Batch cooking? Enjoy it with tasty potatoes

As the country slowly opens up, most of our lives are set to get a bit busier. Batch cooking is a great way to save time, but this does not mean that meals have to lack in flavour. Planning meals in advance can guarantee taste and nutrition with every bite, and as less time in the kitchen is needed during the week, this can free up time to enjoy brighter evenings in summertime. Batch-cooking can also reduce food waste significantly, so it’s an all-round winner.

The versatility of potatoes lends itself to dishes of all cuisines, but along with their characteristic taste and texture, the nutritional benefits of potatoes help to fuel our bodies. Potatoes are a source of vitamin C and they are fat and gluten free, which makes them an ideal addition to all meals and recipes. Potatoes can be simply added to any dish by chopping them up small to cook quickly. You can also leave the skin on for a quicker and more nutritious meal.

Potatoes absorb spices and seasonings in cooking, and grasp every smidge of flavour resulting in delicious, comforting dishes. Here are three delicious recipes to try this week with something for everyone:

Potato cakes with broccoli and cheddar

Leftover mashed potato is the star of the show in this recipe. These versatile potato cakes are delicious on their own as a snack, served with salad for lunch; or to accompany meat or fish for a more filling meal.

Cooking time: 20 minutes (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 500g (leftover) mashed potatoes (approximately 4 potatoes)
• Cold-pressed rapeseed oil, for cooking
• 1 head of broccoli, chopped into florets
• 50g of cress
• 60g cheddar, grated
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 100g breadcrumbs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Add the broccoli florets to a saucepan, cover with boiling water and cook for 10 minutes until soft. Remove from the pan and chop into small pieces.
2. In a large bowl, combine the cooked broccoli, cheddar, potatoes, eggs and one-third of the breadcrumbs. Season well, then combine and shape into patties.
3. Place the remaining breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. Toss the potato cakes in the breadcrumbs to coat.
4. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 1, 140°C (375°F). Place a large baking tray in the oven to keep warm.
5. Heat a thin layer of oil in a large, heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, cook the potato cakes for 2-3 minutes on each side until browned. Transfer the finished cakes to the tray in the oven to keep warm while you cook the remainder.
6. Prepare a batch of potato cakes and store leftover cakes in containers in the fridge for meals during the week.

Potato and vegetable quiche

Quiche is delicious warm or cold, and therefore works as well for lunchboxes as well as a lighter evening meal. It also freezes well, so we would recommend freezing individual portions too take out as needed.

Cooking time: 45 minutes (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 2 Rooster potatoes (approximately 300 g)
• 2 parsnips, peeled
• 2 carrots, peeled
• 1 onion, peeled
• 2 eggs
• 75 g fresh cream
• 75 g grated cheddar cheese
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 roll premade pastry
• olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• salad to serve

Method

1. Wash, peel and chop the potatoes, carrots, and parsnips. Cook them in salted water for 10 to 15 minutes once the water has come to the boil, then drain once soft.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C (Gas 4).
3. Slice the onions and fry them in a hot pan with a drizzle of olive oil, then add the potatoes, parsnips, and carrots.
4. In a bowl, whisk the eggs with 50g of fresh cream, add a pinch of salt, nutmeg, and freshly ground pepper.
5. Remove from the heat, add the fresh cream mixture, and stir.
6. Roll out the pastry in a pie dish and spread the rest of the fresh cream over the bottom.
7. Pour in the potato mixture and sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese. Bake for 15 minutes.
8. Serve with salad
9. Store leftover quiche in lunchboxes in the fridge or freeze the individual portions.

Tip: Can be served warm or cold. For a richer taste, replace the cheddar with a blue cheese or extra-mature cheddar.

Flanders chicken stew

This is a quicker take on a traditional stew as it is cooked in a wok, making it a light, flavoursome, and comforting meal. This can be doubled in quantity to make additional portions with ease.

Cooking time: 30 mins (serves 4)

Ingredients

• 4 Rooster potatoes sliced (approximately 400 g)
• 500 g chicken breast
• 2 leeks, white part only
• 4 carrots, peeled
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 small onion
• 1 pinch ground bay leaf
• fresh thyme
• salt and pepper
• 1 chicken stock cube, dissolved in 1 litre of boiled water
• 150 g sour cream
• 2 tsp olive oil

Method

1. Wash the potatoes and plunge the potatoes into a pan of cold, salted water. Bring to the boil and cook for 20-25 minutes, until soft. Peel them and cut into slices.
2. Top and tail the ends from the vegetables. Cut the leek, carrots, celery, and onion into small pieces. Cut the chicken into strips
3. Add the oil to a wok and fry the chicken for 10-12 minutes until cooked through.
4. Remove the cooked chicken from the wok and set aside, fry the potato slices in the same pan until crispy. Remove from the pan once browned all over.
5. Next fry the onion, leek, celery and carrots in some extra butter or oil in the wok and add the chicken stock to the vegetables. Season with the thyme and bay leaf.
6. When the vegetables are al dente, return the chicken and potatoes to the wok.
7. Serve with sour cream

For more delicious potato recipes for any mealtime visit www.potato.ie

‘Potatoes: Prepare to be surprised’ is an EU campaign which aims to encourage millennials to enjoy exciting and surprising potato recipes. The joint-initiative, organised by Bord Bia, CNIPT (France), VLAM (Belgium) and Europatat (EU Potato Trade Association) highlights the versatility and convenience of potatoes for busy lifestyles.