Cheap as Chips!

Cheap as chips? Seems that potatoes are not that cheap anymore. However, still part of our traditional diet, so today am giving some alternative recipes based on the spud. Firstly though, answering your comments.

SweeterRita - Thank you for offering your Green Tomato Chutney recipe, you can post this up as you would a comment, all comments are able to be seen by readers, as long as they bother to look. If you prefer I can copy it off your comment and post it up in the normal way.
As to my second site. It is still there, but not active. Originally intended to be just recipes and no chat, with photographs of the dishes. However, we had great difficulty in getting photos up on the new site, and decided to put them on this one instead. We did put up two (with the aid of my grandson) but as ever, I have lost the instructions, also have a new computer which needs programming for this, and what with intending to move, photos have not been given top priority, although I intend to put up pics. - eventually! The new site is still accessible, but keeping it just in case this site gets the wobblies again.

Valerie - I looked at the gingerbread recipe posted yesterday, and no mention of alternative sugar, so perhaps I had posted up an earlier recipe and had forgotten. As to the keeping quality, the moist muscovado sugar adds to the 'keeping time' by preventing the gingerbread drying out as quickly as it might have done if ordinary granulated sugar was used which would have changed it from 'sticky gingerbread' to something more like 'ginger cake'. Muscovado sugar has a very treacly taste, so using black treacle together with granulated sugar would just about give the same effect.

Yesterday I took my first visit to the supermarket for what must have been over a year. A mistake of course, I couldn't find a thing. The pharmacy had been moved from the entrance to the far end (why?), and so it seemed that everything else had been replaced. Once I had bought my acidiphilous capsules, I just couldn't be bothered to look for anything else.

From the store we then moved on to a carpet showroom and chose (the cheapest) one for our sittingroom. The fitter was supposed to come and measure yesterday afternoon, the carpet to be fitted today, but they phoned at six p.m. to say it was now too late and they would come to measure today. What time would I like them to come? I called my husband and he said 9.00a.m No, they said, they didn't open until 9.30. 'Well, make it 9.30 then' I said. 'No, they couldn't do that time' , '10.00'. 'No', 'well you give me a time that is convenient to YOU then', I said. '11.00ish' they said. So we settled on that. I doubt we will have the room ready for it to be fitted today as Beloved is working tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday, I have two appointments on Wednesday (need to be driven there) so it will be Wednesday afternoon before we will be free enough to sort it out, at their convenience of course.

After the carpet showroom, we then went to a rather posh car sale-room to look at cars (the idea was to find a car I found comfortable to get in and out of, also to drive - not easy as I am so tall). We were not intending to buy at that time, certainly nothing expensive but we did want to sit in a few to see if we could get a secondhand one later (much later). We looked at several on the forecourt, a few looked suitable, so we toddled off inside the building. We hung around, and I was getting tired, so eventually I sat down whilst my husband stood alongside. Plenty of staff in there, many looked at us as they passed by, none bothered to come and see what we wanted. So after about 10 - 15 minutes (it felt longer and probably was), we left. For all they knew we could have wanted to buy a brand new one. Yes, I suppose we could have gone up and asked someone to assist us in our purchase, but we muttered to each other and neither felt it was up to us to do this. Perhaps we live by the old standards, where the customer was the one that was always approached by staff to see if they could help. Or is it now always to be like that advert "they don't pester you, you pester them". Perhaps appreciated on the forecourt, but not in the actual sale-room.

The following potato recipes are varied and several could be used for main meals and also served as a buffet dish. Worth trying one or more if only to get away from the basic boiled and mashed.
After the potatoes come dishes using figs. Not my favourite fruit, mainly because I don't fancy eating them. But seeing one photo of them cut into wedges, they looked so much like baby birds with their mouths gaping that I couldn't resist including a certain recipe which you will recognise by the name I have given it.

Mini Jacket Potatoes: for main meals or buffets
same-sized new potatoes, as many as you need
creme fraiche or cream cheese
chopped chives
Sprinkle a baking tray with a layer of rock or sea salt. Using a sharp knife, score the potatoes with a cross and bake at 190C, 375,F, gas 5 for 30 - 40 minutes until soft. Leave to stand for 10 minutes then sqeeze open and - when making for buffets - put a dollop of creme fraiche or cream cheese in the potatoes, garnishing with a sprinkle of chopped chives. Serve warm. For family meals, serve the mini-jackets hot (several per person) with the same fillings or just a little butter and seasoning to taste.

Rosti topping:
Use this instead of mash over cottage or shepherd's pie. Amounts would serve 4.
1 1/2 lb (750g) potatoes
1 tblsp olive oil
1 oz (25g) butter, melted
salt and pepper
3 oz (75g) hard cheese, grated
salt and pepper
Peel and grated the potatoes, put into a bowl with oil and butter, mix well and season to taste. Spread this over the top of a pre-cooked meat (or vegetable) pie, and press down gently. Scatter over the cheese and bake at 200C, 400F, gas 6 for 25-30 mins until the topping is golden.

New Potato Pizza: serves 2 - 3
8 oz (200g) new potatoes
8 oz (200g) soft cheese such as Brie
1 pizza base (home-made or bought)
10 black olives, pitted and halved
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper
Boil the potatoes until tender. Drain and remove skins from some or all. Slice thinly. Slice the cheese thinly. Lay the pizza base on a baking sheet, brushing the edges with oil. Scatter over the potato and cheese slices, and sprinkle with the rosemary. Spread the olives evenly on top and drizzle everything with a little oil. Finish by seasoning with salt and pepper and bake at 200C, 400F, gas 6 for 15 minutes.
Tip: Folding the prepared pizza in half before baking would turn it into a Calzone. Flour tortillas could also be used as a base instead of pizza dough. More flavour could be added by including thinly sliced chorizo, bacon or ham.

A Packet of Potatoes:
Cooking potatoes in a paper parcel keeps in all their flavour. For each serving, put a sheet of greaseproof on top of two sheets of wet newspaper. Place on as many new potatoes as you wish to serve per person, add one or two dots of butter, a sprinkle of sea or rock salt, and a sprig of thyme, mint or rosemary (depending upon the meat you will be serving). Fold up the paper, tucking over the edges, turning under the ends as you would when wrapping a loose parcel, and bake at 200C, 400F, gas 6 for 40-60 minutes, depending upon the size of the potatoes

Potato Pakoras: serves 6
These are good served with curries, or as a buffet snack.
9 oz (250g) plain flour
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin (or seeds, crushed)
1 green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
9 fl.oz (250ml) water
2 egg whites
1 lb (500g) new potatoes, thinly sliced
Mix together the flour, spices, chilli and salt. Gradually mix in the water. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, fold a little into the batter, then fold in the rest. Dip the sliced potatoes in the batter and fry a few at a time in a deep pan of hot oil ( hot enough to brown a cube of bread in 40 seconds) for 5 - 7 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on kitchen paper.
Tip: If the first pakoras have softened slightly, just return them to the pan at the end of the frying, just long enough to crisp them up. Then drain as before.
Note: Pakoras are traditionally made using chickpea (gram) flour, but in the above recipe plain flour has been successfully used instead.

New Potato Salad with Spicy Meats: serves 4
1 1/2 lb (750g) new or salad potatoes
2 tsp Dijon mustard
juice of one lemon
salt and pepper
3 - 4 fl.oz (100ml) olive oil
1 bunch spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
4 - 5 oz (140g) chorizo, pancetta, or bacon
herbs to garnish
Boil the potatoes until tender, drain and keep warm. Put the mustard and lemon juice in a bowl and mix together adding seasoning to taste. Slowly beat in the oil then add the spring onions (including most of the green stems). Dice or cube the chosen meat, and fry in a dry pan for about 10 minutes or until it is crispy, then tip the contents of the pan (including meat juices) into the mustard dressing. Slice the cooked potatoes thickly and put into a bowl, pouring over the meat/dressing. Toss to coat the potatoes and add chopped herbs (mint, chives, sage or parsley go well with this dish - if using sage fry it along with the meat).

Moroccan Mash:
Add a garlic clove and a pinch of saffron to the water in which the potatoes are boiling. When cooked, mash the garlic and potatoes together with a little milk, stirring in some harissa paste (to taste) and chopped fresh coridander. Drizzle in a little olive oil. Spoon into a dish and top with a pile of crisply fried (pref. red) onions and a scattering of toasted flaked almonds or pine nuts.

Scottish Skirlie Mash: serves 4
1 lb (450g) floury potatoes
2 oz (50g) butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 -2 oz (25-50g) pinhead or medium oatmeal
3 tblsp double cream or creme fraiche
handful of parsley, finely chopped
salt and pepper
Peel the potatoes and boil or steam until really tender. While the potatoes are cooking make the 'skirlie' by putting the butter into a pan and stirring in the oatmeal until it has absorbed all the butter and looks quite dry. Continue stirring/frying until the oats are toasted, this takes about 5 minutes, but keep stirring (skirling) all the time to prevent burning. Remove from heat and keep warm. Drain the potatoes, return to the warm pan and mash to get rid of all the lumps (or use a potato ricer), then beat in the cream and the herbs. Season to taste. Stir in the oatmeal 'skirlie' at the last moment to prevent it softening, and serve immediately.
Tip: this can be prepared ahead of time, but keep the potatoes and the toasted oatmeal separate, then reheat each and combine at the last minute.

Neapolitan Potato Cake: serves 6
7 medium potatoes
knob of butter
2 tblsp parmesan cheese, grated
salt, pepper and grated nutmeg
2 egg yolks
milk
1 slice medium white bread, crumbed
4 oz (100g) mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
3 oz (75g) ham or salami, diced
2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced
4 oz (100g) emmental or gruyere cheese, sliced
Boil (or microwave) potatoes in their skins, and when cooked, peel off the skins and mash the potato until smooth (better if put through a ricer). Beat in the butter, parmesan and seasonings. Add the egg yolks and just enough milk to make a smooth puree.
Take a loose-bottomed cake tin, butter and dust it with breadcrumbs. Line the base and sides of the tin with a fairly thick layer of potato puree, then add layers of mozarella, chosen meat, followed by the eggs and slices of cheese. Season with more salt, pepper and nutmeg, and cover with a thin layer of potato puree, then repeat until the tin is full, finishing off with potato. Brush the top with melted butter and dust with breadcrumbs. Bake for about 45 minutes at 350C, 180C, gas 4.

Fledgling Fig and Mozzarella Salad: serves 4 - 8
Serves four as a main course, and eight as a starter.
8 ripe figs, quarted down from the top
4 tblsp balsamic vinegar
2 tblsp extra v. olive oil
zest and juice of 1 lemon
salt and pepper
1 tblsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
handful fresh mint leaves, chopped
300g (2 x 150g pks) mozzarella cheese
rocket and corn salad (lamb's lettuce)
Whisk together the vinegar, oil and lemon juice and season to taste. Add the lemon zest and thyme. Stand the fig wedges (yellow beaks pointing up) in the centre of a large, shallow dish, spoon over the marinade. Leave to stand for half an hour. Remove mozzarella from the packets, drain well and slice fairly thinly. Sprinkle the mint over the cheese with a pinch of salt and pepper. Arrange around the sides of the dish, tucking the rocket and corn salad leaves up to the figs (making it look a bit like a nest). Drizzle over a little more oil and serve.

Fig and Almond Tart: serves 8
1 x 10"(25cm) pre-cooked pastry flan case*
8 ripe figs, stalks removed
zest and juice of 1 large orange
1 tblsp runny honey
8 oz (200g) butter, softened
8 oz (200g) caster sugar
8 oz (200g) ground almonds
2 egg yolks
Cut the figs in half lengthways and place on a roasting tin cut side up. Mix together the honey and orange juice and spoon over the figs. Roast at 200C, 400F, gas 6 for about 10 minutes or until the figs are soft. Reserve any of the liquid from the pan.
Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, beat in the orange zest and fold in the ground almonds. Beat in the egg yolks and one tablespoon of the reserved liquid. Spoon this cake batter into the cooked pastry case and press in the figs, cut side up. Bake for 75 minutes until golden (it may seem a bit soft in the centre). Leave in the tin for 15 minutes then transfer to a cake airer to cool (but can be served warm or cold). Any leftover juice from the roasted figs can be boiled down to a thick syrup to brush over the cake/figs, then serve immediately with ice-cream, whipped cream or - traditionally, being based on an Eastern dish, - clotted cream.
Note: * Make and bake the shortcrust case (using 500g pack if using bought pastry) making sure the pastry overlaps the rim. This can be shaved off after cooking. Overlapping prevents the pastry from shrinking and contents spilling out. If the flan case is rather shallow, then fold back and press together the overlapping pastry to make it stand above the rim.

Chargrilled Figs with Parma Ham: a good buffet dish
Halve figs and place cut side down on a hot griddle pan (or dry frying pan). Cook for one minute until charred. Remove, place on a plate flat side up, sprinkle over balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper to taste, and wrap each warm fig in a piece of Parma ham. Serve as a canape, or two or three as a starter, garnishing each with grated Parmesan cheese and a fresh mint leaf.

Flower Petal Figs: (2 or 3 per person)
Cut a cross two-thirds of the way down through the figs, then, if large enough cut again between the first slices (making 8 wedges). Put into an ovenproof dish, drizzle over some fresh orange juice and put a small amount of honey in the top of each fig. Sprinkle over some cinnamon and finish each fig with a little dot of butter tucked in the top. Bake at 200C, 400F, gas 6 for 5 - 8 minutes or until the figs have opened like the petals of a flower. Using a fish slice, remove figs to individual serving plates along with a dollop of creme fraiche, clotted cream or ice-cream, spooning over the juices left from the cooking.

Plenty to get your teeth into today. If wishing for recipes to use up a particular vegetable or fruit (or fish or meat...) let me know and I will see what I can come up with.