So I’m basically in love with this new (to me) way to make potatoes. I toyed a little with what to call them, but this is really the best way to properly represent them. They don’t need any fancy name at all, but if I was to call them anything else, I would probably go with Man Potatoes. Yes, Man Potatoes. Why you ask?
These burly babies are just the comfort you need after a long day in the cold. They are the kind of food that is not only nourishing, but completes you. Plus, men adore them. It’s not hard to see why.
These were first served to me on New Year’s Eve, where my good friend (who happens to be a man) was gung-ho to make a dinner out of vegetables (there may have been a pot of lamb stew as well). Yes that’s right – even my social crew seems to be all about the veggies more than ever, and these were the star of the show. I’ve been meaning to make these at home since then, and since my hubby is all about the light food these days, dinners around our household so far this year have been a lot of fun.
The Less:
Less grain-based side dishes means more root veggies from the soil. Less traditional boiled veggies means more flavor & excitement. Fewer options on the plate means the ingredients can shine, so buy the best if you can: it will be worth it for sure.
The More:
More local potatoes at home means more responsible, cheap & easy nutrition. More creative ideas for cooking veggies means more fun in the kitchen and variety at the table. More foods to make a man (or anyone) smile means more joy at the dinner table, and more joy at the table means more fun for everyone.
Jamie Oliver’s Chuffed & Roasted Potatoes:
Adapted from Jamie Oliver
- 3-4 good large potatoes (I picked up some German Butter potatoes from the winter farmer’s market – amazing!)
- 3-5 tablespoons olive oil
- sea salt to taste
- (2) tbsp red wine vinegar
- optional: chopped fresh rosemary, garlic cloves
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Wash & peel your potatoes. Rinse them under cold water to remove any starch and put in a pot & cover with enough water to cover. Bring the water to a boil, and turn down the heat just enough to keep a gentle roiling boil going. Depending on the size of the potatoes, cook for 6-9 minutes, until the outer flesh is soft enough to be pierced with a fork.
Drain the potatoes in a colander, and allow to cool for 3-4 minutes. Once the potatoes have settled a little, shake up the colander (ideally in the sink) to ‘chuff’ up the outsides and rough those babies up. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, use a knife to coarsely chop them in to 3-4 inch pieces. This can easily be done while they are still in the colander (I like to do this as it rough up the outsides when I grab each cooked piece).
Transfer the chuffed & chopped potato pieces to a flat baking sheet and pour a generous few tablespoons of olive oil on them. Add about (2) tsp of salt and black pepper to taste to the tray and mix everything together directly on the pan. Add to the heated oven and cook for 30 minutes or so, tossing them once at the half way point. Your potatoes will be about 3/4 of the way cooked at this point.
After 30 minutes, remove the potatoes from oven. Take a potato masher or a large fork, and gently ‘squash’ the potato pieces to sort of flatten them and increase their cooking surface area (not too much that they fall apart though). They should be soft enough to do this without totally breaking apart. Flip any pieces to the flattened side for even cooking, add more olive oil (up to 2-3 tbsp more) & drizzle 2 tbsp of red wine vinegar (or chopped rosemary & whole garlic cloves as Jamie does). Mix right on the pan and return to the oven to cook a further 40 minutes. Check them here and there to make sure all sides are evenly cooked.
Remove from the hot oven and serve immediately with any number of things. We enjoyed these on New Year’s with this brussels sprout salad, and both were a huge hit! I also mixed these up (what meager leftovers there were) the next day and added them to a kale salad with pomegranite seeds & avocado. You may have seen that one on Instagram – and yes, it was every bit as good as it looked!
Thanks to all of you who came over to visit this week and to subscribe – the move so far has been relatively seamless save for a few little glitches, and most of all we are doing our best to bring everyone with me! I think there may have been an issue getting posts for my previous email subscribers, but this should be all fixed at the time of this post. Fingers crossed.
- What is your favorite way to cook potatoes?
- Have you tried this amazing version?
Have a fantastic week my friends! Lots of goodness to come.
Yours in Less,
My gosh those look good!! What a brilliant idea – get the taters nice and soft on the inside and crisp them up on the outside!
They were amazing Annie! Perfect potatoes – too good to miss!
I too absolutely LOVE these potatoes and haven’t made them in a while. Putting them on my menu next week. Shira, love what you said “Less grain-based side dishes means more root veggies from the soil. Less traditional boiled veggies means more flavor & excitement. Fewer options on the plate means the ingredients can shine, so buy the best if you can: it will be worth it for sure.” Excellent! I couldn’t agree more. I so love your food perspective.
So happy you can appreciate this take on food Karista! Enjoy the potatoes, would you believe this was my first time?
Looks beautiful! I have to try this – though I am not that big of a potato person, I do enjoy some roasted potatoes once in a while (my favorite way to prepare potatoes)…also, potatoes are pretty much my boyfriend’s favorite, so I will have to try this recipe, I never added vinegar before.
Thanks Kat! I think the vinegar softened them a little – they came out so soft & creamy it was hard to believe
I got the same revelation with a different chef! Baked potatoes can be cooked in a whole new way so they are far tastier and crunchier!
I prepared in a way so similar to yours with some scientific hints to understand why they actually taste better!
http://wp.me/p208OH-x5
And you are a true inspiration to me! Even if I’m definetely not vegetarian I love so much your recipes that I’m becoming addicted to them!
Wonderful, so happy to hear you are enjoying the recipes – looking forward to checking out your potato recipe!
I heart Jamie Oliver!!! His recipes are always so simple, delicious and reliable. I’ll definitely be increasing my potato intake after this recipe
Ha ha – as you should my friend – these are too too good not to make! XO
Look great Shira! I love potatoes…such a classic!
Thanks Brandi! Sometimes you just gotta! XO
Fabulous way to cook potatoes! Served with your brussels sprout salad and you are in heaven
Your brussels sprout salad is SO good!
XXX
Thanks Anne! I’m so glad you’ve tried the salad – it has become a favorite over here! A classic! XO
I’ve been craving something like this all week. I just didn’t know exactly what “it” was until I saw your pictures! I’ll definitely be making these very soon.
Wonderful – enjoy them Katie! XO
Jamie always does flavours so well. Thanks for sharing this. So comforting – lovely pics.
Yes he does Sally, you are so right! XO
I am not sure how you feel about blog awards, but recently my blog Retirement and Beyond was nominated for the Liebster award. Part of the rule is that I nominate 11 up and coming blogs, One of the blogs that I am nominating is your blog. If you are interested in participating in this bloggers award (that is if you have not received the same nomination before),please visit my post on the Liebster Award http://joanfrankham.wordpress.com. Once you accept the nomination please send me the link to your Liebster Award post,I do want to know more about my fellow bloggers whose blog I find interesting and inspirational to other bloggers. Thank you for following my blog.
Thank you Joan! I am grateful for the thought – I tend to pass on the posts that come with blog awards but really appreciate your shout out, and congratulations on yours! I hope to continue to see you grow! XO
Absolutely beautiful. You’ve got me a bit teary. My husband’s grandmother taught me to make a very similar version of these over 15 years ago when I was living in Australia. Before I’d always tried to roast the potatoes without boiling them first. What a difference the short boiling time makes.
She’s gone now, but these are one of the many things I cherished learning from her. I always feel close to her when I serve these special potatoes to my family at the dinner table.
Amazing Somer! You’ve just made my entire night with this, thank you! You are lucky – and I can’t believe I just learned about this at this stage of life! Long live your gramma and now I will think of her too
XO
Oh wow I can only imagine these are amazing. They look so tender and fluffy on the inside but crispy on the outside- perfect
They are wonderful Gabby – especially with the right potato variety!
This is my favourite way to make potatoes and definitely the best we’ve found after lots of experimenting – steam drying in the colander and then shaking them up to rough up the edges are key! I also love to coat them in polenta and bake them in the oven after that step – yum!
YUM, I love that polenta idea Sarah – sounds awesome! Going to try that
Man, oh MAN, I love these man potatoes!
MAN – you are so clever Kristy!! XO
Well, now I know what to do with the extra potato I got this week! Those look awesome.
YES! Enjoy Marian!
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