Black and Blue Potatoes

Before joining our farm co-op, I don’t recall knowing that “blue” potatoes existed.   Two varieties that have shown up in our shares are Blue Potatoes - Certified Organic – from Liberty Acres and Purple Viking Potatoes - Certified Organic – from Bellview Organics.  So, I wanted to treat these blue potatoes like royalty because of their non-existence in mega marts.  A little digging (no pun intended) led me to find out that the blue color comes from the presence of anthocyanin, which is an antioxidant.  Other blue and purple fruits and veggies share the same flavonoid benefits. Check out http://www.rodale.com/potato-nutrition if you want to learn more.

 Black garlic has been one of my biggest foodie finds as of late.  Black truffles are great and all but , “black gold” aka black garlic, is a lot cheaper and truly adds a layer of flavor to especially rustic dishes!  It has been a haute ingredient for a while and I picked up an 8 head package of it at the produce wholesale place for $2.  It lasts a long time in the frig.  It has a rich taste that is not as pungent as white garlic and the texture is very soft, like roasted garlic.  There is a whole website dedicated to it, www.blackgarlic.com .  It is actually far more nutritious than white garlic.  The idea of the two of them teamed up was not only a marriage of super foods, but robust flavors as well.  They had me at their amazing color inside and out.  Hence, naming this dish “Black and Blue Potatoes”.

Black and Blue Potatoes

Time:  50 minutes     Serves 4 side dish servings

5 cloves of black garlic, chopped
4 cloves of organic garlic, chopped
1 large shallot, fine dice
6-7 fresh herb sprigs (thyme, rosemary, tarragon, whatever you have or prefer)
1/2T of butter
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
¼ cup Marsala Cooking Wine
2-3 lbs of Blue Potatoes - Certified Organic - Liberty Acres or another purple variety, they are usually smaller potatoes.
2 cups organic chicken broth
1 cup of water as needed
3T milk (any variety you use, I used organic 2 %)
2T of grated smoked Gouda cheese (use any good melting cheese you have or prefer)

1.   Preheat oven to 350-375 degrees.  In the meantime, scrub the potatoes to free them from dirt. 
2.   Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to a sauté pan.  Melt the butter in the oil over medium heat.  Add the shallots.  Cook until the butter is absorbed, then add the garlics.  After the shallot is softened, turn the heat to med-high and add the balsamic and Marsala, when it comes back to a simmer, turn the heat down and let the mixture caramelize on low heat, stirring occasionally.
3.  Drizzle the bottom of an 11x13 baking pan with olive oil, add the potatoes and roll them around to lightly coat them in the oil.  Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.  Throw the herbs on top of the potatoes.
4.  Roast the potatoes uncovered from 35-45 minutes.  The larger potatoes should still be slightly firm at this point.  The smaller spuds should be roasted completely.  Remove from the oven.
5.  In a medium sauce pan, bring the chicken broth and the water to a boil.  Add the larger potatoes (or 3/4s of them) to the pan and boil for 20 minutes.  This will loosen the skins completely and bring them to a “mash able” state.  Reserve a ¼ cup of the broth and drain the potatoes.  Once they cool, remove the skins as much as you can.  Add the reserved broth and the potatoes to the pan.  Either use a hand blender or mixer to mash the potatoes, to a smoother consistency.  Add the milk and mix a seconds more to incorporate.
6.  Add 3/4s of the caramelized shallot mixture, cheese, and reserved smaller roasted potatoes.  If the reserved potatoes are too large, cut them down to 1 cube before incorporating.  Gently toss, then sprinkle the remaining shallots on each serving.