Homegrown: Maincrop potatoes
Two perfect recipes as the nights draw in
The last of your maincrops will have been harvested and safely stored by now. Don’t forget to inspect them regularly for any signs of disease. Open the bags every week and give them a good sniff. The smell of rotting potatoes is unmistakable! If you suspect anything is amiss, turn out the whole bag and remove any individual culprits. Here are two traditional recipes perfect for comforting lunches and suppers as the nights draw in. Pan haggerty This traditional potato dish can be traced back to the northern counties of England. Originally, pan haggerty was made on the hob in a single pan. If the household budget didn’t run to plates, everybody could help themselves straight from the pan. For tastiest results in a modern kitchen, pre-cook the potatoes and onions first and bake in the oven instead. For 2-4 servings 700-800g (24½-28¼oz) cold boiled potatoes sliced, not too thinly, though 1 large onion, sliced 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil Freshly ground black and ground white pepper and a li le salt 50g (1¾oz) grated cheese
Preheat oven to 180C (fan oven) gas mark 6 or equivalent.
You’ll need a bu ered ovenproof dish.
Fry onions slowly until soft and turning golden.
Arrange half the potatoes on the dish, season and spread onions over. Cover with remaining potatoes and season again. Bake for 15 minutes, remove from oven and sca er with cheese. Return to oven for a further 10-15 minutes. Serve immediately.