IMBB 8 – Part II: Boozy Potatoes

Yes, I know. I served up dessert (IMBB 8 – Part I) before the savory course. But that’s not too unusual, given how much I love desserts and how, when dining out, that is the section of the menu I always peruse first, before making any decisions about what I will order for the rest of my meal!

This dish wasn’t a planned IMBB entry; it just sort of happened. On Friday evening, I was flipping through my newest gem of a cookbook find, “The Breakaway Japanese Kitchen” by Eric Gower. [This is a very interesting and lovely cookbook ; almost all the recipes sound and look tempting, and also seem incredibly simple to execute. The fusion food angle is very subtle and fine-tuned; nothing ridiculous – no wild and unrestrained dumping together of any and every ingredient into a frenzied marriage of East and West. It’s not fusion for the sake of fusion; Gower seems to have an innate understanding and sensibility about Japanese cooking which comes through. And he does a good job of coupling this with his Western culinary background. I’m really enjoying this book – especially now, after I’ve tasted the results of this potato recipe.]

Anyway, as I was saying - I was flipping through the book, looking for general food ideas and inspiration, when I came across this page. The title leapt out at me: Boozy Japanese Potatoes. Now, how could anyone not stop and give their undivided attention to a heading like that. The picture was gorgeous. The recipe sounded wonderfully easy, simple and incredibly tasty. I just had to try this. I decided this was what I was going to serve up for Sunday brunch. It was only as I was cooking the potatoes that it occurred to me that this was absolutely perfect for this month’s IMBB. And thus, this bonus post - on top of my original IMBB entry of the “spirited” chiffon cakes.

These potatoes are sooooo incredibly tasty. Really lip-smackingly good. They taste even better than they look in the photos. They’re also truly very boozy! A substantial quantity of sake is used for not very many potatoes; and that’s what makes this dish a stunner. The delightful burst of sake flavors that comes with each bite is powerful yet delicate, dominant yet restrained and subtle; the balance is fine-tuned and… just perfect.

This recipe is so easy and simple to prepare, and the end flavors belie that ease and simplicity. I can definitely see myself making this time and again – not just for brunch, but as a wonderful accompaniment for all sorts of meat and fish dishes.

Boozy Japanese Potatoes
[adapted from The Breakaway Japanese Kitchen – Eric Gower]

Serves 2

2 medium-large potatoes *
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil **
1 cup sake ***
2 to 2½ tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon butter

* The firmer, yellow-fleshed potatoes work best (I used Dutch yellow potatoes), as they hold their shapes better and do not break apart so easily.

** Or any other vegetable cooking oil, if preferred.

*** I don’t think this has to be top notch, expensive sake; any drinkable sake will do.

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

• Scrub and peel the potatoes, and cut them into 10 or 12 pieces each (depending on size of potatoes).

• Add them to the boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes. [Do not overcook; they should be somewhat tender and yet still have some firmness and bite to them. They will be cooked for a further 15-20 minutes later, and you don’t want them disintegrating on you and becoming a mushy mess.]

• Drain well.

• Heat a large nonstick skillet. Add the oil, then the potato pieces. Move them around so that they are all nicely coated with the oil. Cook on high heat for about 5 minutes, sautéing occasionally, until they are lightly browned.

• Pour in the sake (this will create a right noisy sizzle; it’s okay – there’s no real danger here). Continue to cook on high heat for about 5 minutes, tossing and stirring the potatoes frequently, until the sake almost disappears. [When you first add the sake, it will look excessive – as if the potatoes are swimming in the stuff, and you’re boiling or simmering the potatoes rather than frying them. Not to worry; it’s fine. The sake will slowly absorb and evaporate, and things will dry up again. Just be sure you aren’t overly enthusiastic with the tossing and stirring and start breaking up the potatoes.]

• Season with the soy sauce. Mix well, so that the potatoes are evenly coated with the thick brown sauce that has formed. Turn the heat down to low. Taste and add more soy sauce if necessary.

• Add the butter, stir and cook for another 5 minutes or so; until a crust has formed on the potatoes and each chunk is nicely brown and crispy on the outside.

• Serve immediately.

The play of flavors and textures is just wonderful. The aroma and taste of the sake is highlighted and lifted, yet mellowed and rounded out by the soy sauce. The neutral taste canvas of the potato provides a wonderful playground for this union of flavors.

And the icing on the potato must be the juxtaposition of the aromatic, crispy crust on the outside, and the tender, soft and fluffy flesh on the inside. Gorgeous!

There are only a few points that I have made a mental note of, for the next time I make these:

• It’s really important not to over-cook the potatoes at the boiling stage. Mine were a little overdone – we were busy poring over an article in the Sunday papers, and I momentarily forgot about the pot on the stove; the potatoes came out just a tad on the wrong side of soft. This meant that the surfaces started fluffing up and breaking down a little bit during the sautéing process, and impeded the crisping up of the crust.

• I would cut the potatoes into smaller pieces, to get more crispy crust to every bite.

• I’m also thinking that it might perhaps be more effective to use a non-stick wok, instead of a skillet. The former will probably give a better and more even distribution of heat, and help produce an even more delectable crust on the potatoes.

For brunch, I served these with some smoked salmon that were drizzled over with a light wasabi dressing, but I would have most happily eaten the potatoes on their own. They were seriously good.

It was a very spirited, warm, tingly and satisfying start to a relaxed and leisurely Sunday.

Copyright © 2004 Renee Kho. All Rights Reserved.
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