Midweek Meals: Five ways to serve up your extra potatoes

Rooster potatoes are in season at the moment. Here are five ways to serve them up - as starters, mains, or a delicious side

Five varied potato recipes for the autumn season

Warm Potato Salad

recipe by:Caitriona Redmond 

The beauty of this recipe is that by cutting the potatoes into small cubes, you can speed up the cooking time for the tasty bites.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 15 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 45 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 4 medium white potatoes, peeled and cubed

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil

• 6 streaky rashers, cut into small pieces

• 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced

• 1 cup of frozen peas

• 1 heaped teaspoon of wholegrain mustard

• 1 tsp of runny honey

• 2 tbsp of vinegar (I like cider or balsamic)

• 2 handfuls of baby spinach and/or rocket

Method

1. Preheat your (fan) oven to 180C.

2. Line a heavy baking tray with non-stick baking parchment. Pour the cubed potatoes and the sunflower oil on top of the parchment and mix together so that the cubes are coated in oil. Put the baking tray in the oven for 15 minutes.

3. After 15 minutes carefully lift out the baking tray and add the rasher pieces and sliced onions. Stir so that they are well combined with the cubed potatoes. Return the tray to the oven.

4. Meanwhile, boil a kettle and pour the boiling water on top of the cup of frozen peas (a quick defrost). Put the mustard, honey, and vinegar into a jar (which comes with a lid). Seal the jar and shake well to combine the dressing.

5. Once the baking tray has been in the oven for 30 minutes in total remove the tray and immediately pour the dressing over the tray and stir straight away.

6. Finally, drain the peas and add them to the baking tray. Serve while still warm.

7. While the leftovers (if you have any) are still warm, stir in the baby leaf spinach and rocket leaves. Decant into a lunchbox and take to work or school the following day!

Leek & Potato Soup

recipe by:Ciara McDonnell

An easy meal - with locally-sourceable ingredients.

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 30 mins

Total Time

 40 mins

Course

 Main

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• 50g butter

• 4 potatoes, peeled and chopped

• 2 onions, sliced

• 4 leeks, washed well and sliced

• 750ml vegetable stock

• 250ml milk

• Salt and pepper

Method

1. Melt the butter and stir in the vegetables. Turn the heat down to low, clamp on a lid and sweat for ten minutes until the vegetables have softened. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a simmer. Bubble gently for fifteen minutes.

2. Stir in the milk and cook for five more minutes. Once cooled slightly blend with an immersion blender or in a jug blender until super smooth. To get ultra-silky soup, blend for at least five minutes - much longer than you may think. Season to taste, with salt and pepper.