This time of year, we eat a lot of Irish new potatoes at home – steamed, roasted, steamed, served with barbecue, or turned into potato salad.
Our local fishing village, Ellicotton, is known for its spuds. Whether it’s lovely, salty sea air or nutritious, fertile soil, or a little bit of both, either way, when potatoes are cleaned and boiled in brine—or, even better, sea water— And split before being sliced with Irish butter and sea salt, they make the meal fit for royalty.
Potato focaccia, a specialty of Puglia in Italy, sounds almost too good to be true – double the carbs with fragrant rosemary and a generous helping of extra virgin olive oil. In the version shown here, I use a super speedy soda-bread base and some grated cheese for an Irish twist that works like a dream.
If you’re looking for a delicious potato salad to serve with barbecued meat or fish, I recommend this Hot Potato Salad with Soft Boiled Eggs, below. Omit the eggs if you like, or add crispy bacon or chorizo for an extra bite.
And if you’re looking for something with a Middle Eastern vibe, you might love the monkfish and new potato tagine below, too. This recipe involves making a charmoula – a Moroccan spice paste made from coriander, cumin and lots of chilies. It’s magic not only with fish, but with meat, eggs, crusty white bread or some plain boiled Irish new potatoes.
close
“I use a super speedy soda-bread base and some grated cheese for an Irish twist that works like a dream.” picture by Tony Gavin
Soda Focaccia with New Potatoes, Cheese and Rosemary
Serves 8-12
you will need:
Serves 8-12
you will need:
400 g new potatoes, scrubbed and cleaned
salt and sea salt flakes
175 grams Cheddar, or Parmesan and Cheddar mixed
A good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil, about 50ml-75ml
450 grams plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting work surface
tsp bicarbonate of soda
425 ml buttermilk (for dairy-free focaccia, see my top tip, below)
1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary (or thyme)
close
Ingredients for Rachel Allen’s Potato and Rosemary Soda Focaccia. Photo: Tony Gavin
1 Preheat oven to 230C, 450F, gas 6.
Put 2 new potatoes in a saucepan with a pinch of salt and cover them with boiling water. Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes until they become soft. Cooking time may vary but check small potatoes after 15 minutes. When the potatoes are cooked, remove them and set them aside for a couple of minutes until they are cool enough to handle, then cut the potatoes into cm-thick slices. Cancel.
Grate the paneer and keep it aside.
4 Brush the inside of a small Swiss-roll tin or roasting tray liberally with some extra-virgin olive oil.
5 Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl, adding a teaspoon of salt. Use your hand to mix together. Make a well in the centre.
6 Pour most of the buttermilk into the well at a time – leave a couple of tablespoons in the jug, as you may not need it. Hold one hand like a stiff claw, and swirl your hand in a wide circle to whisk together the flour and buttermilk – but don’t knead the dough. Add more buttermilk if necessary. The dough should be soft and slightly wet and sticky.
7When it all comes together, turn it onto a floured work surface. Once the dough is folded into the flour, keep in mind that the dough is not kneaded, otherwise you will become hard. Roll it gently so that it fits in the oiled tray. Use both hands to transfer the dough to the tray.
8 Make dimples in the dough with your fingers; These will act as small wells for the extra virgin olive oil. Scatter half of the grated cheese over the dough and sprinkle with a tiny bit of finely chopped rosemary. Arrange the potato pieces that you set aside earlier on the whole dough, pressing them gently so that they don’t fall off as the bread bakes. Scatter the remaining cheese and finely chopped rosemary over the top. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle with some sea salt flakes.
close
“Use both hands to transfer the focaccia dough to the tray.” picture by Tony Gavin
9 Bake the focaccia in the preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through in the center.
10 If the bread is a nice golden color and you don’t want to darken it further, reduce oven to 200C, 400F, gas 5 and continue cooking.
11When the focaccia is cooked but still hot, drizzle a little more extra virgin olive oil over the top. Let cool slightly, then cut into squares to serve.
top tip
If you want to make soda focaccia dairy-free, replace the buttermilk with the same amount of plant-based drink you would need to add 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
close
“Ballycotton, our local fishing village, is known for its spuds.” Rachel is harvesting potatoes in Ballymalo. picture by Tony Gavin
Warm Potato Salad with Soft Boiled Eggs
Serves 4-6
you will need:
Serves 4-6
you will need:
1 kg new potatoes, peeled and cleaned
4 eggs
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic or sherry vinegar
tsp Dijon mustard
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp capers
8 small cornichons or 1 small cucumber
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Boil 1 potato in salted water for 20-30 minutes or until soft.
2 Boil the eggs in their shells until the potatoes are cooking, 7 minutes. Strain them and put them in cold water for a few minutes until they are cool enough to peel. Cut the eggs into quarters.
3 Next, make the salad dressing. Add extra virgin olive oil, balsamic or sherry vinegar, whatever you’re using, Dijon mustard and some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to a jar and stir until combined.
4 Once the potatoes are cooked, filter them and cut them into halves or quarters. Toss them in most dressings when they’re hot.
5 Remove the prepared potatoes in a serving plate. Scatter capers on top. Whichever you’re using, slice up cornichons or gherkins, and add to the capers along with the quartered soft-boiled egg. Finish with the final dressing and chopped parsley. I
top tip
The fresher the spud, the better the taste, so don’t leave your potatoes around long after digging or buying them. Be sure to leave any soil on them until you’re ready to cook, then scrub well and go!
close
“The fresher the spud, the better the flavor, so don’t leave your potatoes around for too long”
Monkfish and New Potato Tagine
Serves 4-6
For Chermoula you will need:
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 red chili, seedless and chopped
1 teaspoon salt
handful fresh coriander
a pinch of saffron stalks
2 tsp ground cumin
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
juice of a lemon
You will also need:
1 kg monkfish tail, cut into 2 cm pieces
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
a preserved lemon (see recipe below), finely chopped
1 x 400g tin plum tomatoes
500 g new potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 cm pieces
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
300 ml water
2-3 tbsp fresh coriander
salad or couscous, for serving
1 First of all make Charmoula. Use a pestle and mortar to grind together the chopped garlic, chopped chilies, salt, coriander, saffron and ground cumin. Make a loose paste by mixing extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the chermoula, then put the rest in a bowl with the monkfish pieces. Leave to marinate for at least an hour, preferably two.
2 Place a casserole dish or large saucepan over medium heat and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. When hot, add finely chopped red onion, finely chopped carrot and finely chopped celery. Cook for 8–10 minutes until vegetables soften, then add reserved 2 tablespoons chermoula, finely chopped preserved lemon, tinned tomatoes, and fresh potato slices. Add sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, then cook for 5 minutes to reduce liquid. Add water and bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and cook for 10-15 minutes until potatoes are almost cooked.
3 Toss the monkfish pieces with the chermoula marinade. Cook gently for another 6-8 minutes until the fish is completely opaque. Divide into bowls, sprinkle fresh coriander leaves on top and serve with salad or couscous.
Rachel recommends
British Queens, Orla and Colleen are three early-season potatoes that do really well in Irish climates. Tradition and the season dictate that potted potatoes should be planted until St. Patrick’s Day, so you know for next year!
Quick Preserved Lemons
makes 1 jar
you will need:
200 ml water
2 tablespoons salt
2 lemons, quartered
1 Bring water and salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the lemons and cook them uncovered for 30-40 minutes, until the liquid is reduced to half and the lemon rind is tender.
2 Remove saucepan from heat and let cool.
3 Scrape out the pulp. Store the peels in a jar covered with olive oil. They will keep in the fridge for two months.
