Potato side dish

[Barmaid]

Cooking creamy chicken pie with which I was going to serve some boiled new spuds. Horror of horrors we are out. Anyone got any nice suggestions other than the dreaded mash?

Ta peeps.

[EcclesCake]

Do you have time to do boulangere potatoes? Thinly sliced and cooked with stock and a little butter and seasoning. LIke dauphinoise but healthier!

[EcclesCake]

Scrub and cube old pots into 1cm pieces. Fry off an onion till golden in a good glug of oil add a clove of chopped garlic, stir about for a minute. Add pots turning to coat in oil and onion mix, reduce heat and keep turning until they pick up some colour. Add 1/2pt stock and leave to simmer stirring occasionally to prevent them sticking. When almost tender turn up heat to reduce any remaining stock. Add any herbs you have to hand or a handful of spinach if you wish.

[Barmaid]

yum, that sounds nice. Not sure if I have time to do them though, but we'll see (its the slicing thinly bit which always gets me, thank goodness for food processors).

[Barmaid]

Actually EC - that sounds a far quicker way of doing them (didn't see your second post when I started typing!)

[lumination]

do the mash but put some o Aromat seasoning on that bad boy! ah it will taste great!

[EcclesCake]

Hasselback pots. Parboil whole medium pots for 10 mins. Remove and place on a chopping board , slice almost through the potatoes in 1/4" increments. Place in a roasting tin, drizzle with oil and sea salt and pepper. Bake for 45 mins.

[EcclesCake]

The first two are different recipes but admittedly the final outcome and flavour isn't a whole lot different.

Hopefully one of them will suit.

[ummmm]

I was going to suggest what eccles said. They turn out lovely. Even nicer if you sprinkle sesame seeds on top just before they are done.

[boxtops]

I just love mash, if done properly.... or make a rosti if you have onions?

[ummmm]

Sorry...they are all you eccles...doh. I meant the one where you par boil and then slice down.

I slice 3/4 way down and about the width of a pound coin arcoss.

[EcclesCake]

Sorry Umm, I was trying to keep up with a friend of mine who can come up with 40 odd spud recipes without thinking and claims to know over a hundred. I've never tested his knowledge as life really is too short!

[ethandron]

i never par boil hasslebacks or peel them, they still only take 45 minutes and come out lovely and crispy round the edge if you give them a good shake of salt before cooking.
a quick and healthier way of doing dauphinoise potatoes is to turn the oven on, thinly slice the potaotes into a shallow dish, almost cover them with semi skimmed milk and a good sprinkling of salt and garlic granules. by the time you've done that, the oven will be piping hot so shove the potaotes in for 45 minutes.

[DTCwordfan]

or on lumination's idea, some horseradish in your mash......

[Barmaid]

Thanks all! I did a version of boulangere potatoes in the end which were delicious.

Really like the idea of Hasselback spuds, that's my next "interesting potato side dish"!

[pastafreak]

This is a favourite of mine...
layer smoked streaky bacon,very finely sliced onion,fresh sage leaves, and thinly sliced potatoes....do several layers of each-finishing with a layer of bacon. Pour over some cream (or cream and veg/chicken stock)...bake in the oven until the potatoes are done.

[EcclesCake]

I like the sound of your spuds Pasta, I'm guessing you crisp up the bacon first though.

To add to what others have said about Hasselback pots. It isn't necessary to par boil but I find you get a lighter, fluffier texture if you do. I also leave the skins on.

[pastafreak]

No-you don't Eccles. I usually flatten and stretch the rashers a bit before putting them in. They are always well cooked-the whole lot is in the oven for about 1 hour and 15 minutes. The bacon on top is crispy of course.