My local greengrocer sells a variety of potatoes and my favourite type will largely depend on what I plan to cook, as well as my general mood.
In the summer, I love the bags of new (baby) potatoes, which are delicious steamed with butter or roasted in the oven.
Sometimes, I slice them thinly, toss them in spices and olive oil, wrap them in foil and let them steam on the barbecue. They're very versatile.
Greek flavours are some of my favourites - especially during summer months when tomatoes and cucumbers are tasting extra-nice. A chunky Greek-style salad is a favourite of mine, either served with some grilled chicken with some crusty bread.
In Greek restaurants, you'll often be served a side of lemon and oregano-infused potatoes.
Instead of going down this route, last week I served the Greek salad with smashed new potatoes - lightly boiled potatoes, smashed and placed on a baking sheet and then being baked until crisp.
Chunky Greek salad with crispy smashed potatoes
You can serve the two together as a main or serve both as sides with some marinated grilled chicken. / Janine Kennedy
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1/2 cucumber, seeds removed and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and diced
1 red onion, diced
500g cherry tomatoes, quartered
100g kalamata olives, pits removed and roughly chopped
150g feta cheese, roughly crumbled
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp salt (or to taste)
For the potatoes
1kg new potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
Directions
1 Place the potatoes in a large pot with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until fork tender. Strain and set aside to cool slightly.
2 Make the salad: in a large bowl, add the diced cucumber, red onion, red bell pepper, black olives, cherry tomatoes and feta cheese. Drizzle over the red wine vinegar and add the salt and oregano. Mix lightly and set aside to marinate for 10-15 minutes (it's best eaten on the same day it's made, so I wouldn't recommend making this the day before and keeping in the fridge).
3 Preheat the oven to 190°C. Place some baking parchment on a large baking tray and add the boiled potatoes to the tray. Lightly drizzle half the olive oil over the potatoes (to keep them from sticking) and then, using something with a flat bottom (like a glass or measuring cup), lightly squash each potato to flatten it out a bit.
4 Season the potatoes with salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano and then drizzle over the remaining oil. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until crisp and golden brown in colour.
5 Serve the potatoes with a big serving of salad on top, or serve both as sides with some grilled chicken.
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My local greengrocer sells a variety of potatoes and my favourite type will largely depend on what I plan to cook, as well as my general mood.
In the summer, I love the bags of new (baby) potatoes, which are delicious steamed with butter or roasted in the oven.
Sometimes, I slice them thinly, toss them in spices and olive oil, wrap them in foil and let them steam on the barbecue. They're very versatile.
Greek flavours are some of my favourites - especially during summer months when tomatoes and cucumbers are tasting extra-nice. A chunky Greek-style salad is a favourite of mine, either served with some grilled chicken with some crusty bread.
In Greek restaurants, you'll often be served a side of lemon and oregano-infused potatoes.
Instead of going down this route, last week I served the Greek salad with smashed new potatoes - lightly boiled potatoes, smashed and placed on a baking sheet and then being baked until crisp.
Chunky Greek salad with crispy smashed potatoes
You can serve the two together as a main or serve both as sides with some marinated grilled chicken. / Janine Kennedy
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
1/2 cucumber, seeds removed and diced
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and diced
1 red onion, diced
500g cherry tomatoes, quartered
100g kalamata olives, pits removed and roughly chopped
150g feta cheese, roughly crumbled
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp salt (or to taste)
For the potatoes
1kg new potatoes
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
Directions
1 Place the potatoes in a large pot with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, or until fork tender. Strain and set aside to cool slightly.
2 Make the salad: in a large bowl, add the diced cucumber, red onion, red bell pepper, black olives, cherry tomatoes and feta cheese. Drizzle over the red wine vinegar and add the salt and oregano. Mix lightly and set aside to marinate for 10-15 minutes (it's best eaten on the same day it's made, so I wouldn't recommend making this the day before and keeping in the fridge).
3 Preheat the oven to 190°C. Place some baking parchment on a large baking tray and add the boiled potatoes to the tray. Lightly drizzle half the olive oil over the potatoes (to keep them from sticking) and then, using something with a flat bottom (like a glass or measuring cup), lightly squash each potato to flatten it out a bit.
4 Season the potatoes with salt, pepper, garlic powder and oregano and then drizzle over the remaining oil. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, until crisp and golden brown in colour.
5 Serve the potatoes with a big serving of salad on top, or serve both as sides with some grilled chicken.
Read more
Watch: This peanut noodle salad is full of fresh Thai flavours
Watch: brown bread is different things for different people
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