HUNGOVER + HUNGRY

Has being on lockdown put you in a state of permanent couch-bound relaxation? Or are the rations getting low, forcing you into potato-based nourishment? Whatever the case, these recipes are sure to see you and the rest of the flat/family through these dark times by making use of nature’s swiss-army knife. The potato.

Baked Potato

Ingredients:

4 large clean Potatoes or Kumaras

200ml of Sour Cream

Salt and Oil

Filling:

50g cheese, grated

4 rashers of bacon, cooked and chopped

4 spring onions, thinly sliced

And anything else you’ve got lying around. We suggest using those cans of baked beans that have been sitting in the cupboard for months.

Method:

Heat oven to 220C

Rub 2 tsp olive oil over 4 large baking potatoes and put on the top shelf of the oven.

Bake for 20 mins, then turn down the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5 and bake for 45 mins-1 hr until the skin is crisp and the flesh soft.

Cut the top off,

Take out some of the potato filling and mix with bacon, cheese and spring onion. Fill potato with mix and add sour cream and your favourite toppings such as sweet chilli sauce.

Hash Stack

Ingredients:

4 cups loosely packed finely grated potato

 – (3 potatoes yield ~ 4 cups)

1 medium shallot, very thinly sliced

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley (or other herb of choice)

1/2 cup corn

2 Tbsp melted butter

1 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch (for binding)

1/2 tsp each sea salt and black pepper

Method:

Preheat oven to 190 C. Generously grease a standard muffin tin with oil of choice, otherwise, the potatoes will stick.

Add finely grated potatoes to a large mixing bowl with shallot, parsley, corn, melted butter, cornstarch, salt and pepper and stir to thoroughly combine.

Divide mixture evenly between 12 muffin tins, filling each tin with about 1/4 cup of the potato mixture. Press down gently to form. Sprinkle the tops with a pinch more salt and pepper and bake for 20 minutes.

At the 20-minute mark, increase oven temperature to 220 C and bake for 10-12 minutes more, or until the tops appear golden brown, and the edges are dark golden brown.

Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes, then loosen the sides with a butter knife and gently lift out with a fork. Serve immediately as is or with a sauce of your choice.

Potato Bake 

Ingredients:

2 kilograms of all-purpose Potatoes

300 grams of Sour Cream

250 grams of grated cheese

Salt and Pepper

Olive oil spray, for greasing

Method:

Preheat the oven to 175°C. 

Slice the potatoes as thin as you can. 

Transfer the potato slices to a large bowl, sprinkle over the salt then pour over boiling water to cover. Wearing rubber gloves, spend a moment separating the potatoes so that they don’t stick together. Set aside.

Line an ovenproof dish with baking paper and give the paper a spray with oil.

Drain the potatoes in a colander, then return them to the bowl and pour over freshly boiled water. Leave the potatoes to sit in the water for 4 minutes, then drain them very well and return them to the empty bowl. 

Add the sour cream and half the cheese, season lightly and toss together well to coat the potato slices evenly.

Arrange potato slices in the prepared dish. Spread them out evenly by feeling how they sit in the tray with your fingers and rearranging as necessary. Top with the remaining cheese, transfer to the oven and bake for at least 45 minutes, or until its bubbling and looking golden and delicious on top.