Name: Fingerling Potato Confit with Garlic and Sage
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup chicken or turkey stock, (or 125 ml (use vegetable stock to keep it vegetarian)); Juice of 1/2 lemon; 1/3 cup duck fat (or olive oil, or 80 ml); 3 lb fingerling or mini potatoes, (or 1.5 kg); 1 large head of garlic (cloves separated and peeled); small and medium leaves from one bunch of sage; salt and pepper

If I made potatoes everyday, Jim would be a happy camper. As would my mum.

Yes, I get it, potatoes are humble and oh so comforting. Growing up, I will say, they weren’t my first choice for the carby side to dinner. I always loved rice the way my mum made it, or of course, pasta (like every other kid!) Sure, I loved french fries, and scalloped potatoes. But mashed potatoes didn’t make me jump up and down for joy, and the boiled potatoes that my mum made (a very German way of serving them) left me lacking. But through the years I have definitely come around!

To Confit the Potato

This dish will astound you in its simplicity and yet complexity of flavours. To confit means to slow cook something usually in fat or oil of some sort. Often it is done in the oven. It creates a creamy smooth flavour and texture as the low heat and flavour add-ins permeate the vegetable etc being confit’ed. The final result is unctuous and rather moreish, if you know what I mean.

Today’s version uses the stove top instead of the oven. Which is awesome if your oven is already housing a roast, casserole, stuffing etc. Using the stove top for this dish is fabulous as it keeps warm in the skillet after its finished without any drying out, which is often the challenge with prepping mashed potatoes (using a double boiler, my tip to keep mashed potatoes creamy is a great option of course!) So let’s put the stove top to work today! The fat, some turkey or chicken stock, and lemon juice are the liquids that the potatoes will simmer away in, and in no time you will have the most addictive little potatoes. This is why I am a potato lover now!

The Ingredients

First things first, fingerling potatoes. Try and find ones that are similar in size, even if they aren’t all the same colour. If you have a few that are larger than the rest, feel free to slice these in half lengthwise. They will take on the most wondrous flavour as they simmer and then sauté with the lemon juice, garlic and sage adding their presence. Salt and pepper to finish. That’s it.

Method

You will take chicken or turkey stock (I always have turkey stock made these days, see my Tortellini in Turkey Brodo for the method) fresh lemon juice and duck fat and place them in a skillet. You could use olive oil instead of duck fat, but if you can, go with the duck fat, it really is worth it! Snuggle the potatoes in the skillet. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce the heat. After a bit of time, stir them around to make sure all are getting the full benefit of the melted fat and lemon juice. Towards the end, the cover comes off, garlic cloves and sage leaves are added, and the potatoes simmer till tender. If you find that the liquid is gone and the potatoes are starting to scorch a bit, feel free to add in a tablespoon of stock or fat. Season with salt and pepper and call it a day! So easy, right?! And if you are quite ready to serve them yet, cover them with the lid, and keep them on the back burner off the heat. You can rewarm them on the burner for a moment if needed, but even at room temperature these taste fantastic!

The Result

Tender tender tender! Melt in your mouth tender. With the slightest toothy exterior from the hot fat that happens at the end. These really don’t need anything else to shine. But of course, if you serve them and gravy is on the table, I wouldn’t complain! Fresh cracked black pepper and an extra squeeze of lemon juice, and these will make you think of Greek roasted potatoes! Feel free to replace the sage with rosemary or thyme if you are making these in the spring or summer. Switch up the stock to a veggie one, and use the olive oil instead of duck fat, and this stays vegetarian! Obviously you can easily halve the recipe, but make a few extra, you’ll be nibbling on them right out of the pan when no one is looking!

Save any extras in the fridge and sauté the leftovers up quickly and serve with eggs the next morning. Your belly will thank you!

This fingerling potato confit will be awesome with my Citrus, Fennel and Thyme Pork Loin Roast, Sage Butter and Apple Cider Roast Turkey, Rolled Turkey Breast with Wild Rice and Apple Stuffing, or even my Pork Chops in Mustard Sauce.