Each month the Colorado Department of Agriculture features a different commodity to highlight the variety and quality of products grown in the state. This month: the Colorado potato.
Whether you prefer them baked, fried or scalloped, potatoes complement any meal. Celebrate “National Potato Lover’s Month” with locally grown potatoes. Colorado produces an average of 2.6 billion pounds of potatoes annually, making the state the fourth-largest producer in the nation.
Avoid potatoes with wrinkled skins, soft dark spots, cut surfaces or a green appearance. All varieties should be uniformly sized, fairly clean, firm and smooth.
Potatoes are fat-free, sodium-free and are high in potassium and Vitamin C.
Colorado Potatoes Boulangere
Chef Kevin Clarke of Colorado Mountain College in Keystone won the professional side-dish category in the “130 Years, 130 Dishes” recipe contest with this dish. Serves 4-6.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes (washed but not peeled), sliced in half lengthwise
- 1/2 pound roasted green chiles, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch strips
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or drippings from roast lamb or beef)
- 1 yellow onion, cut into thin strips
- 1 cup lamb or chicken stock
- 1/4 pound Haystack Mountain goat cheese
- Salt to taste
- Cracked black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sweat onions in olive oil over medium heat until translucent and just beginning to turn brown.
Add potatoes and green chiles and toss to coat. Cook over medium heat until potatoes start to turn brown.
Transfer potato/chile mixture to casserole dish and add stock. Bake until potatoes are almost done, about 35 minutes.
Remove casserole dish from oven and sprinkle potato/chile mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with goat cheese and return to the oven for
5 minutes or until the cheese begins to brown.
Just before serving sprinkle with chopped parsley.
