#poachedheaven

PEI POTATOES are such a versatile, affordable and adaptable vegetable. It’s hard to imagine a breakfast, lunch or dinner table where Prince Edward Island Potatoes wouldn’t make a welcome focus.

In my travels to China, I was amazed to see the how this root vegetable was utilized, many times in dishes I had never seen before. These naturally low-fat tubers were presented in salads and spicy stir-fries that were as delicious as they were beautiful in appearance.

* PEI POTATOES & Sichuan style seasonings ready to be mixed

When I returned home, I knew I had to share these dynamic potato flavour combinations with you. It’s also great to report that potatoes are naturally low in fat, have 45% of daily vitamin C, more potassium than a banana and are naturally gluten free! It’s important for me as a chef and as an instructor to share recipes that are suitable for the tastes and nutritional requirements that are prevalent today.

These potato roses are prepared with a Sichuan flavour profile as I think they pair really well with PEI golden potatoes. Don’t let the chili flakes intimidate you, as the PEI Potato mellows any fire with their inherent sweetness. 

I always use PEI potatoes whenever I’m preparing a meal because I know that the best flavours are to be found in the Island’s iron rich soil!

To get started with this recipe, you want to oil a muffin pan, if you have a non-stick or silicone version, this is a great place to use it. I like using sunflower oil to prepare the pan and in the making of the dish, but feel free to use any other neutral oil that you prefer.

Using a mandolin (Japanese slicing tool) is really helpful in making quick work of slicing the potatoes, but you can also use a vegetable peeler, or a sharp knife and some patience. What’s important here is slicing the potatoes into thin enough rounds that they can be rolled up. If the potatoes are too thick, they might break.

*tile the thinly sliced potatoes using 15 slices per rose and start rolling like this.

*here’s a tray of roses ready for the oven

Sichuan-Style PEI POTATO Roses

Makes approximately 1 full regular muffin tray

10 PEI POTATOES (Yukon Gold is the variety I used), peeled if desired

1/2 cup sunflower oil, plus more for greasing muffin tins

1 Tbsp Sichuan peppercorns, ground (or substitute ground corriander or cumin)

6 Tbsp sesame seeds

1 Tbsp chili flakes (I used a Korean variety, but any will be suitable)

2 tsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp granulated onion

1/2 - 3/4  Tbsp Kosher salt

1 Tbsp minced ginger

Line muffin tin with parchment paper and generously grease the entire tin with canola oil. Use mandolin to slice potatoes thin enough to bend. Place in a large bowl and toss with the canola oil then add spices. Place a piece of potato on the board and overlap another piece over 50 % of the potato repeat using 15-20 pieces of potato forming a line. Roll the line of potatoes up starting at one end and place in the muffin cups. Bake 375 for 10 min then cover with foil and bake for another 10-15 min.

*You can use different spice combinations if you prefer. Instead of the Sichuan Peppercorns, sesame seeds & chili flakes add the following to the garlic powder, granulated onion and kosher salt:

Rosemary & Lemon Zest 

Summer Savory & Black Pepper 

Italian Seasoning & Paprika

Curry Powder & Black Sesame Seeds

Check out the nutritional information for 1 medium PEI Potato: Calories: 110 calories

Fat: 0 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 0 mg

Potassium: 620 mg; 18% Daily Value

Vitamin C: 27mg; 45% Daily Value

Vitamin B6: 0.2mg; 10%Daily Value

Fiber: 2g 8% Daily Value