Potato Eating Time ~ Pine Mountain, Maggie Ashmore

It might be potato planting time in the gardens, but it is also potato eating time at my house.  I’m not sure if you all have long since eaten all of your tubers, but I spent most of this winter eating butternut squash, cushaw, and pumpkins instead of potatoes. My potatoes are beginning to sprout and I am starting to experiment with different ways to eat them up. I thought I would share some recipes in case you also have a crate full of potatoes and you are looking to fix them some way other than mashed or baked.  Happy eating!

Baked Potato Soup

(A slight twist on cream of potato soup)

Recipe via Smitten Kitchen 

1 head garlic

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter

One small onion or two small leeks

5-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

Table salt

2 ½ pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes

1/3 cup sour cream

Ground black pepper

Toppings (optional):

Minced chives or scallions

Sour cream

Grated cheddar

Drizzle of melted or browned butter


Rinse the head of garlic to remove any outside grit or dirt. Cut the top third off the head and peel any loose papery skins off the bottom two-thirds. Instead of discarding the top third pop out a bunch (or all) of the garlic clove tips and mince them.

In a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook them until soft (but not brown), about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook another minute. Add the larger part of the garlic head (whole, not chopped), broth, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat and simmer until garlic is very tender when pierced with tip of knife, 30 to 40 minutes. Add potatoes and continue to simmer, partially covered, until potatoes are tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove garlic head. Optional: If you’d like an extra garlic boost to the soup, using tongs or paper towels, squeeze garlic head at root end until cloves slip out of their skins. Using a fork, mash the garlic cloves to smooth paste and add it back to the soup.

Add sour cream to soup and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper to taste. Transfer a portion of the potatoes and broth to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Serve with whatever makes you happy on top, or nothing at all.

Kale and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes

(I also have Kale that overwintered in my garden, and this recipe is delicious!)

Recipe via Heidi Swanson 

Heidi’s note: I don't like floppy leafiness in my potatoes, so I chop the kale quite finely. If you stir the kale in too much it can lend a slight green cast to your potatoes, so i just barely stir it in right before serving. Also, on the potato front - feel free to use unpeeled potatoes if you like something a bit more rustic (and nutritious).

3 lbs potatoes peeled and cut into big chunks

Sea salt

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 gloves garlic, minced

1 bunch kale, large stems stripped and discarded, leaves chopped
1/2+ cup warm milk or cream
freshly ground black pepper
5 scallions, white and tender green parts, chopped
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish (optional)

Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Add a pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil and continue boiling for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, chopped kale, a big pinch of salt, and saute just until tender - about a minute. Set aside.

Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or fork. Slowly stir in the milk a few big splashes at a time. You are after a thick, creamy texture, so if your potatoes are on the dry side keep adding milk until the texture is right.

Season with salt and pepper.

Dump the kale on top of the potatoes and give a quick stir. Transfer to a serving bowl, make a well in the center of the potatoes and pour the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with the scallions, and Parmesan cheese.

Potato Fritatta with Cilantro Sauce

(I also have some cilantro in my garden right now, and although cilantro is not to everyone’s taste, I love it).

Cilantro Sauce

2 large cloves garlic

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 small bunch cilantro
1 green (serrano) chile, seeds removed
2 pinches ground cumin
a couple big pinches of salt

Frittata
6 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 small potatoes, very very thinly sliced
1/2 cup vegetable of your choice (spinach, kale, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.),1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup parmesan (or cheese of your choice), crumbled
 couple pinches of salt

Preheat your oven to 450F degrees. Make the cilantro chile sauce by pureeing the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, cilantro, chile, cumin, and salt until very smooth. Taste and add more salt if needed. Set aside.

In a medium bowl whisk the eggs with a small pinch of salt. Set aside. In a (small) 8 1/2-inch ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat add the olive oil, onion, and another pinch of salt. Saute, stirring constantly, until the onion starts to brown, 5 - 7 minutes. Add the potatoes and vegetables, cover, and cook for another 3 minutes or so. Slide everything out of the skillet onto a plate and set aside.

Turn down the heat a bit. Using the same skillet, add the eggs and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or until the eggs are just set and there isn't a lot of liquid running around the pan. To facilitate this, run a spatula underneath the sides of the frittata and tilt the pan so the uncooked eggs run to the underside and cook. Drizzle the eggs with a few tablespoons of the cilantro chile sauce, now sprinkle the potato onion mixture over the top.

Place the skillet in the oven and bake for about 9 minutes, or until well set and puffy. Add a crumble of cheese across the top of the frittata in the final 2 minutes of baking. Remove from oven (be careful the handle is hot!), cut into wedges and serve.