I think the potato is one of my favorite vegetables. They are so versatile and go with just about everything. You can cook them in a multitude of ways and I love them all!
I actually started off today to make a version of smashed potatoes, but my potatoes fell apart. One thing life has taught me is to not cry over spilled milk and also that when you are handed lemons, make lemonade.
Never, ever throw the baby out with the bath water.
I thought to myself, broken potatoes have to be better than smashed potatoes. You have way more edges to crisp up and brown, so twice as much deliciousness!
And so I just kept going. The end result was incredibly tasty. Buttery, garlicky potatoes with a multitude of crispy edges. A- mazing!
Crazy delicious with lots of yummy garlic flavor and perfectly seasoned. Perfect to serve with a steak or chicken, or pork or lamb. These were fabulous!.
And, they were a very simple side dish to make. I have written the quantities up to feed only two people, but you can very easily double or even triple everything to feed even more. Your family is literally going to fall in love with these delicious crispy potatoes!
Pop the top piece on top and twist. It actually shreds it more than it minces it, but what I like about it is that it is very easy to clean. No more garlic stuck in those annoying little holes.
I love it and no I have not been paid to say that! Nor did I get the gadget for free. I paid for it. Its just that when I find something I like using, I have a need to share it with you because I think you might like it too!
Now back to the potatoes.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BROKEN POTATOES
GARLIC BUTTER & SOY SAUCE
There is really nothing out of the ordinary here. Simple ingredients put together and cooked simply with delicious results! I prefer recipes that don't use long lists of complicated ingredients.
- 4 small to medium new potatoes (mine were about 2-inches in diameter)
- 3 TBS butter
- 2 1/2 cloves of garlic peeled and minced
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- chopped fresh parsley to sprinkle on top
The markets are full of lovely new potatoes at the moment. Perfect for making salads and for frying like this. My potatoes were about the size of a baby's fist. You only need four for two people.
If you are making more calculate at least two potatoes per person.
I always use sea salt these days. I love the flavor of it. Its clean and fresh. You will need some for the cooking water and some for seasoning.
Our markets are also flooded with locally grown garlic at the moment as well. If I owned my own property I would plant garlic, alas I do not and my garden is very tiny, but I do like to take advantage of the local garlic as and when I can.
I find it superior in flavor to the Chinese stuff we see most of the time. Its very easy to spot the difference between Chinese Garlic and North American grown garlic.
Just flip it over and look at the bottom of the bulb. The Chinese are required to remove and scrape away all of the root end, leaving a smooth concave hollow. This is due to import requirements.
I find the flavor of home grown garlic to be superior. I also don't really like eating food that has been bleached with chemicals.
But having said that, sometimes it can't be helped. You just have to use what's available.
HOW TO MAKE BROKEN POTATOES
WITH GARLIC BUTTER & SOY SAUCE
I highly recommend using a cast iron skillet for these or at the very least a non-stick skillet with a nice heavy bottom!
Start by washing your potatoes really well. I use a vegetable brush for this. Even though they may look like they are clean and have been washed, wash them anyways. You would be surprised at just how dirty they still are.
Place them into a saucepan. Cover with cold water, by about an inch, and add about 1/2 tsp salt.
Place the saucepan over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce to medium low, cover slightly, and cook for 15 minutes or so, just until the sharp tip of a knife can be easily inserted. Fork tender.
Drain well and place in a sieve placed over the hot pot so that they dry out well. A drier potato will give you a crisper finish.
Place the still warm potatoes onto a cutting board and using something flat and heavy, lightlycrush them until they are about 2/3 of their original size, allowing them to break apart.
You should have some big pieces and some small pieces, all with craggy bits.
Melt the butter over medium heat in the bottom of an 8 inch cast iron skillet until it starts to foam. Add the garlic. Cook, stirring, just until it start to brown, do not allow to burn. (Burnt garlic can taste bitter.) Add the crushed potatoes to the pan.
Cook until golden brown on the undersides. (Medium heat.) Flip over. Cook until golden brown on the other side. Don't mither them. Leave them be and let them brown without moving them overly about. That's the secret to a nice browning.
Drizzle with the soy sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper. Scatter the parsley over top and serve immediately.
And that's all there is to it. You best prepare yourself to fall in love, because these are incredibly tasty and moreish. Even better than basic fried potatoes in my opinion.
I loved all the craggy bits and the fact that you had some larger bits and some smaller bits and I also loved the way the skins crisped up in the butter, and got all garlicky. Delicious!!
If, like me, the potato is your favorite vegetable you might also enjoy these recipes which are along the same line!
CRISPY FRIED POTATOES - Peeled and chunked potatoes are parboiled in some salted water and then fried to golden brown in a pan with some olive oil, garlic and sage. Scrumptious.
POTATOES O'BRIEN - This is a pretty basic version of fried potatoes, with onions and peppers, using only salt and pepper as seasoning. You could also add garlic powder and or paprika. I added some paprika. I like the color it adds to potatoes when you are frying them.
BOMBAY POTATOES - An East Indian version of fried potatoes. Deliciously spiced. The perfect side dish for a curry night!
Broken Potatoes with Garlic Butter and Soy Sauce
Yield: 2
Author: Marie Rayner
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 40 Min
This small batch recipe can easily be multiplied to serve more. Delicious garlicky, buttery potatoes, with lots of crispy edges and bits.
Ingredients
- 4 small to medium new potatoes (mine were about 2-inches in diameter)
- 3 TBS butter
- 2 1/2 cloves of garlic peeled and minced
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- chopped fresh parsley to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Wash your potatoes well and place into a saucepan. Cover with cold water and add about 1/2 tsp salt.
- Place over high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce to medium low, cover and cook for 15 minutes or so or until the sharp tip of a knife can be easily inserted. Fork tender.
- Drain well and place in a sieve placed over the hot pot so that they dry out well.
- Place them on a cutting board and using something flat and heavy, crush them to about 2/3 of their original size, allowing them to break apart. You should have some big pieces and some small pieces, all with craggy bits.
- Melt the butter over medium heat in the bottom of an 8 inch cast iron skillet until it starts to foam. Add the garlic.
- Cook, stirring, just until it start to brown, do not allow to burn. Add the crushed potatoes to the pan.
- Cook until golden brown on the undersides. (Medium heat.) Flip over. Cook until golden brown on the other side.
- Drizzle with the soy sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper. Scatter the parsley over top and serve immediately.
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I am really excited to share this bread machine recipe with you today for Instant potato Bread! This is the most delicious loaf of bread I have ever made in the bread machine. I tell you no lie!
It has a beautiful crumb and a crisp crust. The interior of the bread is moist, fluffy and dense. And the flavor is amazing. In short it is perfect!
I know, on the outside it looks a bit wrinkly and ugly, but this is one case where you definitely do not want to be judging the book by its cover. If you were to overlook this one you are missing out on a real gem of a bread!
One of the local grocery stores sells store made potato bread and whenever they have it on the shelves it is one of the first breads to disappear.!!
Now, with this potato bread recipe, you don't have to wait for them to have it on the store shelves, nor do you have to wait until you have leftover mashed potatoes! It uses dry instant mashed potatoes!
This is an addictively tasty loaf, slightly tangy from the use of buttermilk, sweetened with honey and enriched with just a touch of olive oil!
I was a bit dismayed when I first saw the loaf. I thought to myself, could this loaf be any uglier . . . . but all of my reservations disappeared as soon as I cut into the loaf. What a beautiful tight crumb it had!
It also cuts beautifully into nice even slices for making sandwiches with or toasting. I have enjoyed a few slices of it toasted every day since I baked it. Yummy!
I adapted the recipe from a book by Beth Hensperger entitled, The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook. If you have a bread machine you really need this book!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE INSTANT POTATO BREAD
- 1/2 cup (120ml) water
- 2/3 cup (160ml) buttermilk
- 1 1/2 TBS olive oil
- 1 1/2 TBS dark honey
- 2 1/2 cups (350g) bread flour
- 1/3 cup (20g) instant potato flakes
- 1 TBS vital wheat gluten
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 1/4 tsp bread machine yeast
The buttermilk in this recipe gives this bread a moist texture and a lovely bit of a tang. If you don't have buttermilk you can easily make your own by whisking together equal parts of plain full fat yogurt and full fat milk.
You can also make a good substitution by measuring 1 TBS of lemon juice or white vinegar into a cup measure and adding milk to make up the full measure needed. Leave to clabber for 5 to 10 minutes prior to using.
Bread machine loaves work best with bread flour. By that I mean flour that has a higher gluten count which is designed specifically for making bread.
I also recommend adding Vital Wheat Gluten, which, while it is not totally necessary, will give you a much nicer loaf and help your bread to rise higher. I have been most impressed since I started adding this ingredient to my bread machine loaves! I highly recommend!
I used Instant Potato Flakes. These are the ones you can buy in the store that, when reconstituted make mashed potatoes. I believe any brand will do.
The recipe specified dark honey. I am not quite sure what she meant by that, but I took it to mean a honey that is darker in color. Perhaps a honey that is not quite as refined?
I love Greek honey. It has a beautiful distinct flavor and a lovely deep amber color. This is what I used with most delicious results!
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POTATO BREAD
This is a bread machine recipe, but you could also just do the dough in the bread machine and then shape, raise and bake in a regular loaf pan if you prefer. I know many people prefer to bake their bread in the traditional way.
In that case just use the dough cycle on your machine. Remove the bread dough when done, shape and place into your loaf pan. Allow it to raise again and then bake in the conventional way.
To do this, preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Uncover the bread, place it in the oven, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, tenting it lightly with aluminum foil after 20 minutes to prevent over-browning. A digital thermometer inserted into the loaf's center should register at least 190°F/88*C.
If using a bread machine for the whole process follow the instructions as per your own model of bread machine for making a basic loaf, with a medium crust.
Place all of the ingredients into your bread machine according to the manufacturer's instructions for your particular machine. Make sure that the salt does not touch the yeast and that the mashed potato flakes are not in contact with the liquid ingredients, otherwise the potatoes will start to absorb the liquid and create a drier loaf.
Set crust on medium and program for a basic loaf. Press start.
Once the baking cycle has finished, remove the loaf immediately from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack at room temperature prior to slicing.
This is a really lovely loaf. I have enjoyed it toasted and buttered, made into a tomato sandwich and on the first day I enjoyed it with a nice hot bowl of my Quick and Easy Chili. It went perfectly!
I am sure it would also be good alongside of any soup or stew. And if you are a person who loves bread and jam, this is your bread to use!
MILK AND HONEY BREAD - This recipe produces a lovely tall loaf with a beautiful crumb. Soft, tender and slightly sweet. Perfect for sandwiches or along side a nice bowl of soup, stew or chili!
BASIC RUSTIC LOAF- Not 100% whole wheat but a beautiful combination of wheats, whole grain and other wise. It slices like a dream and has a beautiful texture, equal to or better than any store bought loaf out there. In fact I would say that is is far better than a store bought loaf!
Instant Potato Bread
Yield: 1 (1 1/2 pound) loaf
Author: Marie Rayner
This bread machine bread has a crisp crust, beautiful crumb and is fluffy and dense with a lovely moist interior. Add the dry potato flakes before the flour when you add your ingredients to the pan. This is a delicious loaf of bread!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (120ml) water
- 2/3 cup (160ml) buttermilk
- 1 1/2 TBS olive oil
- 1 1/2 TBS dark honey
- 2 1/2 cups (350g) bread flour
- 1/3 cup (20g) instant potato flakes
- 1 TBS vital wheat gluten
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 2 1/4 tsp bread machine yeast
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients into your bread machine according to the manufacturer's instructions for your particular machine. Make sure that the salt does not touch the yeast and that the mashed potato flakes are not in contact with the liquid ingredients, otherwise the potatoes will start to absorb the liquid and create a drier loaf.
- Set crust on medium and program for a basic loaf. Press start.
- Once the baking cycle has finished, remove the loaf immediately from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack at room temperature prior to slicing.
Notes
You can also make a 2-pound loaf. Contact me for measurements of ingredients.
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Blueberry Lemon Puffs. Two airy, buttery, bites of heavenly blueberry and lemon bliss! Its blueberry season here in Canada and I am making the most of it!
This is a recipe I adapted from one I found in the book entitled Scrumptious by Christy Denney! Its a lovely book, filled with lots of tasty looking recipes.
Don't you just love those painted flowers? My friend Monique painted them, and they went perfect with this. She is such a talented artist! Thank you Monique!
Christy's recipe in the book was made with raspberries, but then she talked about strawberries in the recipe intro. I wasn't sure what she meant. The photo showed raspberries.
I didn't have any raspberries and I didn't have any strawberries for that matter, but I did have a nice big punnet of blueberries!! I rattled around in my brain for a bit and came up with these.
Little puff pastry bites of heaven with a sweet, creamy, lemony cream cheese filling, a swirl of blueberry jam and a fresh blueberry popped on top prior to baking! Once baked they are glazed with a sweet lemon glaze. What's not to love!
If I had really had my thinking cap on I would have swirled the cream with some lemon curd, but alas I went with the blueberry jam, which tasted fabulous, but did make the cream a bit more on the purple side.
But you don't care. I know you love me anyways, and I know you will believe me when I tell you these are gorgeous!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE BLUEBERRY LEMON PUFFS
Very simple store-cupboard and refrigerated ingredients. Generally speaking I usually have all of these things on hand.
- 1 sheet of all butter frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 4 ounces (115g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
- 1 TBS milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- about 2 TBS wild blueberry jam
- 16 whole blueberries
- 1 small free range egg, beaten
To finish:
- 1/2 cup (65g) icing sugar
- 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- icing sugar to dust
I always have a few packages of all butter puff pastry in my freezer. It comes in packages which contain two sheets of puff pastry, and it is made with nothing but butter as the fat.
I am not fond of non-butter puff pastry, but if you can't get the all butter one, I guess it will do. To me it has a funny artificial after-taste. If you can get the all butter one, do get it. There is a difference.
I also usually have a block of cream cheese in the refrigerator. I love it on bagels, and in sandwiches. It also comes in handy for things like this!
You won't need to use the whole package, or you can just buy a smaller package.
I also always have large free range eggs, and lemons. They are such a must have ingredient in my kitchen. In the UK I always kept a bowl of lemons on the counter. With it just being me now, I only keep one or two around, and I keep them in the fridge.
I also almost always have blueberries. They are so good for you! They are what's known as a super food and are filled with lovely anti-oxidents!
HOW TO MAKE BLUEBERRY LEMON PUFFS
These only look complicated. I can promise you that they are not! Here is a photo of them ready to go into the oven.
Its not the best photograph. I don't have a window in my kitchen and need to make do with artificial light, but I thought you would at least be able to get some idea of what they look like before they go into the oven. I hope it helps!
Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Set aside.
Beat the cream cheese, vanilla, milk, sugar and lemon zest together in a bowl until well blended.
Unroll your pastry and cut it into 16 squares, placing them on the baking sheet and leaving plenty of space between each.
Place 1 tsp of the cheese filling in the center of each. Top the cheese with 1/4 tsp of blueberry jam and swirl it through with a toothpick. Top each with one blueberry.
Fold the corners of the squares up, pressing them lightly into the cheese. (They won't really stay up, but they stay up long enough to keep the filling from spread out over the baking sheet.)
Brush the pastry with the beaten egg.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.
Whisk together all of the ingredients for the glaze until smooth. Drizzle over the warm puffs. Dust with icing sugar and serve. These are best served warm.
I have never frozen them, but it has been my experience that anything with a cream cheese filling doesn't freeze very well. Plus the blueberries will really go to mush.
These would make a great addition to a Sunday morning brunch with the family. I guarantee there would be none left! I inhaled two of them before I could even get my camera out!
That pastry is so flakey and the lemon cheese filling is rich. The blueberry jam gives just the right touch and that blueberry on top provides a bit of tartness to cut back on the sweetness of the jam.
That lemon glaze is just the perfect finishing touch!
If you enjoy blueberries as much as I do, you may be interested in the following recipes. Each one is delicious in their own right.
LEMON BLUEBERRY TURNOVERS - Is there any more delicious flavour combination on the earth than the combination of lemon and blueberry?? I think not! Combine that with flaky buttery puff pastry and you have a marriage made in heaven! This is the perfect time of year to be enjoying blueberry treats! What is a turnover but a little pie, and these ones are so easy to make!
LITTLE BLUEBERRY PUDDINGS - These are very simple to make, using simple ingredients that you probably already have in your home, with perhaps the exception of some Wild Blueberry Conserve. But take heart, if you don't have any of that, you can also use lemon curd, or even orange marmalade! Beautiful served warm with pouring cream.
BLUEBERRY MUFFIN CAKE - This small batch recipe is built for the smaller family and bakes in a 9 by 4 inch loaf tin. With its streusel topping and sweet glaze, it always goes down a real treat!
Blueberry Lemon Puffs
Yield: 16 puffs
Author: Marie Rayner
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 25 Min
Flaky, buttery, sweet little puffs of blueberry and creamy lemon deliciousness. Very easy to make.
Ingredients
- 1 sheet of all butter frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 4 ounces (115g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (50g) sugar
- 1 TBS milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- about 2 TBS wild blueberry jam
- 16 whole blueberries
- 1 small free range egg, beaten
To finish:
- 1/2 cup (65g) icing sugar
- 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- icing sugar to dust
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Set aside.
- Beat the cream cheese, vanilla, milk, sugar and lemon zest together in a bowl until well blended.
- Unroll your pastry and cut it into 16 squares, placing them on the baking sheet and leaving plenty of space between each.
- Place 1 tsp of the cheese filling in the center of each. Top the cheese with 1/4 tsp of blueberry jam and swirl it through with a toothpick. Top each with one blueberry.
- Fold the corners of the squares up, pressing them lightly into the cheese. (They won't really stay up, but they stay up long enough to keep the filling from spread out over the baking sheet.)
- Brush the pastry with the beaten egg.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until puffed and golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.
- Whisk together all of the ingredients for the glaze until smooth. Drizzle over the warm puffs. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
Did you make this recipe?
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