The Lowly Potato, on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

This morning on CBC's Weekend Morning Show, with host Terry MacLeod, I presented the following potato recipes.  

We have such great varieties of potatoes grown here in Manitoba.  They are all available at the local Farmer's Markets and some stores.

1. Spanish Tapa Potato wedges with roasted garlic dip

3 lb potatoes
2 tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, chopped
2 tsp salt

Roasted Garlic Dip
2 garlic bulbs, roasted
1 tbs olive oil
5 tbs sour cream
4 tbs mayonnaise
hot smoked paprika, to taste
salt

Roast the garlic for 25 minutes at 350ºF until caramelized. Let cool enough to handle. Squeeze out and mash. Mix in a bowl with the sour cream and mayonnaise. Season with salt and paprika. Chill.

For the potatoes, cut each potato half into 3 wedges and place in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, garlic and salt and toss well. Transfer to a roasting pan and arrange in a single layer. Roast for 1- 1/14 hours, or until crisp and golden.

Serve immediately with roasted garlic dip.


5 Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

3-4 potatoes (Icelandic, Yukon, yellow, etc.)
2-3 shallots or yellow onions
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp smoked paprika
2-4 cups milk
1/4 cup butter, cubed
5 cheeses, grated (I used:  1 cup grated smoked Oka, 1 cup grated cave aged Gruyere, 1 cup cut up Brie, 1/4 cup Mascarpone, 1/4 cup chopped Mozzarella)
salt and pepper, to tastes

Using a mandolin or a slicer/food processor, slice onions/shallots and potatoes separately.
Grease a 2-3 l baking dish with butter wrapper.
Layer in 1/3 of the thinly sliced potatoes.  Top with 1/3 of the thinly sliced shallots/onions.  Sprinkle 1/3 of the flour, nutmeg and paprika.  Top with 1/3 of the cheese.
Pour 1/3 of the milk over the potatoes, press down and repeat.

Cover and bake at 350ºF for at least 1 hour.  Let rest for up to 20-30 minutes.  Enjoy!

P.S.  I used Mozzarella that I learned to make.  That is for another time!