Recipes: Potatoes

Potato Rosti with Asparagus and poached egg (pictured above)

Serves four
Total time (prep & cooking) 25-30 minutes

For the Rosti
500g Fluffy potatoes (such as Maris Piper or King Edward), peeled
2tbsp sunflower oil
1 egg yolk
Salt and milled pepper

For the Hollandaise
60g butter
2 medium egg yolks
2tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp of hot water

To serve
12 asparagus spears, cut in half
4 large eggs
1tsp white wine vinegar

Method
To make the rosti, grate the potato into a clean tea-towel and squeeze any excess water out. Pop the potato into a bowl, season add the egg yolk and mix well. Divide into 4 and then form into a rosti shape.

Place a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat add the sunflower oil. Carefully place in the rosti and cook for 4-5 minutes before turning over. The rosti should be golden and crisp before turning.

While the rosti is cooking place a large pan filled with water about 3" deep for poaching the eggs with the vinegar. This water should be barely simmering.

For the Hollandaise, melt the butter in a jug, the microwave works very well. The butter must be hot.

Place the eggs and vinegar into a bowl and while whisking slowly pour in the melted butter a little at a time. Leave the white sediment in the jug. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a tsp of hot water and leave until needed.

Cook the asparagus in a small saucepan of water for 3 minutes.
Crack the eggs into the water with the vinegar and poach for 3-4 minutes for a runny yolk.

To assemble place the golden crisp rosti onto the your plate, add the asparagus, followed by the poached egg and finally drizzle over the hollandaise sauce.

If you have a chefs ring place into the frying pan and press the rosti mixture in. This will give you a lovely professional look but certainly not essential.

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Potato, ham, spring onion and chive soup

Serves four
Total time (prep & cooking) 20 minutes


Ingredients
400g Fluffy potatoes (such as Maris Piper or King Edward) peeled and cut into small cubes
25g butter
1 onion, finely chopped
750ml vegetable stock
200ml full fat milk
1tsp chopped fresh parley
2tsp freshly snipped chives
2 slices of roast ham, roughly chopped

Method
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, add the onion and potatoes and cook for about 5 minutes.

Now add the parsley, 1tsp of the chives, and the vegetable stock, bring to a steady simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.

Add the milk and then blend the soup until Smooth and season with salt and milled pepper.

Serve the soup with the chopped ham and the remaining chives.

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Funky Potato and Courgette Salad

Serves four
Total time (prep & cooking) 25 minutes


Ingredients
400g Salad/Baby potatoes (such as Charlotte or Maris Peer), halved
2 medium courgettes
200g green beans
50g rocket leaves
2 small baby gem lettuces
5g fresh mint
20g toasted pine nuts
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
3tbsp olive oil
150g Feta cheese, crumbed
Salt and milled pepper

Method
For this recipe a griddle pan is suggested but a frying pan will work just as well.

Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes with a lid on until just cooked. Drain and leave until cool enough to handle. Keep the water and cook the green beans for 5 minutes and drain.

Place a griddle pan over a medium heat. Toast the pine nuts on the griddle pan while slicing the courgette into ½ cm pieces or if you have a mandolin slice into long strips and pop into a big bowl.

Add the sliced potatoes in the bowl with the courgettes. Add 1tbsp of the olive oil and toss everything together with a little salt and milled pepper.

Place the potatoes onto the griddle pan and cook until nicely charred, do the same with the courgettes and keep warm. This may be in 3 batches depending on the size of your pan.

In a large serving bowl, add the rocket, baby gem, green beans, mint and pine nuts.

Mix the lemon zest, juice and olive oil in a small bowl. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and courgettes and mix well. Then toss the potatoes with the salad and serve with the feta cheese crumbled over.

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Fragrant Malaysian Fish and Potato Light Curry Serves four

Total time (prep & cooking) 20 minutes


For the curry paste
3 large shallots, peeled
1tsp turmeric
2 red chillies, de-seeded
2 lemon grass stalks, chopped
2 garlic cloves
2cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled
2tbsp ground nut oil
3tbsp water

For the broth
300g Smooth potatoes (such as Desiree), peeled and cubed
16 peeled raw king prawns
300g cod, cut into 3cm pieces
250g salmon, cut into 3cm pieces
1 can of coconut milk
200ml vegetable stock
1tbsp soy sauce
200g sugar snap peas, halved
2 pak choi, chopped
1tbsp fresh coriander
1 tsp cornflour

Method
Pop the potatoes into a pan of boiling water and cook for 5 minutes and drain.

For the curry paste, place all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until smooth. You may need to scrape down the side a couple of times until blended and smooth.

In a dry frying pan add the curry paste and cook for 3-4 minutes with the potatoes until you have a wonderful aroma in the air. Pour in the coconut milk, vegetable stock and soy sauce.

Bring to a simmer and pop in the fish, but not the prawns and cook for about 3 minutes. Then add the prawns, sugar snaps, pak choi and coriander.

Continue simmering for 5 minutes.

Mix the cornflour with some of the sauce in a small bowl then stir into the pan to thicken slightly and serve.

You can find more easy and nutritious potato recipes at www.lovepotatoes.co.uk / www.potato.ie