POTATO TOSTONES, HORSEY GOAT & PERSIAN CRESS
Serves: 4
1 lb (454 g) small fingerling potatoes, rinsed
3 bay leaves (preferably fresh) 2 tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
8 cups (2 L) grapeseed, canola or peanut oil, for deep-frying (optional)
1 cup (250 mL) “Horsey Goat” (see recipe)
A handful of Persian cress, watercress, arugula or any spicy, tender green, washed and dried Horseradish root
1. Poach the potatoes with the bay leaves (see note). Drain the potatoes and toss in the olive oil. Gently flatten each potato with the side of a chef’s knife. You want the potatoes to maintain their structure, so don’t let them break up into multiple chunks. Each potato should make one, flattened piece.
2. If frying the potatoes (Fox’s preferred method): In a heavy pot, heat the grapeseed oil until it registers 350 F (175 C) on a deep-frying thermometer. Fry the flattened potatoes until they are golden brown and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a wire rack or a plate lined with paper towels and season immediately with salt.
3. If roasting the potatoes: While the potatoes are poaching, preheat the oven to 400 F (205 C). Once cooked, drained and flattened, season them to taste with salt and spread on a baking sheet. Roast until they are golden and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes.
4. To serve, divide the potato tostones across 4 plates (or serve on a platter). Accompany with a nice dollop of the Horsey Goat.
5. Garnish with the cress and freshly grate the horseradish, like falling snow, over the top.
Note: Scrub the dirt off your potatoes and place them in a pot of cold, moderately salted water with the bay leaves. Bring the pot up to a gentle simmer (the potatoes will break up if the water is at a rolling boil). Depending on the size of your potatoes, cooking them could take anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes. When in doubt, insert a cake tester into the potato — it should meet no resistance and slide right through. Recipes adapted from On Vegetables: Modern Recipes for the Home Kitchen by Jeremy Fox (Phaidon, April 2017)