On the Maltese Derby Potato

My definition of 'local' has significantly changed since I decided to live on an island that is roughly 316 km² (or 122 m² for the folks back home). While the country is a big importer for the various ethnic groups that reside here (the Brits with their tea, the Italians with their espresso, and the plethora of processed goods from all over), the average market holds more local goods than I have ever seen indoors. They sell fresh spinach by the bags, looking freshly picked with soil in the roots and a chance of a snail or two.

At certain times of the day throughout the week, trucks will park with a wide selection of produce to sell. You see potatoes, onions, cabbage, cauliflower, pumpkin, greens, local and imported fruits, cactus pears, eggs, and so much more. As I continue learning about the agriculture in Malta through my internship, I’m starting to understand what goes on behind the scenes, and that the island (much like local farms in the United States) struggles with the competitiveness of cheaply imported goods. It’s surprising, really, because the quality and price of the local foods are much more affordable, easily traceable, and in my opinion, more delectable. 

Since locality is more prominent in the supermarkets, sometimes products will be out of stock until the next shipment. Take rabbit, for example. It took me a number of weeks before I was in a butcher’s shop at the right place and time. On the other hand, local potatoes are always in demand and in supply.

The simple fact of the matter is that the Maltese Derby Potato is an amazing potato. Maybe it's an Irish thing to like potatoes as much as I do, and I definitely have gotten on board with eating the MDP at least twice a week.  It reminds me of the yellow potatoes back in the States, but not as waxy and significantly butterier in taste. It isn’t particularly floury like the Russet/Idaho potato, but it seems like the MDP would be best prepared by roasting, pan-frying, and mashing, and holds its shape in stews. It’s a very good potato species, a close second to my preference for sweet potatoes when I don’t want rice, quinoa, or corn.

Maltese Inspired Home Fries

25 g Butter, salted (easily substituted for a non-animal based fat like olive oil or coconut oil)
2 Onions, finely diced
1 Garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
7 medium/ 1000 g Maltese Derby potatoes, cubed
1 tsp. Sea salt
1 tsp. Sage
1 tsp. Cumin
1/4 tsp. Rosemary
75 g fresh spinach leaves, cut into thick slivers

Toppings (optional):
Parmesan cheese
Fresh Basil and/or dill

Poached eggs

In a large sauté pan, melt the butter on medium heat.
Toss in the onion and garlic cloves and cook until slightly transparent.
Add the potatoes and cover with the lid, checking and stirring intermittently to avoid burning on the bottom.
When the potatoes have softened, add in the remaining ingredients and turn off the heat.
Cover the lid to allow the spinach to wilt.
Serve warm with your choice of toppings.

Makes 4 servings.

The Simple Things

Sometimes I feel there’s this expectation for food bloggers to constantly come up with an original recipe, one that no one ever thought of and believed imaginable. In my case, I do try to do that from the get-go (and sometimes succeed), but I usually start with a recipe ratio I can modify to my liking and go from there. In this case, Ruhlman’s Ratio is the perfect example.

Originality (or the modification of a recipe to the point it looks nothing like the recipe and is thus “yours”) can come with the price: over-complication. For instance, I would add up to ten separate flours, two different liquids, and other things just for it to be different and hopefully work. And sure, it usually worked out, but then it would get too confusing… and expensive.

So I work to keep ingredients at a minimum (unless it’s spice, smoothie, or salad related, in which case this argument is null and void) in my baked goods and meals, simply because I want to be able to taste and enjoy them all. And though some of the recipes I post aren’t anything new or “original”, I’m starting to see that simplicity can be timeless and appropriate for a wide spectrum of meals.

Take home fries for instance: there isn’t anything new about them, and almost everyone has a particular way of preparing it. You can add or remove ingredients as you go, or make it with what leftovers you have on hand. It’s a non-recipe recipe, only with the intention of it being delicious being your guide.

And before you ask, yes, it was delicious.

Happy Home Fries

600 g Golden potatoes, diced into small cubes
15 ml Olive oil (or whatever fat you prefer)
3 (325 g) Bell peppers, finely sliced
1 Carrot, finely diced
3 Garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
225 g Leek, thickly sliced
1 tbsp. Dried tarragon (or parsley)
1 tsp. Sea salt
1/2 tsp. Rosemary powder
1/2 tsp. Sage powder
   
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Coat the potatoes in the olive oil and pour them onto a medium to large baking sheet lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Bake for 30 minutes, and then increase the heat to 400ºF to bake for an additional 15 minutes.
In a large cast iron pan, grease the pan with additional olive oil and cook the bell peppers, carrot, garlic, and leek on medium heat until softened and slightly caramelized.
Add the potatoes and spices until completely integrated, and then turn off the heat.
Serve hot.

Makes 4 servings as a side dish.

Curried Sweet Potato Oven Fries

After this week, I can happily say my summer funk has lifted. I spent the better part of two weeks in my pajamas, lethargic and bored out of my mind. As a Morri always on the go, I was saddened that my body didn’t want to exercise.

I felt like I wasn’t eating more than I usually did, but it was apparent my inactivity was physically and mentally taking a toll. For the majority of my journey in self-awareness I had only two speeds: stop and go. Everywhere I went I wholly put myself into the moment, then crashing as a result for days afterward. I learned to balance my highs and lows, to listen to my body when it was time to step back and give myself a break. But these days, with people coming by daily and my house is full of activity, I felt lazy by comparison. The only thing that kept me from watching cartoons all day was – you guessed it – cooking.

My two weeks of inaction was my time of self-reflection. In a few short weeks I’ll be at my internship, working with wonderful people at George Mason for a month. By August, I’ll be renting a house with the boyfriend and some friends, maybe with an animal or two. Finally, after this fall semester, I’ll have graduated, set out into the world with a degree and a dream. So I think I can safely tell you all that there are a lot of things going on in my near future.

Mama Dazz has been my go-to person to talk about these kinds of things (as mothers typically are) and she helped me put it into perspective. For one, I have learned to give myself some slack and to not punish myself for the things my body wants as a result. For another, I am an active person, and my way of relaxing is by being in motion.

Since I do not have access to the university’s gym this summer, I’m finding different ways to work out. When I was a little girl, the Burt-man tried to get me to play tennis, but I was never interested in the sport. But I was desperate. I needed to get outside, to feel the strain on my muscles and the sweat trickling down my face. I yearned to hear the playlist I made specifically for exercising.

Tennis has become my summer sport, to which a shocked Mama Dazz looks at me and says, “Who are you and what have you done with my daughter?”

She was right about one thing, though; giving your whole self a break is good for the soul. Truthfully, I was in a funk for most of it, but my creations in the kitchen have definitely been some of my best works yet.

I now have an outlet for my body, a way to keep myself balanced and mobile, but I am learning the art of doing nothing (i.e., relaxing) when there is nothing to do, to accept and trust that my body is resting for a reason, and to enjoy being still.

Even when I’m not in the mood to play, at least I have refuge in preparing meals for the people I love.

Curried Sweet Potato Oven Fries

3 medium Sweet potatoes, peeled, quartered, and slice (each potato can be made into 32 pieces)
2 tsp Garlic, finely grated
1/2 tsp. Sea salt
1/2 tsp. Garam Masala (or curry powder)
1 dash Cayenne
3 tbsp. Olive oil (or flaxseed oil)
1 tbsp. Orange juice

Preheat the oven to 400°F.
In a large plastic bag, add all of the ingredients and shake the bag until the sweet potato strips are equally coated.
On a greased baking pan, spread out the strips on a single layer.
Roast the fries for 45 minutes to an hour, turning them over at the 25-minute mark.

Makes 96 fries and can serve 3 to 6 people.