The Potato - A Series #1
When looking for a side dish to accompany your meat-filled meals, the potato is always an easy choice. It is versatile, whether it comes in the form of a crispy Simba chippie or taking part in the delicate dance between mince and mash, the potato is for every occasion. And of course, it is undoubtedly delicious - you find me someone who doesn’t go weak at the knees for our starchy friend and I’ll eat my apron.
The hassle-free Hasselback potato with a garlic-and-thyme oil.
To kick off the series, we introduce our Hassle-free Hasselback potato. The Hasselback is a sneaky way of looking like a top chef without having to do much. It’s easy on the eyes, easy to make and of course, a 10/10 on the Salivation Scale.
You will need:
- Potato
- Olive oil (we use Kleinbergskloof Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
- Butter
- Garlic
- Thyme sprigs
- Salt/ pepper
- Wooden spoons/chop sticks
Directions
Begin with the garlic-and-thyme oil, it will take roughly 15-20 minutes to make so we recommend getting started on that while your oven pre-heats - a toasty 220 degrees C if you will.
Garlic-and-thyme Oil
- Start by warming olive oil and butter in a sauce pan over a medium heat
- Add the thyme sprigs and garlic, and bring all to a light simmer
- After about 15 minutes remove the thyme sprigs
- Set aside to cool
Prepping the potato
- Scrub the potato clean and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Thinly slice the potato ¾ of a way through. An easy way of slicing the potato without cutting through it is by using two wooden spoon, or chopsticks. By placing the potato in between the wooden spoon/ chopsticks, it acts as a barrier between the counter and the last connected part of the potato.
- Brush the potato with the oil, making sure not to use all of it.
- Add a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper and slide into oven
30 minutes into the bake.
- Remove the pan from the oven and gently peel open the layers that haven’t already separated
- Oil the potato again and this time don’t be shy. Make sure you get oil into every nook and cranny
- Bake for another 20 minutes
The final lap
- After roughly 20 minutes remove the potato
- Tuck slithers garlic gloves between every 4th/5th slit and return to the oven
- Bake for another 10-15 minutes
Serve immediately.
