Here's to fresh new beginnings

 It's a good day in the world today, for reasons I am not allowed to specify, and unrelated to the pouring rain outside or the state of flooding a bit further north of me. I'm not drinking (shaky but persevering with the no booze Mon-Weds rule, unless exceptional reasons, which are happening next Wednesday so can't also happen this), but I'm glad dinner feels vaguely symbolic. It's all green and fresh and tastes of new hope. 

I mean, it's just potatoes and greens, but it doesn't feel like a winter dish while being both possible and weather-appropriate for January. It's an old one from Diana Henry's Food From Plenty, and I return to it often.  

pan of chopped veg with spinach being tipped in
Accidentally an action shot - forgot to take a picture before the spinach went in

Potatoes with greens

  • Small potatoes, halved
  • Leeks in chunks (plenty - about as many by volume as spuds) 
  • Spinach
  • Endive (I used a couple of shredded baby chicory because, well, random supermarket decision)
  • Dill
  • Mint
  • Lemon
  • Garlic
  • Yoghurt
  • Olive oil
  • Seasoning

Start with just oil, spuds and leeks: put them all into a pan with a lid, bring it up to warm, add a splash of water, season, and leave to steam for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a bit more water to stop it sticking and help the steaming. I always worry it'll burn but I've not had a problem so far; except the time I nervously added loads of water which made it all soggy. Don't go in that direction - if worried, go for oil as insurance.

same pan of veg but more cooked down

When the potatoes are pretty soft, put a pack of spinach and some bitter leaves (endive, says the recipe) into the pan, lid back on, cook another 5 minutes. 

Chop the herbs and stir them in at the last minute with a big squeeze of lemon. Serve with garlic yoghurt on the side. 


 

This is such a basic dish and it wins no prizes for looks. But the different taste areas from bitter endive to sweet leek, salt in the seasoning, sharp in the lemon and yoghurt, really balance out. Hot garlic, too, and the potatoes to take the edge off. It just tastes green and good. Which there's not been a lot of lately. (I'm still finishing the orange gloop. Only one more lunch remains, not bad. Definitely time for some green though.)

Right. I'm going to toast democracy in winter special Ritter Sport and the last of my Seville orange possets. A strange statement, but factual.


 

Comments

  1. I think we're all toasting democracy today - doing it with Ritter Sport and orange posset is as good a way as any I can think of.

    ReplyDelete

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