Chef Jamie Oliver’s version of potato salad combines spuds with a crunchy vegetable topping topped with feta cheese. (Photo courtesy of Kurt Norris)
Whether you call them potatoes, spuds, or taters, they are, in my opinion, the ultimate comfort food. The texture of this luscious tuber varies. Some are flaky, some are waxy, and some land somewhere in between. They come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, all of which are attractive. All have rich, earthy flavors.
According to the 2022 Farmers Yearbook, the average American eats 124 pounds of potatoes each year. This is twice as much as the next most consumed vegetable. But is this plain potato really a vegetable?
According to botanists, potatoes are vegetables. However, the US Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee is considering reclassifying spuds from a vegetable to a grain. imagine.
Here are three delicious potato-based dishes that showcase different types of spuds.
tartiflette
In her new cookbook, Roasted Figs, Sugar Snow (Aster Publishing), author Diana Henry reveals her favorite dishes from the chalet restaurants dotting France’s ski resorts. This is a potato dish called tartiflette, a magical combination of waxy red potatoes, bacon or pancetta, onions and garlic, as well as cheese and crème fraîche. Traditional accompaniments include charcuterie, cornichons, and pickled onions. According to the author, you can omit the bacon. Either way, a simple green salad is the perfect way to add richness.
Yield: 6 servings
material
3 pounds large red potatoes, rubbed but not peeled
5 tablespoons unsalted butter (use in portions)
2 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 1/4 cups thick bacon lardons (thick-cut bacon cross-sliced into strips, each about 1/4 x 1 inch) or diced pancetta
1 yellow (brown) onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic (crushed and peeled)
12 ounces Reblochon cheese, or alternative Fontina or Port Salut
5 tablespoons crème fraiche
Cook’s Note: The author suggests baking the dish in a shallow baking dish, and I don’t disagree with that advice. However, I find it easier to use an oven-safe skillet for baking food. In step 2, slide the sautéed potatoes onto a large plate or rimmed baking sheet while the lardons and garlic cook in the skillet, then slide the potatoes back in at the end of step 3. You can bake the whole shebang. The original oven-safe frying pan. your choice.
direction
1. Cover the potatoes with boiling salted water and boil until tender. drain. Once cool enough to handle, slice into 1/4-inch thick pieces. If you wish, you can peel the skin before slicing, but this is optional.
2. In a large, deep skillet, place half the butter and oil over medium-high. Add potatoes and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a shallow oven-safe dish. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. Heat the remaining butter and oil in the same skillet. Cook the lardons over medium heat until they begin to brown. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the mixture to the potatoes in an ovenproof dish and toss gently.
4. Remove any rind from the cheese. Cut into slices. Dot the potatoes with small spoonfuls of heavy cream and cover with the cheese slices. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. The cheese should be melted and bubbly. serve.
Source: Roasted Figs, Sugar Snow by Diana Henry (Aster)
![This version of Potato O'Brien features green, yellow, and red peppers. (Photo provided by Nick Kuhn)](https://www.readingeagle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/OCR-L-RECIPE-WREC-0107-02-1.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&ssl=1)
![This version of Potato O'Brien features green, yellow, and red peppers. (Photo provided by Nick Kuhn)](https://www.readingeagle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/OCR-L-RECIPE-WREC-0107-02-1.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&ssl=1)
Potato O’Brien
I love this version of Potatoes O’Brien. We use three different colors of green peppers. Yukon gold or Dutch yellow potatoes have the perfect texture for cooking. When sautéed, it becomes golden and crispy without falling apart. Top this side dish with a fried or poached egg to make it a full meal.
For a meatless version, omit the bacon. Start with step 2, substituting 3 tablespoons canola oil for bacon grease. If desired, top the finished dish with cooked and chopped vegetarian bacon.
Yield: 6 servings
material
4 thick slices of bacon
Scrub and cut 1 pound baby Dutch yellow or Yukon gold potatoes into 1/4-inch dice.
1/3 cup bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1/3 cup yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
1/3 cup red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 medium-sized sweet onion, chopped
2 medium garlic cloves (chopped)
Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Optional garnish: chopped fresh Italian parsley
direction
1. Cook the bacon in a large, deep frying pan until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and drain on paper towels, leaving about 3 tablespoons of oil in the pan.
2. Heat the reserved grease over medium heat. Add potatoes, bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and nicely browned. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Crumble the bacon and add to the potato mixture. Cook bacon for about 1 minute. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.
Source: “Melissa’s Everyday Cooking with Organic Produce” by Kathy Thomas (Wiley)
![Chef Jamie Oliver's version of potato salad combines spuds with a crunchy vegetable topping topped with feta cheese. (Photo courtesy of Kurt Norris)](https://www.readingeagle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/OCR-L-RECIPE-WREC-0107-03-1.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&ssl=1)
![Chef Jamie Oliver's version of potato salad combines spuds with a crunchy vegetable topping topped with feta cheese. (Photo courtesy of Kurt Norris)](https://www.readingeagle.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/OCR-L-RECIPE-WREC-0107-03-1.jpg?fit=620%2C9999px&ssl=1)
Roasted baby dutch yellow potato and pickle salad
I’m a longtime fan of potato salad with vinaigrette. Chef Jamie Oliver’s Spud Salad is a timeless dish that combines crunchy spuds with crunchy vegetable toppings floating in an oil-less vinegar “pickle” concoction. It’s a very appealing combination of flavors and textures. This is a completely new take on the traditional potato salad. My version is based on a recipe from his cookbook, Ultimate Veg (Flatiron Books). I use Baby Dutch Yellow potatoes, which are little yellow-skinned beauties with creamy white flesh and a buttery flavor. They are blanched and roasted, then partially crushed to add crunch and sweetness.
Serving size: plenty for 6 people
material
2 pounds of baby dutch yellow potatoes
extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 English cucumber
1 teaspoon grain mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
5 daikon radish, root and cut into thick pieces
1/2 medium red onion, cut in half from top to bottom, then thinly sliced crosswise.
1/2 bunch fresh dill
1/2 bunch fresh mint
1 1/2 ounces crumbled feta cheese (I like feta with Mediterranean herbs)
direction
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cook potatoes in a large pot of boiling salted water until fork-tender, about 10 to 13 minutes. Place in a colander and drain. Leave in a colander for 5 minutes to release steam. Place the potatoes in a single layer in a roasting pan (I use a 9 1/2-by-14-inch roasting pan). Add 2 1/2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, grate the lemon zest and place in a small bowl. Finely chop the rosemary leaves and add to the bowl. Add flour and stir. When the potatoes come out of the oven after 20 minutes, sprinkle the peel mixture over the top of the potatoes. Throw it away. Lightly mash the potatoes to flatten them slightly. (I found it easiest to press a metal measuring cup into the cup with your fingers, but you could also use a meat tenderizer.) Drizzle a little olive oil over the potatoes. Roast for another 20 minutes or until golden and crispy.
3. Meanwhile, score the outside of the cucumber with a fork to make vertical grooves and cut into thin rounds. In a large bowl, combine mustard, vinegar, and juice of half a lemon. Add salt and pepper to taste. Whisk to combine. Add cucumber, radish, and onion. Add the herb leaves (picked from the stems and discarded the stems) and toss to combine.
4. Place the potatoes in the center of the plate. Spoon the vegetable mixture over the center of the potatoes. Top with crumbled feta cheese.
Source: Adapted from “Ultimate Veg” by Jamie Oliver