Are you looking to make your potatoes a little bit more exciting and more than just an accompaniment?
Well, these recipes from Albert Bartlett’s ambassador, chef Stevie McLaughlin, head chef at Scotland’s only two Michelin Star establishment Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, are just the ticket.
Potato, lamb and whisky stew
(Serves 4)
Ingredients
- 3 trimmed lamb neck fillets cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 lamb stock cube
- 125g pearl barley soaked in cold water overnight and drained
- 8 small Albert Bartlett Apache potatoes cut in half
- 125ml Big Peat Whisky
- 8 turnips, peeled and trimmed
- 12 Chantenay carrots, peeled and trimmed
- 8 button onions, peeled and trimmed
- A handful of chopped parsley
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Put the bite-size lamb pieces into a suitable sized heavy bottomed pot.
- Cover the lamb with cold water and bring quickly to a boil – carefully drain the blanched lamb and discard the water.
- With a clean cloth, wipe the pan clean. Add the blanched lamb back into the pot along with the stock cube, soaked barley, 62.5ml (half) of the whisky and enough cold water to cover the lamb by 4cm approximately.
- Simmer the lamb gently for 50-55 minutes and skim off any froth or fat that may rise to the surface.
- Add the prepared vegetables to the lamb pot and then simmer for a further 25-30 minutes.
- This dish is best enjoyed the day after it is made. Allow the stew to cool a little then keep in the fridge overnight.
- The next day remove the pot from the fridge one hour before serving and on a low heat allow the stew to come to a gentle simmer.
- Add the remaining whisky and a good handful of freshly chopped parsley.
- Correct the seasoning and serve in the pot for family and friends to enjoy together.
Crispy potato dumplings with smoky bacon
(Serves 6)
Ingredients
For the dumplings:
- 5 well-sized Albert Bartlett Original Rooster Potatoes
- 100g plain flour
- 75ml fine polenta
- 25ml grated Parmesan
- Salt and pepper
- Grated nutmeg
- 1 egg and 1 yolk
For the sauce:
- 1½ tbsp Olive Oil
- 300g smoked streaky Ayrshire bacon, chopped
- 50g butter
- 125g sliced mushrooms
- 4 tbsp double cream
- 25g grated Parmesan
Method
- Bake the potatoes in their jackets in a hot oven until tender (200C/180Fan/400F/Gas Mark 6 pre-heated oven for 40-50 minutes with a little olive oil and sea salt). Once the potatoes have baked and cooled, cut in half, scoop out the flesh and pass through a sieve. Weigh out 500g.
- Next, gently mix the flour, polenta and Parmesan with the warm potato mash, season with salt and pepper and grated nutmeg. Mix the egg and yolk together, add the potato and gently kneed together being careful not to over mix.
- Lightly dust the table with flour, divide the dumpling mix into two.
- Using the palms of your hands roll each piece into a rope 1 inch thick, then cut each rope into two-inch pieces.
- Roll each piece into a neat ball and shape using the prongs of the fork into grooved cylinders.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil, add the dumplings, bring the water back to the boil, as the dumplings cook, they will float to the surface.
- Scoop them out using a slotted spoon and drain on a clean kitchen towel.
- Heat a frying pan with olive oil, add the chopped bacon and cook for 4-5 minutes until lightly crisp.
- Add the cooked dumplings to the bacon pan and raise the heat slightly. Add the butter and cook until the dumplings are golden brown and crispy.
- Finally add the sliced mushrooms and continue to cook for another two minutes. Add the cream, bring to a simmer and season.
- Tip out onto a serving plates and sprinkle with grated parmesan.
