Category Archives: Potatoes

Potatoes, Seafood

Salmon Marinated in Lemon and Mint with Homemade Cucumber Pickle and Creamy Lemon and Herb Potato Salad

One of my best college memories is the summer I spent canning with my co-op housemate Rich. (What, you mean you didn’t spend your college summers putting up garden produce?) The house had a CSA subscription, our own small backyard garden plus a plot in a community garden, so there was a lot of produce to be had in the summer, even more than the 30 to 40 people who ate at the house every night could use up in a week. So on Sunday nights throughout that summer, armed with a battered copy of Stocking Up and Nina Simone playing on the radio, Rich and I would meet in the kitchen around 8 or 9 at night, when the heat of the day had eased a bit, and get to work, usually not finishing up till around midnight, when we would stand back and admire the finished row of jars cooling on the windowsill. These past few weeks I’ve been reading about the Canvolution in the US and remembering that summer, so when I saw that Clodagh McKenna suggested pairing a cucumber pickle with her salmon recipe, I took the opportunity to make a homemade batch. It’s not canning per se — you don’t need sterilized jars with preserving lids or hot water baths — but it’s a true pickle that will keep for weeks in the fridge. It only takes 10 minutes to make, so if you’ve never preserved food before, this is a quick and easy way to give it a try.

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If you’ve made jam and are giving some away as gifts or just want to dress up your own jars, check out this free download for some stylish labels you can print out.

Salmon Marinated in Lemon and Mint
adapted from Fresh from the Sea by Clodagh McKenna

Serves 4

4 x 7‑oz (200‑g) salmon fillets, skinned and deboned
juice of 2 lemons
4 mint sprigs, leaves roughly chopped
1 red chili, finely chopped (optional)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Place the salmon fillets in a bowl and pour over the lemon juice, chopped mint and chili (if using) and season with salt and pepper. Mix well, cover and place in the fridge for 1 to 3 hours.

Place your griddle pan (or frying pan or barbecue) over a medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, remove the salmon from the fridge and place it straight on the griddle. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes on each side.

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Homemade Cucumber Pickle
from Rachel’s Favourite Food at Home by Rachel Allen

Makes about 4 x 14-oz (400‑g) jars

This is the recipe the famous Ballymaloe Cookery School in County Cork has been using for over 30 years. Make the perfect ploughman’s lunch by serving this with some brown bread, apples and a good mature Cheddar. Otherwise, this is good on burgers and all kinds of sandwiches, cold sliced meats and smoked fish, or barbecued or roasted meat and fish. If you have a food processor, using the slicing attachment will make short work of this recipe.

2 lb (900 g) unpeeled cucumber, thinly sliced (2 to 3 cucumbers)
3 small onions, peeled and thinly sliced (optional)
1 3/4 cups (350 g) sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup (240 ml) cider vinegar or white wine vinegar

Mix the cucumber and onion in a large bowl. Add the sugar, salt and vinegar and mix well to combine. Make at least 1 hour ahead if possible, and store in a jar or bowl in the fridge.

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Creamy Lemon and Herb Potato Salad 

Serves 6

Instead of potatoes, try using cooked, shredded chicken to make a tasty summertime chicken salad.

2 lb (900 g) new potatoes
zest and juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons lemon juice)
1/2 cup (150 ml) mayonnaise or crème fraîche
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, diced
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
a handful of fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring the potatoes to boil in a large pot of water. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes (check after 10 minutes – you don’t want them to be too soft, as they need to hold their shape in the salad). Drain well and allow to cool slightly.

Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters, depending on how big they are (you want them to be in bite-sized pieces) and put into a large bowl. Whisk the lemon zest and juice with the mayonnaise or crème fraîche. Pour over the potatoes and toss well to coat. Add all the remaining ingredients and gently toss together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Potatoes, Salad dressings, Salads, Vegetarian main dishes

Tomato and Goat’s Cheese Tart with Potato, Spinach and Red Pepper Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette

In all honesty, I could never be a vegetarian again simply because I like bacon too much (and sausages and chorizo rank pretty highly too). After 10 years of living abroad, I’ve stopped craving most of the foods I used to miss when I first moved to Ireland, but I’ve never stopped missing American-style bacon, the kind that gets crispy and will easily crumble once cooked. Irish bacon (or rashers) is more like what I grew up calling Canadian bacon, thick cut and something you have to eat with a knife and fork, and just isn’t the same at all. But a few weeks ago, I noticed that my local grocery store had started carrying pancetta, so I gave that a try. Who would have guessed that expensive imported Italian pancetta is such a good match to the Oscar Mayer stuff I’ve been hankering after all these years? I’m going to have to try hard not to buy some every week now to make up for lost time. This salad was a good place to start, and I happily tripled the amount of bacon called for (granted, the original recipe only calls for 1 slice).

tomato and goat's cheese tart

Still looking for ways to use up tomatoes? Try Chicken Cacciatore, Ravioli and Tomato Salad, Oven-roasted Ratatouille, Spaghetti with Fresh Tomato Sauce or Spaghetti with Roast Cherry Tomatoes, Chili and Basil.

Tomato and Goat’s Cheese Tart
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten

Makes 2 large tarts or 4 individual tarts

This recipe is open to endless variations. I’ve modified the original to use cherry tomatoes, but you could just as easily use 2 or 3 large tomatoes, cut into 1/4‑inch-thick slices. A mix of yellow and red cherry tomatoes would look especially nice. The original also calls for garlic and herb goat’s cheese, though I used a plain soft goat’s cheese (as opposed to a log) dotted around the tart. If you aren’t a fan of goat’s cheese, you could try this with garlic-and-herb cream cheese or even mascarpone.

You could also use this recipe as a base to make a new potato and goat’s cheese tart: Omit the tomatoes and instead thinly slice 10 oz (280 g) of baby new potatoes. Boil the potato slices for about 5 minutes, until just tender, then neatly layer them over the Parmesan and onions on the puff pastry so that they slightly overlap, then dot the goat’s cheese over the potatoes. Use fresh chopped chives, parsley and tarragon instead of the thyme and basil and cook at 400°F (200°C) for 18 to 20 minutes.

1 package (17.3 oz/2 sheets) ready-rolled puff pastry, defrosted
3 tablespoons good-quality olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced yellow onions
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1/4 tsp dried)
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus 2 oz (50 g) shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 oz (100 g) goat’s cheese
1 lb (450 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Gently unroll the sheets of puff pastry and place the pastry rectangles on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use. (Alternatively, you could make 4 individual tarts by cutting 4 circles out of the 2 sheets of puff pastry, using a 6‑inch saucer or other round object as a guide, though you might have to roll out the puff pastry a little in order to get 2 good-sized circles from each pastry sheet. Or just cut each ready-rolled rectangle in half. If you wanted to serve this as a light first course, you could cut each rectangle into quarters, and get 8 servings.)

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Sauté for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet (this is important, because you don’t want the mixture to be too wet and make the pastry base soggy). Add the salt, pepper, wine and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned and the wine has mostly evaporated. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4‑inch-wide border around each pastry rectangle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle the grated Parmesan on each rectangle, staying inside the scored border.

Place half of the onion mixture on each rectangle, again staying within the scored edge. (Don’t be tempted to overload the pastry base with too much topping, or again, it will go soggy, especially if you’re making 2 large tarts.) Crumble 2 oz (50 g) of goat’s cheese on top of the onions. Scatter the halved cherry tomatoes evenly over the tart. Sprinkle with basil, salt and pepper. Finally, scatter the Parmesan shards on each tart.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. The bottom baking sheet may need an extra few minutes in the oven. Serve hot or warm.

***

Potato, Spinach and Red Pepper Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette
adapted from Bon Appétit, August 1999

Serves 4

1 lb (450 g) new potatoes, halved or quartered
1 red pepper
3 bacon or pancetta slices, chopped
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup (2 stalks) thinly sliced celery
2 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves (about 90 g)

Steam or boil the potatoes just until tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.

Roast the pepper over a flame or in the broiler until blackened on all sides. (Alternatively, line a baking tray with foil, cut the pepper in half and deseed it, then place the two halves, cut side down, on the foil and roast at 400°F (200°C) for about 30 minutes, or until the skin starts to blacken.) Enclose in a paper bag or wrap up in the tin foil you roasted it on and allow to stand for 10 minutes. Peel, seed and chop the pepper, then transfer to the bowl with the potatoes.

Sauté the chopped bacon in a small skillet over a medium heat until crisp, about 3 minutes, until cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel and drain.

Whisk the vinegar, oil and garlic in small saucepan. Stir over a low heat just until warm, about 1 minute. Stir in the bacon.

Add the warm vinaigrette to the potato mixture. Mix in the celery and spinach and toss together well so that the dressing coats everything. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Desserts, Fruit, Potatoes, Salads, Vegetarian main dishes

Sour Cream and Chive Potato Cakes with Spinach, Chickpea, Lemon and Feta Salad and Strawberry Mascarpone Tart

We recently took advantage of a (rare) sunny Sunday to check out the Howth farmers’ market, timing it so that we’d be able to buy some snacks there to have as lunch. Matt passed up the meat and salad sandwiches at Paddy Jack’s and even some whole roast hog on a spit and opted instead for a simple potato cake, which gave me the idea to make them at home. Served with a salad, a glass of white wine and my all-time favorite summertime dessert, this strawberry mascarpone tart, this makes a wonderful light summer supper.

Sour Cream and Chive Potato Cakes
adapted from www.greatfood.ie

Makes 8 small cakes or 4 large ones

Add 1/4 cup (2 oz) of finely diced smoked salmon to the potato mixture to make Smoked Salmon Potato Cakes (or you could use any cooked fish). Some fresh chopped parsley or dill substituted for or added to the chives would also be good.

2 lb (900 g) potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
2 tablespoons green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup (120 ml) sour cream
1 teaspoon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (25 g) butter, melted (if you can, skim off the solids so the butter doesn’t burn)
olive oil

Boil the potatoes until they are fork tender; this will take 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the size. You need to keep checking so they don’t collapse. Drain and mash well, or blend with a stand mixer (not a food processor).

Add the green onions, sour cream, mustard and herbs and season to taste. Leave the mixture to cool, then shape into round cakes about 2 to 3 inches wide (or use a tian ring) and dust with a little flour (optional). Rest on a baking tray in the fridge to firm up for 30 minutes.

Heat the butter and olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry until the cakes are heated through and golden on each side. You can also bake these in the oven on a baking tray at 350°F (175°C) until golden. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chives on top of each cake.

***

Spinach, Chickpea, Lemon and Feta Salad
adapted from Fresh from the Sea by Clodagh McKenna

Serves 2

bunch of fresh baby spinach leaves, washed
1 cup (100 g) cooked chickpeas
handful of hazelnuts, chopped
1/2 cup (80 g) feta cheese (or soft goat’s cheese)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put the spinach, chickpeas and hazelnuts in a bowl. Crumble the feta cheese over the salad.

Whisk the lemon juice and olive oil together to combine (or shake in a screw-top jar) and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and lightly toss to coat evenly.

***

Strawberry Mascarpone Tart
adapted from Avoca Café Cookbook 2

For this recipe you will need a loose-bottomed tart tin (preferably rectangular, like in the photo) or springform pan. The jam glaze is a nice touch, but feel free to leave it out. A handful of blueberries or raspberries scattered amongst the strawberries is fantastic.

for the crust:
about 2 cups (250 g) finely crumbled plain digestive biscuits or graham crackers (or whizzed in a food processor)
6 tablespoons (90 g) unsalted butter, melted
pinch of salt

for the filling:
10 oz (280 g) mascarpone cheese
1/8 cup (25 g) sugar
5 fl oz (150 ml) cream
1/2 vanilla pod, scraped
zest of 1/2 orange or 1 lemon
1/3 cup (100 g) strawberry jam
1 tablespoon water or orange liqueur, such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier
1 lb (450 g) fresh strawberries, hulled

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

To make the crust, stir together the digestive or graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and salt in a bowl, then press onto the bottom of the tart tin or springform pan. Bake the crust for 7 minutes, then cool in the pan on a rack.

For the filling, combine the mascarpone, sugar, cream, vanilla seeds and orange zest. Whisk with a hand-held or stand mixer until it holds its shape – the consistency should be similar to lightly whipped cream. In a saucepan, heat the jam with the water or liqueur.

Spread the mascarpone filling in the cooled base. Arrange the strawberries in a decorative ‘this only took me minutes to do’ kind of way. With a pastry brush, glaze the strawberries with the jam mixture.

Potatoes, Salads, Seafood

Honey Mustard Salmon with Roasted Asparagus and Creamy Lemon and Herb Potato Salad

Honey Mustard Salmon

Serves 3 to 4

3 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons honey
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 lb (450 g) wild salmon fillet
lemon wedges, to serve

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

In a baking or roasting pan, whisk together the soy sauce or tamari, honey, lemon juice, and mustard. Marinate the salmon in the mixture, skin side up, for 15 to 30 minutes. Drain off the marinade, turn the salmon skin side down in the pan, and roast for 15 minutes or until desired doneness. Serve with lemon wedges.

***

Salmon, potato salad, asparagus

Roasted Asparagus

Serves 2

1 bunch asparagus spears
good-quality olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Snap the tough ends off the asparagus spears. Lay the spears in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 5 to 10 minutes, until tender, depending on size of spear.

***

Creamy Lemon and Herb Potato Salad 

Serves 6

Instead of potatoes, try using cooked, shredded chicken to make a tasty summertime chicken salad.

2 lb (900 g) new potatoes
zest and juice of 1 large lemon (about 3 tablespoons lemon juice)
1/2 cup (150 ml) mayonnaise or crème fraîche
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, diced
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped
a handful of fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring the potatoes to boil in a large pot of water. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10 to 15 minutes (check after 10 minutes – you don’t want them to be too soft, as they need to hold their shape in the salad). Drain well and allow to cool slightly.

Cut the potatoes into halves or quarters, depending on how big they are (you want them to be in bite-sized pieces) and put into a large bowl. Whisk the lemon zest and juice with the mayonnaise or crème fraîche. Pour over the potatoes and toss well to coat. Add all the remaining ingredients and gently toss together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Potatoes, Seafood

Crème Fraîche-Roasted Salmon with Lemon Roast Potatoes and Steamed Green Beans and Mangetout

Crème Fraîche-Roasted Salmon
from Bon Appétit, June 2009

Serves 4 to 6

2 lb (900 g) center-cut wild salmon fillet with skin (about 1 1/4 inches thick)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (60 ml) crème fraîche

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Place the salmon, skin side down, on the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the crème fraîche over the salmon.

Roast the salmon until it’s opaque in the center, about 12 to 14 minutes. To test for doneness, cut a small slit in the thickest part of fillet; all but the center of the fillet should be opaque (the salmon will continue to cook after the fillet is removed from the oven).

Using a spatula, transfer to a platter and serve.

***

Lemon Roast Potatoes
from Rachel’s Favourite Food by Rachel Allen

Serves 4 to 6

6 large potatoes, peeled, or approx. 24 new potatoes, unpeeled
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Set a pot of water to boil. If using large potatoes, chop them into 3/4- to 1‑inch cubes. If using new potatoes, just cut them in half, or for very small ones, leave whole.

Pour a generous slug of olive oil — enough to coat all the potatoes, plus a little extra — into the baking dish/roasting tray you’ll be using, and put this in the oven to warm up the oil. This is an essential step – the hot oil sears the outside of the potato, which makes them crispy on the outside, but fluffy on the inside. Don’t skip it!

When the water is boiling, parboil the potatoes for 5 minutes, then drain. Remove the baking dish with the now-hot oil from the oven and tip the potatoes into it, stirring them to coat them all over in the oil. Sprinkle over some salt and pepper.

Slice the lemons quite thickly, then cut those slices into 1/2- to 3/4‑inch chunks. Put them into the baking dish with the potatoes and, using your hands, slightly squeeze the lemon with the potatoes to release a bit of the juice. Leave them in the dish to cook along with the potatoes.

Bake for 20 minutes and serve. You can eat the lemon bits if you like, but they’ve also now given the potatoes a fresh citrus flavour.