Plebeian pommes de terre and herring
Today, I thought to myself, what is this, with the quiche, and the Morroccan lamb, and the empanada? All these things are nothing but Western bourgeoise idle fat layering. Let's not forget from whence we came. We, the thick-legged proletariat.
And so, I called my connection to my roots: my mother. I asked her a very important question that amused her to no end, because the answer should be obvious. I said, "Mom... How do you boil potatoes?"
Insert laugh track here.
But you must understand. When I was little, potatoes were a staple. The women would put a giant aluminum pot of potatoes on the stove, steam up all the windows, create a starchy haze in the kitchen, and invariably, allow the water to boil off and burn the bottom few spuds - so a potato just doesn't taste right to me without a little burnt taste to it... Anyway. You could eat them for dinner, for lunch, for breakfast even, or just cold as a snack. And if boiled properly, they lack that floury quality of a baked potato, and aren't as rich as a mashed potato, and are just... what the doctor ordered.
So, presenting, tongue in cheek, the extremely gourmet and refined...
Russian Potato Any Time of Day Meal
Potatoes, as many as you are going to need
(Yukon gold is what I used this time)
Water
Salt
Dill, chopped
Garlic, minced
Butter
Sour cream
and here is the complicated part: Go to a Russian store, and ask for, repeat after me, se-lod-ka. Or just admit you're American, and ask for herring in oil.
1) Peel potatoes. Make sure you remove all the dark spots (we call them "eyes") or the taters will taste earthy. You can cut them in half to speed up cooking. (duh)
2) Add enough cold water to just cover them. Salt. Bring to boil. Lower to a slow boil.
3) Let most of the water evaporate. If the potatoes are done before that happens - well you used too much water - but, you can dump most of it off, and leave only a few drops at the bottom.
4) Dot the potatoes with butter.
5) Add chopped dill, minced garlic, toss.
6) Turn the heat back on, and kind of braise for a few minutes, so that the butter, water, and potato crumbs at the bottom make a little buttery gravy like sauce.
7) Serve with hefty dollops of sour cream. (not pictured, but, I trust, you can imagine)
8) Now the herring. Dump the can onto a plate. Add some sliced onions, parsley. When eating, put it with the potato, like a little canape. The bland potato, sour cream, butter, dill and super salty herring... it's like a low class flavor fireworks for your mouth.
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9) don't forget to drink vodka ;)
And so, I called my connection to my roots: my mother. I asked her a very important question that amused her to no end, because the answer should be obvious. I said, "Mom... How do you boil potatoes?"
Insert laugh track here.
But you must understand. When I was little, potatoes were a staple. The women would put a giant aluminum pot of potatoes on the stove, steam up all the windows, create a starchy haze in the kitchen, and invariably, allow the water to boil off and burn the bottom few spuds - so a potato just doesn't taste right to me without a little burnt taste to it... Anyway. You could eat them for dinner, for lunch, for breakfast even, or just cold as a snack. And if boiled properly, they lack that floury quality of a baked potato, and aren't as rich as a mashed potato, and are just... what the doctor ordered.
So, presenting, tongue in cheek, the extremely gourmet and refined...
Russian Potato Any Time of Day Meal
Potatoes, as many as you are going to need
(Yukon gold is what I used this time)
Water
Salt
Dill, chopped
Garlic, minced
Butter
Sour cream
and here is the complicated part: Go to a Russian store, and ask for, repeat after me, se-lod-ka. Or just admit you're American, and ask for herring in oil.
1) Peel potatoes. Make sure you remove all the dark spots (we call them "eyes") or the taters will taste earthy. You can cut them in half to speed up cooking. (duh)
2) Add enough cold water to just cover them. Salt. Bring to boil. Lower to a slow boil.
3) Let most of the water evaporate. If the potatoes are done before that happens - well you used too much water - but, you can dump most of it off, and leave only a few drops at the bottom.
4) Dot the potatoes with butter.
5) Add chopped dill, minced garlic, toss.
6) Turn the heat back on, and kind of braise for a few minutes, so that the butter, water, and potato crumbs at the bottom make a little buttery gravy like sauce.
7) Serve with hefty dollops of sour cream. (not pictured, but, I trust, you can imagine)
8) Now the herring. Dump the can onto a plate. Add some sliced onions, parsley. When eating, put it with the potato, like a little canape. The bland potato, sour cream, butter, dill and super salty herring... it's like a low class flavor fireworks for your mouth.
9) don't forget to drink vodka ;)
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