The potato (and its sweet distant cousin) may not be the sexiest of foods, but they deliver. Try these sensational recipes for Indian veg burgers, hash, and even a passionfruit cake
*Chips 'n' gravy*
An upgraded version of chips and gravy with a piccalilli element thrown in.
Serves 4
*4 large baking potatoes, preferably maris pipers*
*Sunflower oil, for deep frying*
For the gravy
*20g butter*
*100g button onions, peeled*
*2 small carrots, sliced*
*¼ cauliflower, broken into small florets*
*2 tsp sugar*
*700ml vegetable stock*
*50ml red wine*
*1 tsp cornflour*
*Salt and black pepper*
*1 tsp Marmite*
*½ tsp English mustard*
*1 *Peel the potatoes then cut into chips. Soak in cold water for a few hours, or overnight if you can, as this will improve the crispness.
*2* Add sunflower oil to a deep fat fryer, or fill a large saucepan a third full. Drain the chips and pat dry on a towel, to prevent the hot oil splashing. Carefully add the chips to the oil and fry for around 10 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Keep them warm while you make the gravy.
*3* Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the vegetables and sugar, and cook until brown.
*4* Next, add the stock and red wine, then cook until the vegetables are just tender. Mix the cornflour with a little water and add to the gravy to thicken. Finish with the Marmite and mustard, then season.* *
*5 *Sprinkle salt on chips and serve with gravy.
Recipe supplied by Andrew Dargue, Little Orchard, orchard-kitchen.co.uk
*Tartiflette*
An amazingly tasty and satisfying dish that is made only with potatoes, reblochon cheese, creme fraiche and lardons.
Serves 3-4
*5-6 fluffy potatoes, peeled*
*200g pancetta*
*3-4 tbsp creme fraiche*
*200-250g reblochon cheese, halved*
*A pinch of salt*
*1* Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Meanwhile, in a big saucepan, bring the water to the boil, add the salt and the potatoes. Boil for about 8 minutes or until soft. Set aside to cool. When they're cold enough to handle, roughly slice the potatoes and put aside.
*2* Fry the pancetta over a medium heat for about 3-4 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the heat.
*3* Arrange the potatoes to cover the surface of a 20cm x 14cm or similar-sized baking dish. Add the pancetta. Layer with more potatoes then add the creme fraiche. Make sure it is well distributed. Finally, top with reblochon cheese. Put in the oven and bake for about 25- 30 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt. Once cooked, set to grill for 5 minutes to get a more crunchy cheese layer, if desired.
Recipe supplied by Leemei Tan, mycookinghut.com
*Batata vada pav (Indian potato burger)*
The Indian burger, or batata vada pav, is the ultimate street food. Around 200,000 of these are sold every day in Mumbai.
Serves 2
*1 tbsp butter*
*1 tsp mustard seeds*
*2-4 curry leaves, torn*
*1 tsp grated ginger*
*½ onion, chopped*
*1 tsp chopped green chilli*
*120g potatoes, cooked then roughly mashed*
*Salt*
*½ tsp turmeric*
*Red chilli to taste*
*1 tsp chaat masala*
*Vegetable oil, for frying*
For the batter
*30g chickpea (gram) flour*
*1 pinch turmeric*
*1 pinch red chilli*
*Salt to taste*
To serve
*2 burger buns*
*1 tbsp butter*
*1 tbsp coriander and mint green chutney*
*1 tbsp tamarind chutney*
*1* Heat half the butter in a pan, add the mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Add the curry leaves.
*2* Add the ginger, onion and green chillies, and fry until fragrant. Add the mashed potato and the rest of the burger ingredients and mix well. Shape the mix into two dumplings and set them aside.
*3* For the batter, add all the ingredients and enough water to reach a pouring consistency.
*4* Dip the dumplings in the batter and deep fry until golden brown. Cut the burger buns from the middle, heat the rest of the butter in a pan and grill the buns. Put the dumplings in the buns and serve hot with the chutneys.
Recipe supplied by Sanjay Kaul, Chor Bizarre Restaurant
*Za'atar spiced sweet potato soup with chilli yoghurt*
This comforting winter soup has an exotic twist with the addition of za'atar – a Middle Eastern herb mix – and a punchy, chilli-spiked yoghurt dolloped into the soup just before serving. Lightly caramelising the sweet potato first adds a lovely depth of flavour that you won't get from just boiling them.
Serves 4
*Olive oil, for cooking*
*1 large sweet potato or two smaller sweet ones, peeled and evenly diced*
*1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped*
*1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped*
*2 tsp za'atar mix (available from supermarkets)*
*750ml-1.25 litres chicken or vegetable stock (homemade is best)*
*1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped*
*4 tbsp thick, natural Greek yoghurt*
*Salt and black pepper*
*1* Set a large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat and add a glug of olive oil. Add the sweet potato and cook for a few minutes to lightly caramelise, stirring as you go. Season the potato and then add the shallot, garlic and za'atar. Cook for a few more minutes on a low heat while continuing to stir.
*2* Pour the stock on top, bring to the boil and then turn down to a simmer. Cook the potatoes until they are nice and tender.
*3* Spoon the potato and stock into a blender and blitz until smooth. It should be nice and thick, but pourable; if not, add more stock. Season the soup to taste and keep hot. Mix the chilli with the yoghurt and season to taste, then serve.
Recipe supplied by Ben Tish, saltyardgroup.co.uk
*Gluten-free passion fruit and lime drizzle cake*
Who'd have thought that mashed potato could make a really good gluten-free cake? Dense and light all at once, while also being deliciously moist and very moreish.
Serves 6-8
*150g butter, very soft*
*150g soft light brown sugar*
*2 large eggs, lightly beaten*
*2 passion fruit, pulp scooped*
*Zest of 2 limes*
*300g cold mashed potato*
*200g ground almonds*
*2 tsp baking powder (gluten free)*
For the topping
*175g icing sugar, sifted*
*Juice of 1-2 limes*
*1 passion fruit, pulp scooped*
*1* Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Grease and line the base of a 20cm-diameter springform cake tin.
*2 *Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then gradually beat the egg into the mix. Stir through the passion fruit pulp, lime zest and mashed potato until you have a smooth batter, free from any lumps of mashed potato. Fold through the ground almonds and baking powder.
*3* Transfer the batter to the prepared tin, bake for 1¼ hours, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. If the cake is turning too dark, cover loosely with a piece of kitchen foil. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, run a knife around the edge of the cake to release the sides, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
*4* For the topping, put the sugar, lime and passion fruit in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stir until the sugar dissolves and the icing is glossy. Work quickly so that the icing doesn't set in the bowl, then spoon it over the cake, allowing it to trickle down the sides. The icing will set as it hits the cake.
Recipe supplied by Rosie Reynolds
*Potato and cheese pierogi*
These central and eastern European dumplings are traditionally stuffed with a range of fillings, from potatoes and cheese to sauerkraut, or even prunes (the prune version being a sweet, dessert‑style peirogi).
Serves 2-4
For the filling
*1 medium russet potato*
*50g cheddar, grated*
*50g cottage cheese*
*1 onion, sliced then caramelised in 2 tbsp butter*
*Salt and black pepper*
*4 tbsp butter, for frying*
* *For the dough
*260g flour*
*½ tsp salt*
*2 eggs*
*1 tbsp vegetable oil*
*4-5 tbsp water, or as needed to bring the dough together*
*1* Peel, then boil, the potato until tender, then mash with the cheese, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and chill until cool.
*2* Meanwhile, prepare the dough by pulsing everything apart from the water together in a food processor, or by mixing by hand in a bowl. Stream in just enough water to get it to pull together into a soft, workable dough. Wrap it in clingfilm and let it rest for about 30 minutes. This will let the gluten relax and make the dough easier to work with.
*3* Roll out the dough to 5mm thick, then cut circles and top with a dollop of potato filling. Pull the dough around the filling and pinch it together at the top, then work around the edges. You might find it easier to work with less filling at first, but try to gradually work up to nice, plump pierogi. The dough should be elastic enough to do so.
*4* You can either freeze them or boil right away. Simply cook until they float and the dough is cooked through – this may only take 3-5 minutes, but it will depend on how thick you roll out your dough. Drain and brown in butter. You can enjoy them with caramelised onions or even a dollop of sour cream.
Recipe supplied by Sasha Martin, globaltableadventure.com
*Merguez sausage and sweet potato hash*
This unusual take on hash is quick to rustle up. You can also try it using whatever sausages or potatoes you happen to have.
Serves 4
*Olive oil*
*450g merguez sausages, casings removed*
*1 medium onion, finely diced*
*2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes*
*1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary*
*Salt and black pepper*
*1* Put 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a heavy pan and set over a medium-high heat. When the oil starts to simmer, add the sausage meat and break it up with a wooden spoon. Fry, stirring occasionally, until the merguez is evenly browned, which should take about 5 minutes.
*2* Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set it aside in a bowl. Add enough oil to the pan so that you have about 3 tbsp fat. Add the onion and sweet potatoes to the pan, along with a pinch of salt. Fry the onions and potatoes, turning gently every once in a while but not too often (you don't want to break up the potatoes once they start to soften).
*3* Once the onion and potato are softened and richly caramelised, which takes around 6-8 minutes, add the rosemary and a few grinds of pepper, stir through gently and cook for another minute or two. Fold in the merguez, and cook for another minute or so to heat through. Serve immediately, topped with an egg or a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche.
Recipe supplied by Merrill Stubbs, food52.com
*Harissa potato salad*
A touch of harissa will liven up all sorts of soups and stews, or even a creamy potato salad such as this. Use the best quality shop-bought paste you can find, or make your own.
* *Serves 4
*6 medium waxy potatoes*
*1 tbsp capers, chopped*
*4 whole spring onions, finely chopped*
For the mayonnaise
*75ml extra virgin olive oil*
*75ml vegetable oil*
*2 egg yolks*
*1 garlic clove crushed with ½ tsp salt*
*Juice of 1 lemon*
*1 tbsp harissa paste*
*Salt and pepper*
*1* Steam the potatoes while still whole and unpeeled, until tender, and while they are cooking, make the mayonnaise.
*2* Combine the olive and vegetable oils. Whisk the egg yolks well with the crushed garlic. Very gradually whisk in the oil, drop by drop, making sure each amount is thoroughly incorporated before adding the next drop. Once the mixture has thickened to a stiff paste, thin it with half the lemon juice. Continue to add the oil slowly, until all has been incorporated. Taste and adjust the seasonings and add the remaining lemon juice. Then stir in the harissa paste.
*3* Peel the potatoes while they are still warm and cut them into 2cm dice. Mix them with the capers, spring onions and mayonnaise, thinned with a little cream if desired. Season with salt and pepper.
Arabesque by Greg and Lucy Malouf (Hardie Grant)
*Cardamom-mashed sweet potato with pepper relish*
This mash would also be lovely served with an onion gravy. Make the relish well in advance.
Serves 4-6
*250g sweet potatoes*
*250g sweetcorn kernels*
*175g shelled fresh peas*
*250g spinach*
*45g butter*
*1 large onion, sliced*
*1 tsp ground cardamom seeds*
*Salt and black pepper*
*1 tsp honey*
For the relish
*3 garlic cloves*
*3 fresh red chillies*
*4 tomatoes*
*1 onion, chopped*
*1 large red pepper, deseeded and chopped*
*Handful of fresh parsley*
*Juice of 1 lemon*
*Salt and black pepper*
*1* Make the relish well beforehand. In a food processor, blend together all the ingredients with 2 tbsp water and seasoning to taste. Set aside, preferably in the fridge, and leave as long as you can so the flavours develop.
*2* Cook the sweet potatoes in boiling salted water until they have become soft enough to mash. Drain.
*3* Cook the corn and peas in boiling salted water until tender. Just before the end of cooking, add the spinach to wilt it briefly. Drain.
*4* Melt the butter in a heavy pan, then fry the onion until it is well caramelised. Combine the sweet potatoes and the onion, sprinkle with cardamom, salt and pepper and mash, adding more butter if desired. Add the other vegetables and mix in the honey. Serve hot, with the relish and a green salad.
World Food Café: Vegetarian Bible by Chris and Carolyn Caldicott (Frances Lincoln)
*Sweet potato and chocolate squares*
This is great for a small dessert after a big meal as it has all the flavours of classic sweet potato pie, but in a bite-sized portion.
Makes 12 squares For the crust
*110g digestive biscuits*
*50g finely ground pecans or other nuts*
*1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger*
*55g brown sugar*
*¼ tsp salt*
*70g unsalted butter, melted*
*½ tsp vanilla extract*
For the chocolate filling
*80ml double cream*
*115g dark chocolate, roughly chopped*
For the sweet potato filling
*250g sweet potato, boiled and pureed*
*2 large eggs, slightly beaten*
*½ tsp salt*
*1 tsp ground cinnamon*
*1 pinch ground cloves*
*60g dark brown sugar*
*50g granulated sugar*
*240ml milk*
*120ml double cream*
For the chocolate topping (optional)
*240ml double cream*
*1 tsp icing sugar*
*½ tsp vanilla extract*
*A handful of pecan halves, for garnish*
*1* Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
*2* Make the crust: in a bowl, combine the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Press the mixture into a 22cm-square baking dish or pan, pressing the crust 25mm up the sides. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Keep the oven heated.
*3* Next the chocolate filling. In a saucepan, combine the cream and chocolate. Cook over a low heat, stirring until the chocolate is melted and completely combined with the cream. Pour the mixture over the crust; tilt and gently shake the dish to spread the mixture evenly. Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes before adding the potato filling.
*4* In a bowl, combine the sweet potato filling ingredients and mix well.
*5* Gently pour the sweet potato mixture over the chocolate layer. Place the baking dish on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the outer 25mm appears set; the centre should still wiggle slightly when shaken. Set aside to cool, then refrigerate until fully chilled.
*6* Slice with a clean knife into even squares, wiping the knife clean before each cut.
*7* For the topping (optional), whip the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl until soft peaks form. Garnish the squares with the whipped cream and pecans, if you like.
Bountiful by Todd Porter and Diane Cu (Stewart, Tabori and Chang) Reported by guardian.co.uk 18 hours ago.
*Chips 'n' gravy*
An upgraded version of chips and gravy with a piccalilli element thrown in.
Serves 4
*4 large baking potatoes, preferably maris pipers*
*Sunflower oil, for deep frying*
For the gravy
*20g butter*
*100g button onions, peeled*
*2 small carrots, sliced*
*¼ cauliflower, broken into small florets*
*2 tsp sugar*
*700ml vegetable stock*
*50ml red wine*
*1 tsp cornflour*
*Salt and black pepper*
*1 tsp Marmite*
*½ tsp English mustard*
*1 *Peel the potatoes then cut into chips. Soak in cold water for a few hours, or overnight if you can, as this will improve the crispness.
*2* Add sunflower oil to a deep fat fryer, or fill a large saucepan a third full. Drain the chips and pat dry on a towel, to prevent the hot oil splashing. Carefully add the chips to the oil and fry for around 10 minutes, until golden and cooked through. Keep them warm while you make the gravy.
*3* Melt the butter in a saucepan, then add the vegetables and sugar, and cook until brown.
*4* Next, add the stock and red wine, then cook until the vegetables are just tender. Mix the cornflour with a little water and add to the gravy to thicken. Finish with the Marmite and mustard, then season.* *
*5 *Sprinkle salt on chips and serve with gravy.
Recipe supplied by Andrew Dargue, Little Orchard, orchard-kitchen.co.uk
*Tartiflette*
An amazingly tasty and satisfying dish that is made only with potatoes, reblochon cheese, creme fraiche and lardons.
Serves 3-4
*5-6 fluffy potatoes, peeled*
*200g pancetta*
*3-4 tbsp creme fraiche*
*200-250g reblochon cheese, halved*
*A pinch of salt*
*1* Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Meanwhile, in a big saucepan, bring the water to the boil, add the salt and the potatoes. Boil for about 8 minutes or until soft. Set aside to cool. When they're cold enough to handle, roughly slice the potatoes and put aside.
*2* Fry the pancetta over a medium heat for about 3-4 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the heat.
*3* Arrange the potatoes to cover the surface of a 20cm x 14cm or similar-sized baking dish. Add the pancetta. Layer with more potatoes then add the creme fraiche. Make sure it is well distributed. Finally, top with reblochon cheese. Put in the oven and bake for about 25- 30 minutes or until the cheese starts to melt. Once cooked, set to grill for 5 minutes to get a more crunchy cheese layer, if desired.
Recipe supplied by Leemei Tan, mycookinghut.com
*Batata vada pav (Indian potato burger)*
The Indian burger, or batata vada pav, is the ultimate street food. Around 200,000 of these are sold every day in Mumbai.
Serves 2
*1 tbsp butter*
*1 tsp mustard seeds*
*2-4 curry leaves, torn*
*1 tsp grated ginger*
*½ onion, chopped*
*1 tsp chopped green chilli*
*120g potatoes, cooked then roughly mashed*
*Salt*
*½ tsp turmeric*
*Red chilli to taste*
*1 tsp chaat masala*
*Vegetable oil, for frying*
For the batter
*30g chickpea (gram) flour*
*1 pinch turmeric*
*1 pinch red chilli*
*Salt to taste*
To serve
*2 burger buns*
*1 tbsp butter*
*1 tbsp coriander and mint green chutney*
*1 tbsp tamarind chutney*
*1* Heat half the butter in a pan, add the mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Add the curry leaves.
*2* Add the ginger, onion and green chillies, and fry until fragrant. Add the mashed potato and the rest of the burger ingredients and mix well. Shape the mix into two dumplings and set them aside.
*3* For the batter, add all the ingredients and enough water to reach a pouring consistency.
*4* Dip the dumplings in the batter and deep fry until golden brown. Cut the burger buns from the middle, heat the rest of the butter in a pan and grill the buns. Put the dumplings in the buns and serve hot with the chutneys.
Recipe supplied by Sanjay Kaul, Chor Bizarre Restaurant
*Za'atar spiced sweet potato soup with chilli yoghurt*
This comforting winter soup has an exotic twist with the addition of za'atar – a Middle Eastern herb mix – and a punchy, chilli-spiked yoghurt dolloped into the soup just before serving. Lightly caramelising the sweet potato first adds a lovely depth of flavour that you won't get from just boiling them.
Serves 4
*Olive oil, for cooking*
*1 large sweet potato or two smaller sweet ones, peeled and evenly diced*
*1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped*
*1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped*
*2 tsp za'atar mix (available from supermarkets)*
*750ml-1.25 litres chicken or vegetable stock (homemade is best)*
*1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped*
*4 tbsp thick, natural Greek yoghurt*
*Salt and black pepper*
*1* Set a large, heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat and add a glug of olive oil. Add the sweet potato and cook for a few minutes to lightly caramelise, stirring as you go. Season the potato and then add the shallot, garlic and za'atar. Cook for a few more minutes on a low heat while continuing to stir.
*2* Pour the stock on top, bring to the boil and then turn down to a simmer. Cook the potatoes until they are nice and tender.
*3* Spoon the potato and stock into a blender and blitz until smooth. It should be nice and thick, but pourable; if not, add more stock. Season the soup to taste and keep hot. Mix the chilli with the yoghurt and season to taste, then serve.
Recipe supplied by Ben Tish, saltyardgroup.co.uk
*Gluten-free passion fruit and lime drizzle cake*
Who'd have thought that mashed potato could make a really good gluten-free cake? Dense and light all at once, while also being deliciously moist and very moreish.
Serves 6-8
*150g butter, very soft*
*150g soft light brown sugar*
*2 large eggs, lightly beaten*
*2 passion fruit, pulp scooped*
*Zest of 2 limes*
*300g cold mashed potato*
*200g ground almonds*
*2 tsp baking powder (gluten free)*
For the topping
*175g icing sugar, sifted*
*Juice of 1-2 limes*
*1 passion fruit, pulp scooped*
*1* Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Grease and line the base of a 20cm-diameter springform cake tin.
*2 *Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then gradually beat the egg into the mix. Stir through the passion fruit pulp, lime zest and mashed potato until you have a smooth batter, free from any lumps of mashed potato. Fold through the ground almonds and baking powder.
*3* Transfer the batter to the prepared tin, bake for 1¼ hours, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. If the cake is turning too dark, cover loosely with a piece of kitchen foil. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, run a knife around the edge of the cake to release the sides, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
*4* For the topping, put the sugar, lime and passion fruit in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stir until the sugar dissolves and the icing is glossy. Work quickly so that the icing doesn't set in the bowl, then spoon it over the cake, allowing it to trickle down the sides. The icing will set as it hits the cake.
Recipe supplied by Rosie Reynolds
*Potato and cheese pierogi*
These central and eastern European dumplings are traditionally stuffed with a range of fillings, from potatoes and cheese to sauerkraut, or even prunes (the prune version being a sweet, dessert‑style peirogi).
Serves 2-4
For the filling
*1 medium russet potato*
*50g cheddar, grated*
*50g cottage cheese*
*1 onion, sliced then caramelised in 2 tbsp butter*
*Salt and black pepper*
*4 tbsp butter, for frying*
* *For the dough
*260g flour*
*½ tsp salt*
*2 eggs*
*1 tbsp vegetable oil*
*4-5 tbsp water, or as needed to bring the dough together*
*1* Peel, then boil, the potato until tender, then mash with the cheese, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and chill until cool.
*2* Meanwhile, prepare the dough by pulsing everything apart from the water together in a food processor, or by mixing by hand in a bowl. Stream in just enough water to get it to pull together into a soft, workable dough. Wrap it in clingfilm and let it rest for about 30 minutes. This will let the gluten relax and make the dough easier to work with.
*3* Roll out the dough to 5mm thick, then cut circles and top with a dollop of potato filling. Pull the dough around the filling and pinch it together at the top, then work around the edges. You might find it easier to work with less filling at first, but try to gradually work up to nice, plump pierogi. The dough should be elastic enough to do so.
*4* You can either freeze them or boil right away. Simply cook until they float and the dough is cooked through – this may only take 3-5 minutes, but it will depend on how thick you roll out your dough. Drain and brown in butter. You can enjoy them with caramelised onions or even a dollop of sour cream.
Recipe supplied by Sasha Martin, globaltableadventure.com
*Merguez sausage and sweet potato hash*
This unusual take on hash is quick to rustle up. You can also try it using whatever sausages or potatoes you happen to have.
Serves 4
*Olive oil*
*450g merguez sausages, casings removed*
*1 medium onion, finely diced*
*2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼-inch cubes*
*1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary*
*Salt and black pepper*
*1* Put 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a heavy pan and set over a medium-high heat. When the oil starts to simmer, add the sausage meat and break it up with a wooden spoon. Fry, stirring occasionally, until the merguez is evenly browned, which should take about 5 minutes.
*2* Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set it aside in a bowl. Add enough oil to the pan so that you have about 3 tbsp fat. Add the onion and sweet potatoes to the pan, along with a pinch of salt. Fry the onions and potatoes, turning gently every once in a while but not too often (you don't want to break up the potatoes once they start to soften).
*3* Once the onion and potato are softened and richly caramelised, which takes around 6-8 minutes, add the rosemary and a few grinds of pepper, stir through gently and cook for another minute or two. Fold in the merguez, and cook for another minute or so to heat through. Serve immediately, topped with an egg or a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche.
Recipe supplied by Merrill Stubbs, food52.com
*Harissa potato salad*
A touch of harissa will liven up all sorts of soups and stews, or even a creamy potato salad such as this. Use the best quality shop-bought paste you can find, or make your own.
* *Serves 4
*6 medium waxy potatoes*
*1 tbsp capers, chopped*
*4 whole spring onions, finely chopped*
For the mayonnaise
*75ml extra virgin olive oil*
*75ml vegetable oil*
*2 egg yolks*
*1 garlic clove crushed with ½ tsp salt*
*Juice of 1 lemon*
*1 tbsp harissa paste*
*Salt and pepper*
*1* Steam the potatoes while still whole and unpeeled, until tender, and while they are cooking, make the mayonnaise.
*2* Combine the olive and vegetable oils. Whisk the egg yolks well with the crushed garlic. Very gradually whisk in the oil, drop by drop, making sure each amount is thoroughly incorporated before adding the next drop. Once the mixture has thickened to a stiff paste, thin it with half the lemon juice. Continue to add the oil slowly, until all has been incorporated. Taste and adjust the seasonings and add the remaining lemon juice. Then stir in the harissa paste.
*3* Peel the potatoes while they are still warm and cut them into 2cm dice. Mix them with the capers, spring onions and mayonnaise, thinned with a little cream if desired. Season with salt and pepper.
Arabesque by Greg and Lucy Malouf (Hardie Grant)
*Cardamom-mashed sweet potato with pepper relish*
This mash would also be lovely served with an onion gravy. Make the relish well in advance.
Serves 4-6
*250g sweet potatoes*
*250g sweetcorn kernels*
*175g shelled fresh peas*
*250g spinach*
*45g butter*
*1 large onion, sliced*
*1 tsp ground cardamom seeds*
*Salt and black pepper*
*1 tsp honey*
For the relish
*3 garlic cloves*
*3 fresh red chillies*
*4 tomatoes*
*1 onion, chopped*
*1 large red pepper, deseeded and chopped*
*Handful of fresh parsley*
*Juice of 1 lemon*
*Salt and black pepper*
*1* Make the relish well beforehand. In a food processor, blend together all the ingredients with 2 tbsp water and seasoning to taste. Set aside, preferably in the fridge, and leave as long as you can so the flavours develop.
*2* Cook the sweet potatoes in boiling salted water until they have become soft enough to mash. Drain.
*3* Cook the corn and peas in boiling salted water until tender. Just before the end of cooking, add the spinach to wilt it briefly. Drain.
*4* Melt the butter in a heavy pan, then fry the onion until it is well caramelised. Combine the sweet potatoes and the onion, sprinkle with cardamom, salt and pepper and mash, adding more butter if desired. Add the other vegetables and mix in the honey. Serve hot, with the relish and a green salad.
World Food Café: Vegetarian Bible by Chris and Carolyn Caldicott (Frances Lincoln)
*Sweet potato and chocolate squares*
This is great for a small dessert after a big meal as it has all the flavours of classic sweet potato pie, but in a bite-sized portion.
Makes 12 squares For the crust
*110g digestive biscuits*
*50g finely ground pecans or other nuts*
*1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger*
*55g brown sugar*
*¼ tsp salt*
*70g unsalted butter, melted*
*½ tsp vanilla extract*
For the chocolate filling
*80ml double cream*
*115g dark chocolate, roughly chopped*
For the sweet potato filling
*250g sweet potato, boiled and pureed*
*2 large eggs, slightly beaten*
*½ tsp salt*
*1 tsp ground cinnamon*
*1 pinch ground cloves*
*60g dark brown sugar*
*50g granulated sugar*
*240ml milk*
*120ml double cream*
For the chocolate topping (optional)
*240ml double cream*
*1 tsp icing sugar*
*½ tsp vanilla extract*
*A handful of pecan halves, for garnish*
*1* Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.
*2* Make the crust: in a bowl, combine the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Press the mixture into a 22cm-square baking dish or pan, pressing the crust 25mm up the sides. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Keep the oven heated.
*3* Next the chocolate filling. In a saucepan, combine the cream and chocolate. Cook over a low heat, stirring until the chocolate is melted and completely combined with the cream. Pour the mixture over the crust; tilt and gently shake the dish to spread the mixture evenly. Set aside to cool for at least 10 minutes before adding the potato filling.
*4* In a bowl, combine the sweet potato filling ingredients and mix well.
*5* Gently pour the sweet potato mixture over the chocolate layer. Place the baking dish on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until the outer 25mm appears set; the centre should still wiggle slightly when shaken. Set aside to cool, then refrigerate until fully chilled.
*6* Slice with a clean knife into even squares, wiping the knife clean before each cut.
*7* For the topping (optional), whip the cream, sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl until soft peaks form. Garnish the squares with the whipped cream and pecans, if you like.
Bountiful by Todd Porter and Diane Cu (Stewart, Tabori and Chang) Reported by guardian.co.uk 18 hours ago.