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The UN
declared 2008 as the Year of the Potato, aiming to
raise awareness of the potato and agriculture in general, and to address
issues such as global hunger, poverty and threats to the environment.
Nutritionally potatoes are best
known for their carbohydrate content of which starch is the predominant
form. Also they are low in fat and, if eaten with the skin, are rich in
Vitamin C (one medium sized potato provides nearly half the daily adult
requirement), which aids the absorption of the iron contained in the potato.
When preparing potatoes it is better
to just scrub them with the peel on to preserve all their valuable
nutrients. If you must peel them, then do so just before cooking and don’t
leave them exposed to the air or standing in water any longer than you have
to.
As well as the standard way of
cooking potatoes – such as boiling, roasting, baking, frying, and
microwaving – there is now steam-baking for new potatoes, where you seal
them in their skins in greaseproof paper and steam for 20 minutes.
Nearly every country in the world
will have its own favourite potato dish from the Irish ‘Colcannon’ to the
Spanish “Patatas Bravas,” but there is nothing nicer than a dish of the
famous Greek-style potatoes roasted in olive oil and oregano.
This month I have include two
recipes; one is Mediterranean style, and the other serves as an
accompaniment to spicy food.
Potatoes with olives, tomatoes and feta cheese
For four people you will need:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 kg small potatoes
cut in half
4 sprigs rosemary
2 – 3 cloves garlic crushed
6 cherry tomatoes cut into quarters
A good handful of black olives
200g feta cheese crumbled
1. Heat the oven to 200°C/gas
mark 6. Put the oil into a roasting tin and heat in the oven until very hot.
Add the potatoes, rosemary, garlic and seasoning and mix, making sure the
potatoes are well covered with the oil.
2. Cook for 20 minutes, then add the
tomatoes, olives and feta. Mix gently and continue cooking for 10 minutes
more or until the potatoes are tender.
This can be a good vegetarian dish
and also goes well as a side dish for fish or meat.
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Spiced chicken with raita potatoes
For four people you will need:
4 skinless chicken breasts thickly
sliced
2 tsp curry paste or Harissa (more
if you like it hot)
2 tsp smoked paprika
Olive oil
500g small potatoes cut into
quarters
2 tbsp lemon juice
5 tbsp Greek yoghurt
4 spring onions sliced
1 cup chopped fresh mint or some
mint sauce to taste
1. Mix the chicken, curry paste,
paprika and olive oil together. Cover and leave to marinate for at least one
hour.
2. Put the potatoes into a pan of
salted boiling water and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and allow to
cool.
3. Cook the chicken on a hot griddle
turning once or twice until thoroughly cooked.
4. Mix together the lemon juice and
the yoghurt and add the spring onions, potatoes and mint or mint sauce.
Season and serve immediately.
These potatoes will go well with
tandoori chicken or as a cooling accompaniment to a hot curry.
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