My Google search for Britain’s most popular vegetable didn’t even list potatoes in the top 10 (!), while broccoli, sweetcorn and brussels sprouts were nestled, smugly, in first, second and seventh place, respectively.
Whoever conducted that survey must have eliminated the spud on the grounds of unfair advantage (seriously, who doesn’t love potatoes?) or on account of it not qualifying as one of your five a day (though it’s definitely one of mine).
My own experience tells a very different story: potatoes are the only vegetable that win every popularity contest I put them to hands down, both at home and in the restaurants. It’s the one everyone rallies around at any time of day, and on any day of the year.
Chaat masala potatoes with coriander chutney and tamarind (pictured above)
This is inspired by aloo chaat, an Indian street food with many regional variations. Don’t be put off by the long ingredient list – the whole thing comes together fairly easily, and you’ll use the time the potatoes spend in the oven to make the chutney and the tamarind sauce.
Prep 20 min
Cook 55 min
Serves 4 as a side
750g baby new potatoes, cut lengthways into 1cm-thick slices
Salt and black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chaat masala
½ tsp ground turmeric
250g Greek-style yoghurt
½ small red onion, peeled and thinly sliced into rounds on a mandoline
1 green chilli, thinly sliced, seeds and all
1½ tsp coriander seeds, toasted
1½ tsp nigella seeds, toasted
For the coriander chutney
30g coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1 green chilli, deseeded and roughly chopped
1 tbsp lime juice
60ml olive oil
For the sweet tamarind dressing
1½ tbsp shop-bought tamarind paste (I use Waitrose’s Cook’s Ingredient own-brand)
1½ tsp caster sugar
¼ tsp chaat masala
Salt
Heat the oven to 240C (220C fan)/465F/gas 9. Put the potatoes and two teaspoons of salt in a medium saucepan, top with enough cold water to cover by about 4cm and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for six minutes, or until the potatoes are almost cooked through but still retain a bite, then drain and pat dry. Transfer to a large oven tray lined with baking paper and toss with the oil, chaat masala, turmeric, a third of a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper, then roast, stirring once or twice, for 35 minutes, or until deeply golden.
Meanwhile, make the chutney by blitzing all the ingredients and a quarter-teaspoon of salt in a small food processor. Make the dressing by whisking all the ingredients in a small bowl with a teaspoon and a half of water.
Spread out the yoghurt on a large, round platter, top it with the chutney and swirl it through to create a ripple effect. Drizzle with half the tamarind dressing, then top with the potatoes, onion and chilli. Drizzle over the remaining dressing, sprinkle on the seeds and serve.
Potato, leek and sauerkraut gratin
Sauerkraut brings a welcome acidity to a rich potato gratin. This is a relatively easy side dish, and it reheats well, too.
Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 50 min
Serves 6
15g unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
600g leeks (ie, about 3 large ones), trimmed, cut in half lengthways, then cut into 4cm lengths
Salt and black pepper
1 tbsp thyme leaves, roughly chopped, plus 4 extra sprigs
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
200ml double cream
200ml whole milk
300g sauerkraut, store-bought or homemade
20g chives, cut into 1½cm lengths
1kg maris piper potatoes, peeled and cut into 1cm-thick rounds
150g gruyère, roughly grated
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Put a large, ovenproof saute pan for which you have a lid on a medium-high heat, and add the butter and oil. Once hot, add the leeks, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks have softened and are just beginning to colour – about eight minutes. Add the chopped thyme and garlic, cook for two minutes more, until fragrant, then turn off the heat and leave to cool slightly, for 10-15 minutes. When the leeks have sat for 10 minutes, put the cream, milk and 200ml water in a small saucepan on a medium heat, bring to a gentle simmer, and keep warm on a low heat.
Stir the sauerkraut, chives, potatoes, half the cheese, three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt and a generous grind of pepper into the cooled leeks, and smooth out the top so the potatoes are lying flat. Pour over the warm cream mixture, then sprinkle on the rest of the cheese and top with the thyme sprigs. Cover the pan, bake for 50 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for 30 minutes more, or until golden and bubbling. Leave to rest for about 15 minutes before serving directly from the pan.
Oven chips with cardamom mayonnaise
To my mind, nothing beats mayonnaise as a chip sauce. Here, I’ve combined it with (optional) curry leaves and cardamom, and tossed the chips themselves in lime salt, so you end up with a potato experience that’s rich, warm, sharp and creamy all at the same time. The mayonnaise will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks, so double the quantities and transform your next sandwich.
Prep 15 min
Infuse 30 min
Cook 45 min
Serves 4 as a side
14 cardamom pods, crushed, pods discarded and seeds blitzed in a spice grinder (or finely crushed in a mortar)
165ml sunflower oil
30 fresh curry leaves, 10 left whole, the rest blitzed in a spice grinder (or finely chopped) – optional
1 egg yolk
½ small garlic clove, peeled and crushed
4 limes – zest of 2-3 finely grated, to get 1½ tbsp; juiced, to get 1 tbsp juice, and the rest cut into wedges, to serve
Flaked sea salt
1kg maris piper potatoes, skin on and cut into 1cm-thick chips
Put the crushed cardamom seeds and blitzed curry leaves, if using, in a small saucepan and dry fry on a high heat for a minute, until fragrant. Add 120ml oil, heat for 30 seconds more, then add the whole curry leaves, if using, and gently fry until crisp – about a minute. Take the pan off the heat, lift out the whole curry leaves with a slotted spoon and set aside – you’ll be using these as a garnish later. Leave the oil and remaining solids to infuse for 30 minutes, until completely cool, then set aside a tablespoon of the oil (along with some of the aromatics) and strain the rest into a jug; discard the solids left in the sieve.
Put the egg yolk, garlic, half the lime juice and a quarter-teaspoon of flaked sea salt in the small bowl of a food processor and blitz to combine. With the motor still running, start adding the cooled oil very slowly and in a very thin stream, until the mixture emulsifies and thickens into a mayonnaise.
Transfer the mayonnaise to a small bowl then stir in the remaining teaspoon of lime juice, to thin it out a little. If the mayo splits (or gets too thick), whisk in a teaspoon of water until it emulsifies again (or loosens).
Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. While the infused oil is cooling down, spread out the chips on an oven tray lined with greaseproof paper and toss with the remaining three tablespoons of oil and three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt. Bake the chips for 20 minutes, then turn them over and bake for 15 minutes more, until they’re cooked through and nicely golden brown.
Mix the lime zest with half a tablespoon of flaked sea salt, gently crushing it all together. Scatter the lime salt over the hot chips, toss to coat, then transfer to a platter. Drizzle over the mayonnaise and the reserved tablespoon of infused oil, top with the crisp curry leaves, if using, and serve hot with the lime wedges on the side.
