodate four to six potatoes. If a larger quantity is required, spread the potatoes over two baking dishes so that all the slices are cooked through without the ones on the outside becoming burnt. If doubling the ingredients please note that two cups of wine will be required – one each from two bottles.
TWO POTATO FRITATTA
This is a really interesting side dish that is best served cold. It's a favourite around Christmas time at Chateau Blue.
It requires one of those spring form cake pans (Kaiser) that have a very tight seal. If you can't get one of these pans, try using a cake pan or dish that is at least 6 cm deep. Besides the special pan, you will need:
1.5 kg of medium size ordinary potatoes peeled and sliced
The same amount of kumara (okay, okay I know it's not a potato but I'm still calling it a two potato frittata) also peeled and sliced
A few leeks- thoroughly washed, trimmed and sliced
A bunch of silverbeet/English spinach - washed and trimmed
A couple of teaspoons of crushed garlic
8 large eggs
A cup of cream or a cup of chicken stock
2 teaspoons of dried thyme
Fry the leeks, garlic and thyme gently in butter or olive oil until soft.
Start passing the potato and kumara slices in batches through the microwave until they are about half cooked. Let them cool. Place the spinach in the kitchen sink or a bowl and pour over boiling water until wilted. Remove and allow to drain and cool.
Now comes the arranging. Put about half the kumara on the base (let the edges overlap) and cover with half the spinach. Make another layer with potatoes covered with the leeks. Add another layer of potatoes and cover it with the remaining spinach. Finally top with a layer of the remaining kumara.
Don't get too anal about the arrangement of the slices. Wider, shallower pans will require fewer layers than a deep one. As long as you have white, orange and green layers you're doing just fine.
Use the handle of a wooden spoon to slightly nudge away the potatoes etc to make a clear shaft about the diameter of a 10 cent coin in the centre of the pan. Mix the eggs and cream or stock and gradually pour it into the shaft and around the edges of the pan until it is almost up to the top.
Cover with foil and bake in a pre-heated moderate oven (180 C) until set (between 1.5 to 2 hours). Once a skewer comes out cleanly, drizzle a little honey or maple syrup over the top layer of kumara, remove the foil and take the oven up to hot for 10 minutes or so to glaze the top.
Refrigerate overnight, slice like a sponge cake and serve the wedges with a basil pesto sauce.
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