Fondant potatoes – or Melting Potatoes – are potatoes baked in a buttery herb infused broth so it absorbs the flavour and becomes meltingly tender inside. A restaurant-y way to cook potatoes that’s easy yet looks impressive! Excellent dinner party side dish.

Fondant potatoes aka Melting potatoes

Today’s recipe is a sublime example of turning the humble potato into a very fine-dining worthy potato side dish. Putting the shaping part aside (which is entirely optional, we’ll get to that), it’s incredibly straight forward. Just brown neat cylinders/thick wonky slabs of potato on the stove, add stock, thyme and butter then bake so it absorbs the flavour.

The result? Crispy edges, golden surfaces, creamy and flavoured all the way through inside, with intense herb infused-buttery sauce that’s thickened from the natural starches in the potato. This might be my favourite potato recipe of all time!

Ingredients in fondant potatoes

Here’s what you need to make fondant potatoes:

• Potato type – All-rounder and floury / starchy potatoes are best because they absorb flavour better than waxy potatoes, and become beautifully fluffy and soft inside. The most common potatoes at regular stores should be fine – they’re stocked because they’re great all-rounders.

  Australia – Sebago (the dirt brushed potatoes sold everywhere) are perfect, Desiree are great too. US: Russet, UK: King Edward.

• Butter – Unsalted, cut into cubes so they melt evenly. If you don’t, some of the butter will likely burn before it all melts. This is for basting. We use oil for searing the potatoes (butter burns and doesn’t brown the potatoes as evenly).

• Stock/broth – Chicken stock adds the best flavour in my opinion, because it has more savouriness than vegetable stock and is “cleaner” than beef stock. However, vegetable stock is the next best. Though really, this recipe will work with any type of stock.

• Thyme – Fresh thyme sprigs work best to infuse the butter / stock with flavour. But you can substitute with dried thyme though you will end up with little thyme bits stuck on your potato.

How to cut fondant potatoes

Choose from pro level to easy – or skip it entirely! Just peel potatoes then cut into thick slabs. It will taste just as good!

GOAL SIZE & PREP

1. Goal: 8 cylinders that are ~ 6cm/ 2.4″ diameter, 3.5 cm / 1.4″ height, 2 each cut from 4 potatoes (ie cut 4 long cylinders then cut to size).

2. Trim base – For all methods, the first step is to peel the potatoes then trim a bit off the top and bottom so it stands upright. It just makes it easier to handle.

1. PRO-LEVEL CARVING

For knife masters! This is method will achieve the smoothest edges.

1. Lie the potato on its side then carve, peeling curved strips to make a cylinder shape.

2. Keep going, carving thinner and thinner slices until you have a uniform cylinder.

2. INTERMEDIATE: UPRIGHT KNIFE SHAVING

Stand the potato upright. Then cut thin slivers down, rotating as you go, until you have a cylinder shape with edges are as smooth as you can make them. At first, mine are a bit octagon-shaped. Then I just keep trimming thin slivers off the sharp edges to smooth it out.

TIP: Use the back of a knife (ie the non-sharp side) and scrape down the sides of the potato to make the walls neat.

3. eASY: POTATO PEELER

Use a potato peeler to shave strips off the sides, rotating as you go, to shape it into a cylinder as best you can. I find this a little more difficult to make a uniform cylinder shape than using a knife because I find I have less control over how much I shave off with each peel. Also, peeling straight is a little harder.

4. EASY: ROUND CUTTER

Use a 6cm / 2.4″ (or as close as possible) cutter to pop rounds out. The easiest way to do this is to cut 3.5 cm / 1.4″ thick slices then press a round out of each. If your cutter is not tall enough, then use a knife to help trim / pull the excess away (I demo this in the video).

5. JUST DON’T!!

Just cut the potato into 3.5 cm / 1.4″ thick slices and cook per the recipe. It tastes the same, the potato pieces just won’t be perfect rounds (unless you’re lucky!). You won’t need all the potatoes because your pieces will be bigger (unless you use smaller potatoes). Just use enough to fill the pan around the same amount as pictured. Don’t be tempted to squeeze more in because there won’t be enough stock to flavour the inside of the potatoes.

How to make fondant potatoes

Cutting part done, the cooking part is EASY!

1. Season – Toss the potatoes in a little oil with salt and pepper.

2. Brown potatoes – Then brown them on the stove using an oven-proof skillet. I use my 26cm / 10.5″ Lodge cast iron pan. It will take a good 6 to 8 minutes on each side to make them golden, on medium high heat. Move them around as needed to brown them as evenly as possible.

3. Butter – Add the butter and thyme, then spoon the melted butter over the potatoes.

4. Stock – Pour the stock in and let it come to a boil.

5. Bake – Transfer the skillet into the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, basting the potato with the buttery stock at the 15 minute mark (ie spooning the sauce over the potatoes). In this step, the potatoes are absorbing the stock which flavours the inside and makes it “meltingly” soft.

6. Ready! At the end of the bake time, there should be virtually no stock left in the pan, just butter. Because potatoes can’t absorb fat. The butter will be slightly thickened thanks to the starch in the potatoes, making a glossy sauce that clings to the potatoes when you spoon it over.

   To serve, transfer the potatoes to individual plates or a serving platter for people to help themselves. And pour over every drop of the buttery sauce!

What to serve with fondant potatoes

I feel like it would be easier to say what not to serve with fondant potatoes. With the subtle thyme flavour, I wouldn’t serve this with Asian food. But without the thyme, it would be a delicious side dish for Char Sui Pork (Chinese BBQ Pork), Sticky Honey Soy Baked Chicken or a grand Miso Marinated side of salmon !

Asian food aside, this is an elegant, beautiful potato side dish for special occasions. It’s pictured in this post alongside steak with Béarnaise Sauce (it’s so easy!) with last weeks’ Garlic Peas. It would elevate a simple Chicken in Creamy Mustard Sauce to company-worthy, or add a luxurious side to a simple pan fried fish sprinkled with seafood seasoning.

Chicken in Creamy Mustard Sauce

Standing Rib Roast (Prime Rib)

Fish Seasoning (great all-rounder)

Roast Chicken

Japanese Miso Salmon (Barbecue or Bake)

You could also cook this in the oven at the same time as a roast chicken or a grand prime rib (standing rib roast). Just put the potatoes in for the last 35 minutes cooking time, factoring in the resting time. Err on the side of caution so the potatoes are done earlier because they can be reheated simply by popping the skillet back in the oven for 5 minutes (from room temperature, it will take longer from fridge cold).

Or, just do as I do and eat them by themselves. You know I did. The only question is, how many? TAKE A GUESS! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

OF COURSE Dozer got some!!! I just forgot to edit that in, concentrating too hard on getting the new-style video edits right. Everybody knows Dozer is the most food-spoiled dog in the world!!!😂

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Fondant Potatoes (Melting potatoes)

Recipe video above. Golden on the outside and meltingly tender inside (hence the name!), infused with flavour from roasting in a buttery stock. Lovely, elegant way to cook potatoes, very restaurant-y!

If you're in a hurry, don't worrying about shaping into cylinders. Just cut thick slabs of potato (whatever shape they happen to be!) and cook per the recipe. Or, just use a potato peeler to shape as best you can. It will still taste just as good!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Western

Keyword fondant potatoes, melting potatoes

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 8

Calories 149cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 4 x 400g/14 oz large floury potatoes , peeled (Aus: Sebago (dirt brushed), US: Russet, UK: King Edward)
• 3/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tbsp / 50g unsalted butter , cut into 1cm / 1/2″ cubes
• 6 thyme sprigs (sub 1/2 tsp dried thyme)
• 1 cup chicken stock / broth , low sodium (or vegetable)

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 200°C / 390°F (180°C fan-forced).
• Carve / cut each potato into cylinders ~ 6cm/ 2" diameter, 7 cm height. Then cut in half so you have 8 short cylinders 3.5 cm / 1.4" tall. See cutting method options below.
• Season – Pat potato dry. Place in a large bowl and toss with half the oil plus all the salt and pepper.
• Sear – In an ovenproof heavy based skillet (Note 2), heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil over medium high heat. Put the potato in and cook each side for 6 – 8 minutes or until golden.
• Cook – Add butter and thyme. Once melted, spoon the butter over the potato ("basting"). Add stock, bring to a boil then transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender, basting at the 15 minute mark. The stock will be absorbed by the potato, leaving just butter.
• Serve – Baste one more time then serve! For a restaurant-y option, serve alongside steak with béarnaise sauce and buttered peas.

Cutting method options (see video for demo of each):

• Prep for all methods – Trim a bit off both ends so the potato stands upright. Once carved into a tall cylinder 6cm/ 2" diameter, at least 7cm/3" height, so we can cut into 3.5 cm / 1.4" tall pieces. Save leftover potato to make mash (keep in water to prevent turning brown).
• Pro method – Lie potato on its side and use a knife to carve around to form a cylinder.
• Intermediate (I do this)– Stand potato upright and use a knife to shave thin slivers down, rotating as needed, to carve into a cylinder. You can use a potato peeler for some of this too (just be a bit careful, less control).
• Easy – Use 6cm/ 2" (or as close as possible) wide cutters to press rounds out!
• Easy potato peeler – Use a potato peeler to shape as best you can, rotating as you go.
• Doesn't matter! – Just cut potatoes into 3.5cm / 1.4" thick slices! Even if your rounds are not so round, it will still taste delicious. Only cut enough to fill the pan, as pictured, else you'll have too much potato for the stock being used (flavour dilution),

Notes

1. Potato type – Floury potatoes best as they absorb the stock flavour better and become meltingly tender inside (waxy potatoes don’t work as well).

Size – They need to be large so you can cut 2 x 3.5cm / 1.4″ tall cylinders from each.

2. Cooking vessel – I use my Lodge cast iron skillet (26cm / 10.5″). My #2 most valued kitchen item!

Leftovers will keep for 4 days or freeze for 3 months, though these are at their prime freshly made!

Nutrition per potato, assuming every drop of butter is mopped up. 

Nutrition

Calories: 149cal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 233mg | Potassium: 402mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 194IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

More fabulous potato sides!

And some no-fuss Monday nights ones too. (Like Easy Roast Potatoes).

Easy Roast Potatoes

Duck Fat Potatoes – Crispiest, Best Roast Potatoes EVER!

Greek Lemon Potatoes

Ultra Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Creamy Buttery Mashed Potato

Paris Mash (Rich Creamy Mashed Potato)

Make-ahead Mashed Potato Casserole

Potato Recipes

Life of Dozer

Memories of ALL the food he got during the making of Dinner!

The post Fondant potatoes appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Today’s post is a recipe for how to cook eggplant on the stove with virtually no oil. I use a highly effective, simple pan-steaming method used for Asian dumplings like gyoza! Plus, I’m sharing 8+ ways to serve this pan fried eggplant. Which one is your favourite??

How I cook eggplant on the stove with virtually no oil!

Anybody who has ever cooked eggplant knows they’re greedy oil-sucking sponges. So here’s how I cook them on the stove using very little oil – less than 1/2 teaspoon of oil for a WHOLE eggplant! 

Basically, I cook them the same way I do Asian dumplings – seared then pan-steamed. So you just need to spray the eggplant with oil before cooking in a dry pan. Works a treat, super fast, and ultra healthy.

It’s also a great method to cook thick slabs of eggplant on the stove which can be a bit tricky to do without burning the surface!

So while today’s post might seem a little out of place amongst the usual meal recipes I share, I think it’s a really useful one that will serve you well for the rest of your life.

Plus, I’m sharing a whole bunch of ways to serve this pan fried eggplant. Spend those calories you saved while cooking the eggplant on the toppings to turn it into a tasty meal!! Here’s a little preview of some of a couple: Caprese Eggplant (left) and Hainanese Eggplant (right).

Ingredients

If you give me oil, salt and pepper for free, then this is a ONE ingredient recipe – just eggplant!!

• Eggplant types – This recipe will work for large or small eggplants, including Asian eggplants. You need to cut them into rounds or lengthwise into long slabs so there is at least one cut face that sits flat on the pan, so it cooks through. For Asian eggplants, I just split them in half lengthwise.

  Thickness – Cut the eggplant up to 2 ½ cm / 1” thick. You’ll be amazed how quickly it cooks through! After searing the surface, it only takes about 2 minutes for the middle to become soft using the pan-steaming method.

• Oil spray – This is the best way to get oil coverage using very little oil. I tried to measure it out and I used less than ½ teaspoon oil across 8 slices of eggplant, spraying generously. I like using olive oil spray because it has better flavour.

  But if you don’t have or prefer not to use spray, just brush oil on. You’ll need about 2 tablespoons for 8 slices. Use any oil you want – olive oil, vegetable, canola, coconut oil, even melted butter.

• Adding other flavours – This recipe is a blank canvas you can take in many directions! Sprinkle the eggplant with a seasoning (paprika, onion and garlic is a foolproof combination) or brush with harissa paste mixed into the oil.

For today’s recipe, I’m searing the eggplants with just salt and pepper then providing a list of options for how to serve it with sauces and toppings. Just wait until you see all the possibilities!

How to cook eggplant on the stove – with very little oil!

You’ll need a large frying pan with a lid for this recipe. I use the lid of a large pot which is larger than my pan. You could also use a large baking tray or another frying pan. Anything to trap the steam in!

1. Cut the eggplant into rounds. I like thick meaty rounds about 2 cm / 0.8” thick, though this method will cook for thinner rounds too, and up to about 3 cm / 1.2”. 

   Note on thickness: This method is to cook thick slices of eggplant. If you are after thin slices, say 5mm / 0.2” thick, there’s no need to pan steam. Just spray with oil and pan sear, it will only take a couple of minutes on each side to cook through.

2. Spray the surface generously with oil, then sprinkle with salt (you can use pepper too, if you want).

3. Sear – Heat a large non-stick pan over medium high heat, with no oil. Then place the eggplant in the pan and sear until browned on both sides. This can take 1 ½ to 2 minutes, depending on how well the heat distributes in your pan and how big your burner is. Control the heat as needed for nice even browning. 

   At this stage, the eggplant will still be completely raw inside.

4. Add water – Carefully pour ¼ cup of water around the eggplant. The water will bubble up and get steamy quickly so pour slowly.

5. Pan-steam – Quickly put the lid on to trap the steam to cook the eggplant. Leave it for 2 minutes or until the water has evaporated.

6. Check to see if the eggplant is cooked by stabbing it with a butter knife (not a sharp cutting knife as it is too sharp so you can’t tell if the eggplant is fully cooked or not). It should be completely soft all the way through. If not, just add a splash of water and keep steaming. That’s the great thing about this technique, you can keep doing this multiple times until the eggplant is cooked through!

Once cooked, transfer to a serving plate! You can eat it as is – delicious, because eggplant is so ridiculously juicy inside and you seasoned it with salt and pepper. But see below for a whole bunch of other ways to serve this!

Suggestion for ways to serve pan-fried eggplant

If I want to do a little more but still keep things effortless, I just add a swish of extra virgin olive oil, sea salt flakes and a squeeze of lemon. If I’m cooking to impress, I might even sprinkle over a few parsley leaves – going all out! 😂 This is picture above. (To take it over the top, add a shower of parmesan. So good!)

But, if you want to make your eggplant-eating life even more exciting, here’s a list of suggestions. Just wait until you see the variety of possibilities!

1. Chilli crisp eggplant

The fastest way to dress up pan-fried eggplant: add a good smear of your favourite chilli crisp! (My go-to store bought Chilli Crisp is Lao Ganman “Angry Auntie” which is a worldwide favourite).

2. Caprese Eggplant

Topped with tomato, basil, crumbled goats cheese or feta with a drizzle of balsamic glaze. I especially like eating this on toast!

3. HAINANESE Eggplant

Named as such because it’s served with the Hainanese Chicken ginger shallot sauce plus a drizzle of sriracha. And it’s amazing! Ginger shallot sauce recipe here.

4. SAUCE VIERGE

Bright Mediterranean flavours in this olive-tomato-garlic-herb vinaigrette style modern French salsa-sauce that I love serving with seared tuna steak. It works so well with eggplant! Sauce Vierge recipe here.

5. DUKKAH WITH TAHINI YOGURT SAUCE

I really need to share our dukkah recipe with you! For now, use store bought.  Use the tahini sauce from this recipe.

6. WITH A MOUNTAIN OF PARMESAN BREADCRUMBS

A slather of garlic yogurt sauce and a mound of garlic parmesan panko is a ridiculously delicious combination of flavours and textures!

7. MORE IDEAS

• More toppings – chimichurri, salsa verde, pico de gallo, avocado corn salsa from this recipe

• Replace the sweet potato steak in this recipe with this pan-fried eggplant

• Replace the pumpkin in this Roasted Pumpkin with Yogurt Sauce and Pine Nuts

• Replace the zucchini in this grilled zucchini with Spicy Asian Sauce recipe

• Pile over lentils ragout, farro salad or Pearl Couscous Salad or lentil salad

And with that, I’m done. Who knew I had so much to say about pan-fried eggplant?? 

Now for the best part – getting ideas from. Share, share, share! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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Almost no-oil Pan Fried Eggplant

Recipe video above. This is a recipe for how to cook eggplant on the stove with virtually no oil – less than 1/2 teaspoon for a whole eggplant! I use a highly effective, simple pan-steaming method used for Asian dumplings like gyoza!

Eat it as is, or see in post for a list of toppings and sauces to serve with this pan fried eggplant. Which one is your favourite??

Course Main, Side

Cuisine Western

Keyword how to cook eggplant, how to cook eggplant on the stove, pan fried eggplant

Prep Time 3 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 13 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 121cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 1 large eggplant (aubergine), around 20cm/8” (~400g/14 oz) (Note 1)
• Olive oil spray (or other oil spray) (Note 2)
• 1/2 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup water

Sauces and toppings for serving:

• See in post for ideas and links to recipes for sauces etc!

Cups – Metric

Instructions

• Cut the eggplant into 2cm / 0.8” rounds.
• Spray each side generously with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Brown – Heat a large non-stick pan with a lid over medium high heat, no oil. (Note 3) Add the eggplant slices and pan fry for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side or until you get some nice browning on it. As much or as little as you want!
• Pan steam – Carefully add water around the eggplant (it will bubble and steam, so do this carefully). Then immediately cover with a lid to trap the steam in. Steam for 2 minutes or until the water has evaporated.
• Check – Use a butter knife to check to ensure the eggplant is cooked through. If not, add a bit more water and steam again!
• Serve – Transfer to a serving plate and serve! Great as is, or to dress it up a tiny bit, add a swish of olive oil, squeeze of lemon juice and parsley leaves, or a smear of chilli crisp! See in post for more ways to serve.

Notes

1. Eggplant (aubergine) – For Asian eggplant (ie the long thin cucumber shaped ones), split in half lengthwise. Sear the cut face and the skin side. Add water and cook using this method.

Thickness of slices – This method is for thick slices of eggplant around 2 – 2.5cm / 1” thick. If you are after thin slices of eggplant ~5mm / 0.2”, there’s no need to do the steaming step. You can just pan-fry it for 2 minutes on each side.

2. Oil spray is the best for even coverage. If you prefer to brush oil on, you’ll need around 2 – 2 ½ tbsp of oil for 6 large rounds as pictured (eggplant absorbs oil so easily!).

3. Lid for pan – I just use the lid of a large pot which is actually larger than my pan but works fine to trap the steam in. You could also use a baking tray.

4. Leftovers will keep for 3 to 4 days but it does tend to get watery and mushy. Best served freshly cooked!

Nutrition for the whole recipe ie assuming it serves 1!

Nutrition

Calories: 121cal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 0.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1172mg | Potassium: 923mg | Fiber: 12g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg

Life of Dozer

For short trips, I’ll just pop him in the boot which is his preference. He likes to sprawl. But for longer distances, I always belt him up. Safety first!

The post Almost no-oil Pan Fried Eggplant appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Make frozen peas fabulous with this recipe for garlic buttered peas! A quick side dish that goes with everything, the peas are sauté-steamed in garlic butter, rather than boiling separately. Easier, tastier, never mushy and so tasty you’ll become known for them.

I tend to shy away from sharing basic recipes like today’s Buttered Peas. Too easily distracted by more exciting-sounding dishes. Pierogis! Crispy chicken burgers! Chocolate cream pie!

Yet, the irony in all this, of course, is that I make these peas a gazillion times more often than I do Basque Cheesecake. A staple side dish, quick to make but totally restaurant-worthy. Though, posh restaurants might pod their own rather than buying frozen. I guess they don’t buy into the whole snap-frozen thing like I do?

Ingredients

I am a bit of a frozen vegetable snob. You’ll never find store-bought frozen broccoli or onion in my freezer. But you will always find peas. Because they are good!

• Frozen peas – Cook from FROZEN, not thawed! Well, it’s fine if they are thawed but there is no need to.

  Baby vs regular – The recipe works for either. Baby peas (called petite peas in some countries) are slightly sweeter with a slightly softer skin. I am partial to these but won’t hesitate to use regular peas.

  Fresh – You could also put me to shame by making this recipe with freshly podded peas.

• Butter – For lovely buttery flavour. Substitute with other oil of choice – extra virgin olive oil is my next pick, coconut oil for a tropical / Indian vibe.

• Garlic – It just makes everything that much more delicious. Fresh please! Give the jarred stuff a miss – it’s sour and wet so you can’t sauté it properly and the flavour barely resembles the real deal.

• Salt and pepper – Seasoning. Peas need it!

How I cook frozen peas

To cook from frozen, just add the tiniest splash of water which helps steam-sauté them faster. The water evaporates by the time the peas are cooked.

1. Sauté garlic – Melt the butter then sauté the garlic until very light golden in medium heat, around 30 seconds.

2. Tip the frozen peas in with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of water which creates a steamy environment to cook the peas a little faster. The water evaporates in a few minutes, leaving behind just tasty butter!

3. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring every now and then, or until the peas are heated through. Frozen peas are cooked before freezing so they don’t need to be cooked!

4. Serve – Done and ready to serve! Pour into a bowl or put straight onto dinner plates.

   Delicious to eat as is – I challenge you to stop at one spoonful – but suggestions for dressing up are below!

Dress them up

For every day, buttered peas are terrific just as they are. The garlic and butter go a long way to make peas a whole lot more interesting!

But, if you’d like to step it up a notch or just feel like doing something different, here are some suggestions:

• Mint them – Toss through finely chopped fresh mint. Mint and peas is a classic! Add however much you want, to your taste.

• Lemon – Stir through lemon zest for beautiful lemon flavour, or juice for tang.

• Shower of parmesan – As with many things, a mound of freshly grated parmesan will turn this into a show-stopping side!

• Clarified / browned butter instead of ordinary butter – for even more intense buttery flavour.

• Spice it – Add some curry powder, cumin, coriander, or other spice of choice into the butter, for a touch of extra flavour.

• Crunch it – Finish with a big handful of store-bought crispy Asian Fried Shallots or pangrattato (from this recipe), for great texture!

But that’s enough from me. What about you? I know you’ve got a stack of other creative (easy!) ways to dress up a bowl of peas. Share, share! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

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How I cook frozen peas – Garlic Buttered Peas

Recipe video above. Make frozen peas fabulous with my recipe for buttered peas! A quick side that goes with everything. Don't boil the peas – cook from frozen in garlic butter. Easier, tastier, bright green, never mushy and never watery!

Course Side

Cuisine Western

Keyword buttered peas, chickpea recipe, pea side dish recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 129cal

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 50g / 3 tbsp unsalted butter (or other oil/fat)
• 2 garlic cloves , finely minced
• 500g / 1 lb frozen peas (Note 1)
• 1/2 tsp cooking / kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp water

Instructions

• Sauté garlic – Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until light golden.
• Cook – Add frozen peas, salt, pepper and water. Turn heat up to medium high and cook for 5 minutes, stirring every now and then, until the water is evaporated, the peas are hot and coated in the tasty garlic butter.
• Serve – Tumble into a bowl and serve!

Notes

1. Peas – Baby peas (also called petite peas) are slightly sweeter and slightly more tender skin than regular peas. But by no means do I have a negative thoughts about regular peas!

2. Dress up peas – Finely chopped mint stirred through at the end, a shower of parmesan (oh yes!), lemon zest and/or juice, a pinch of cumin or coriander powder stirred into the butter (or other spices of choice). Fresh herbs of choice, chopped and stirred through at the end. So many options!

3. Leftovers will keep for 4 days in the fridge, or freezer for 3 months.

Nutrition per serving assuming 6 servings.

Nutrition

Calories: 129cal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 199mg | Potassium: 212mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 847IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg

More sides

Pea Puree (side / sauce!)

Pea, Cabbage, Parmesan and Mint Salad

Spring Salad!

Peas

Life of Dozer

Snippet from today’s recipe video!

The post How I cook frozen peas – Garlic Buttered Peas appeared first on RecipeTin Eats.

Regular baked spuds are good. Hasselback potatoes are awesome! Soft on the inside and crispy on the outside, basted with garlic rosemary olive oil. This is roast potato perfection!

Hasselback potatoes talk

Everybody talks about how tips and tricks to avoid accidentally cutting the way through (easy – chopsticks or spatula on either side of the potato!). Why doesn’t anyone talk about the other things that matter for hasselback success?? Namely:

1. Fanning is key! For good hasselback potatoes, you need the slices to fan out as they bake so you can drip salty oil/fat between the slices and crispy edges. Without fanning, you end up with regular old roast spuds!

2. For fanning, you need thin slices (2mm is ideal), to cut down far enough (1cm / 0.4″ from base) and oval shaped potatoes work better than round ones. If you don’t cut down far enough, you will not get fanning! And thick slices don’t fan as well as thin slices (you can see in my photos the thin ones fan out more).

3. Basting is also key. Baste, baste, baste to encourage fanning (dragging the brush across the surface helps separate the slices) and to drip tasty salted oil between the potato slices.

And with that, let’s get onto what you want to know – how to make great hasselback potatoes!

What you need

You really only need potatoes, oil and salt to make hasselback potatoes. Garlic and rosemary are optional, but they do infuse the oil with lovely flavour that gets brushed onto the potato.

• Potato type – All-rounder and floury / starchy potatoes are best. The most common potatoes at regular stores will be fine – they’re stocked because they’re great all-rounders.

  Australia – Sebago (the dirt brushed potatoes sold everywhere) are perfect, Desiree are great too. US: Yukon Gold, russet, UK: Maris piper, King Edward.

  Waxy potatoes do work, but the cut surface gets kind of slippery which doesn’t really appeal to me.

• Potato size and shape – Look for potatoes around 250g/8oz that are a nice even oval shape rather than round. These will fan out better to allow the oil and salt to drip between the slices.

  If the potatoes are too small (like baby potatoes) then the inside will get too soft before the edges crisp up. And while in theory, you can make much larger ones, it will be a little harder to get the inside cooked without the edges of the thin slices burning.

• Garlic and rosemary are optional. These infuse the oil with a little flavour which is then brushed onto the potatoes. But the flavour is subtle.

• Olive oil – You can make hasselback potatoes with any fat, though oils will make the potatoes crisper than butter (because butter contains ~20% water). So if you do want to use some melted butter for brushing, I’d recommend still using olive oil for most of the baking time then use butter towards the end.

The easiest way to cut hasselback potatoes

So here’s a step by step of my easy way to cut hasselback potatoes – by using a spatula or chopsticks which makes it impossible to accidentally cut all the way through. But, as noted above, it’s also important to ensure you cut through enough, to allow the potatoes to fan out. So make sure your spatula / chopstick is no thicker than 1cm / 0.4″!

1. Stable base – Firstly, cut a thin slice off the base so the potato will sit flat and stable.

2. Cutting guide – Place the potato between the hands of 2 spatulas or chopsticks (or similar), no thicker than 1cm / 0.4″.

3. In action! See? See how the spatula stops the knife from cutting all the way through? Perfect!

   Slice THINLY – Aim for 2mm slices. Thin slices = fans out when baking = crispy edges and getting oil / salt between the slices! (Cutting through far enough is also key to this).

4. Hasselbacked – Here it is! Run your fingers across the surface and admire your handiwork!

Wonky cuts? Accidentally cut all the way through? Who cares! It’s still going to be delicious – and still going to trump regular plain boring roast spuds.

Baking hasselback potatoes

Cutting part done – time to bake. This part is easy, but the basting steps are critical!

1. Rub with a little oil (just 1 1/2 teaspoons shared between all 5) then salt. Not much at this stage!

2. Bake 1 – Bake at 200°C/400°F (180°C fan) for 30 minutes. This first bake is to get the potato slices to start opening up so we can get salt and oil in between.

3. Oil & salt – Then pour 1/4 cup olive oil over the potatoes and sprinkle with salt. Only so much will fall between the slices at this stage, we will coax more flavour in when we baste!

4. Bake 2 – Return to the oven with the garlic and the rosemary for a further 40 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through, basting with the oil on the tray every 10 minutes (see below). The bake time will be shorter if you use smaller potatoes (I use 250g/8oz).

5. Basting – For the basting, squidge a brush into the oil on the tray.

6. Brush with intention! Then drag the brush across the surface of the potato, using a little pressure to coax the potato slices apart so salty oil drips down between the slices. Basting is key for hasselback awesomeness, so don’t shortcut this step!

7. Golden crispness! Crank up the oven to 220°C/425°F (200°C). Then return the potatoes into the oven or a further 10 to 15 minutes to make them extra golden and crispy on the edges.

8. Sprinkle with a little salt flakes if you want (I want!) then devour while hot and crispy.

And with that, I have imparted all my hasselback making learnings to you.

Serve while hot and crispy, with a sprinkle of salt flakes and some fresh rosemary sprigs for decoration, if so desired. And while leftovers will keep for a few days, there really is nothing like hasselbacks fresh out of the oven! – Nagi x

Watch how to make it

Accidentally threw the garlic and rosemary onto the tray at the beginning instead of partway through! Best to add at the 30 minute mark, otherwise they get very, very toasted. (aka. burnt)

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Hasselback potatoes

Recipe video above. Soft on the inside and crispy on the edges, brushed with garlic rosemary olive oil! Hasselback success relies on thin slices so they fan out as they bake, allowing oil and salt to drip in between with crispy edges. Otherwise, they end up like regular roast spuds!

Making sure you cut through enough and using oval shaped spuds also help to ensure they fan out properly.

Worried about your knife skills? Don't! So what if your slices are irregular or a little too thick? Wonky hasselbacks still trump regular roast spuds every day of the week.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine swedish, Western

Keyword hasselback potatoes

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 20 minutes minutes

Servings 5 – 6

Author Nagi

Ingredients

• 5 – 6 x 250g / 8oz potatoes , oval shaped regular or floury, scrubbed clean (Aus: Sebago (dirt brushed), desiree, US: Yukon Gold, russet, UK: Maris piper, King Edward, Note 1)
• 1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt

Basting:

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt (Note 2)
• 4 garlic cloves , skin on, smashed (optional) (Note 3)
• 3 rosemary sprigs (optional but recommended) (Note 3)

Instructions

Shortform recipe:

• Hasselback slice 2mm thick. Rub/sprinkle with 1 1/2 tsp oil and 1/4 tsp salt.
• Bake 200°C/400°F (180°C fan) for 30 min. Pour over oil, sprinkle with salt, throw garlic and rosemary on tray. Bake further 40 min, basting generously every 10 min (getting oil between slices key), until cooked. Crank up to 220°C/425°F (200°C fan), baste, bake 10 – 15 min until extra golden.

Full recipe:

• Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced).
• Cut prep – Cut a thin slice off the base of a potato to make it sit flat while cutting. Place the potato between 2 wooden spatulas or chopsticks (no thicker than 1cm / 0.4" – Note 4), to make it impossible for you to accidentally cut all the way through!
• THIN slices – Cut the potato into very thin slices, aiming for 2 mm. The cuts on the edges of the potato can be slightly thicker as the edges bake up crisper. (Note 4 for tips)
• Rub – Drizzle each potato the 1 1/2 tsp oil then sprinkle/rub with the 1/4 tsp salt (ie share across all).

Baking:

• Bake 1 – Place the potatoes on a tray. Bake for 30 minutes, then remove from oven.
• Baste 1 – The potato slices should be slightly less "stuck" together at this stage. Pour the 1/4 cup olive oil over the potatoes then sprinkle the salt evenly over. The salt gets spread later, so don't worry if it looks like a lot! Throw the garlic and rosemary on the tray.
• Baking/basting – Bake the potatoes for another 40 minutes, basting with the oil on the tray every 10 minutes. Brush with a bit of pressure across the surface of the potatoes to encourage the oil and salt to drip down. Once oil gets between the slices, they will fan out more and more.
• CRISP IT! – Once the potatoes are soft in the centre (check with knife), turn the oven UP to 220°C/425°F (200°C). Baste the potatoes again then bake for a further 10 – 15 minutes until the edges are nice and golden. I am quite bold with this step, many others do not seek as much crispy edges.
• Serve immediately while hot and the edges are crispy! Peeling off those end bits are the BEST.

Notes

1. Potatoes – All-rounder and floury / starchy potatoes are best. The most common potatoes at regular stores will be fine – they’re stocked because they’re great all-rounders. Oval shape fans out better than round ones.

Australia – Sebago (the dirt brushed potatoes sold everywhere) are perfect, Desiree are great too. US: Yukon Gold, russet, UK: Maris piper, King Edward.

2. Salt – it will look like a lot when you sprinkle but it gets spread when basting, all over the potato and between the slices. 

3. Smash garlic by putting side of knife against it and hitting with palm of hand to make it burst open but mostly hold together. Releases garlic flavour into oil without ending up with lots of burnt black bits.

No herbs? Still worth making as the flavour is subtle. Thyme or sage would also work well. But, use fresh! Little bits of dry herbs will just burn.

4. Hasselback success relies on thin slices so they fan out more as they bake so salty oil drips down between the slices and you get crispy edges. Ensuring you cut through enough also factors into this (hence why I say the spatula / chopstick should not be thicker than 1cm / 0.4″).

But don’t fret if you are struggling! You can coax them open when basting – just apply a little pressure as you brush across the top and it will coax them open slightly. Last resort – use a butter knife to pry them open. Once a little oil gets between two slices of potato, it prevents them from sticking together again.

5. Leftovers will keep for 3 days but they will not be like the golden crispy masterpiece that you pulled hot out of the oven.

6. Nutrition per serving, takes into account an estimation of the oil remaining on the tray.

Life of Dozer

12 month anniversary of Dinner. What a ride it’s been! Thank you for being a part of it. None of this would have been possible without you! – Nagi & Dozer x

(PS Yes that’s a smear of flour on the side of my face. OF COURSE.)

And the only thing Dozer cares about is whether there’s anything edible in this enormous, most obnoxious bunch of flowers my publisher Pan Macmillan sent me to celebrate the day!!

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