Allotments 4 All

Having been been in Brittany for 2 weeks and arriving home to an allotment full of weeds, it has taken me nearly 2 weeks of graft to get the garden back to something like it should be!

France was great, by the way! Wonderful sea food  :)

Problem is me spuds,  Pentland Crown seem fine...large but not great yield. Maris Piper good yield but full of holes.

Pink Fir Apple...great yield, no damage......but what is the best way to eat them? Tried roasted...not great! Boiled in skins...nice!

Any other suggestions??

I have loads of them, so any tips gratefully received!

Uses for PFAs apart from boiling:

deep fried whole as chips....

bashed (rather than mashed) and drizzled with garlic flavoured olive oil

used in the making of Spanish omelettes

or Christopher Lloyd's recipe for potato salad:

6 medium finely sliced cooked PFA potatoes
1 bunch spring onions or 1-2 shallots, chopped
Dressing:
salt & crushed/freshly ground black peppercorns
1 glass red wine
1 tablespoon wine vinegar
225ml/8fl oz olive oil (at least half extra virgin)
1 small tin of anchovy fillets
a few sprigs each of chervil and parsley, chopped

Put potatoes in a bowl and sprinkle evenly with the spring onions/shallots.  In a separate bowl, combine a dash of salt with the crushed peppercorns, wine, wine vinegar and olive oil, mixing well to form a vinaigrette.

Drain and roughly chop the anchovy fillets and mix them into the vinaigrette.  Add this and the chopped herbs to the potato mixture, turing the ingredients gently.  Marinate for 1 hour at room temperature before serving, or up to 24 hours in the fridge.

Enjoy :)

Ta for the recipe Jill - it sounds lovely  :)

Know what we're having for tea tonight...thanks!! Lottie  ;D

Pink Fir Apple?

My nicest way to eat them is as chips, but I need to watch my weight now so perhaps thats a bad idea. Just think of them as a waxy salad type potato, and treat accordingly.

Mmm, home made potato salad in the middle of winter !

Derekthefox :D

I reckon they do quite a good roast.

However, don't forget that they peel easily after boiling. If you wish.

Forgot to say with the potato salad recipe, slice and dress with the vinaigrette dressing immediately after cooking when still hot, then they absorb more of the flavour.

I love potato salad at any time of the year, Derek ;D

Agree with Tim: better to peel after cooking than before.

Yes Jill, so do I, but what I meant to say was that it is particularly delightful in the winter, reminds me of summer days ...

Derekthefox :D

hehe sorry Derek.  Mistook your mmm.  Thought it was an mmm of disapproval, but it was the mmmmmm......Bisto type of appreciative mmm.  How to differentiate the mmms when posting?.... ;D ;D ;D

Thanks for all your suggestions!!

They really have done well, great yield compared to the rest and no damage at all.

Tim, we tried them roast when we went to my in-laws for sunday dinner last week, and they seemed a bit "tough", for want of a better description?

I thought she had possibly overcooked them, and was quite suprised by the stance she took when I mentioned this  ;D

Don't worry Jill, that is the story of my life, people misunderstanding me ... yes, I think potato salad is an excellent way to present PFA, I like them in thin slices or small pieces...

They are a waxy potato Mothy, they don't tend to soften up when roasted, so your description of 'tough' is quite understandable.

Derekthefox :D

Jenny will excuse me-I hope!!!.

What NOT to do with PFI-from last year-shove them in a paper sack still damp before clearing off to the Brittany border, forget to tell OH, think nothing more for a week or so after returning.

You can guess/smell the rest ;)