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Spurred on by this thread, I smoked a load of potatoes and onions this week (about three times as many potatoes as onions), and I’ve had great fun experimenting. First taste was simply hot out of the smoker with butter, which was mighty nice. However, I agree with Davooda that it might have been palate-numbing to serve it alongside another smoked dish.
For my first experiment using smoked veg as ingredients, I created a potato soup recipe. I wanted to keep it fairly simply, to really highlight the smoke. For the bacon in this recipe, I went with maple flavored, just to add a little sweetness and one more note, besides hickory, to the smoke profile. Oh, boy, was this ever yummy. (Recipe is below.)
Next up was a tortilla española -- classic recipe, but I just substituted smoked potatoes and onions for the roasted ones in the original. A tortilla española is a mighty fine dish even plain, but the smoked version was most excellent. I can imagine serving it next to something you didn’t smoke, such as a grilled steak or roasted chicken -- a sort of joke for the palate, as most people would think the meat would be smoked, not the side dish.
For Memorial Day, I’m making potato salad with the remaining smoked potatoes -- just something simple with bacon, hard-cooked eggs, sweet onions, and mayo. Maybe a little chopped broccoli. Based on the amazing flavor in the other recipes, I expect it to be tasty.
I used red potatoes this time -- fist-sized ones -- because reds are what Davooda said he used. Next time, I might try Yukon Gold for the soup, for a smoother texture, and possibly bakers for the tortilla española, as they absorb more of the egg. But everything was so good, thanks to the smoke, that I don't think it would make much difference in the flavor of the end product.
Here's the potato soup recipe.
Smoked Potato And Onion Soup
6 strips bacon
1/2 onion (not smoked), chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 smoked onions, roughly chopped
6 smoked potatoes, roughly chopped
1 quart chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
4 sprigs thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Cook the bacon in a large pot (6 quarts minimum). When crisp, remove and set aside. Add 1/2 onion and sauté until just beginning to take on color. Stir in garlic and smoked onion, and sauté for 2 or 3 minutes. Then add the potatoes, and stir to cover with bacon fat and onion. Add broth, milk, and thyme sprigs. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for one hour, or until ingredients are very tender. Remove thyme sprigs. Let cool for a few minutes, then puree with stick blender. (No need to make it perfectly smooth -- a little roughness in texture suits the smoky taste.) Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot, with crumbled bacon as garnish.
It might be nice to try this with cream, instead of milk, for an even silkier mouth-feel. Next time.
Thanks again for the inspiration, Davooda.
_________________ "Nothing important is easy." Patrick White (Australian Nobel laureate) http://waltzingaustralia.wordpress.com
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. Non-meat items I have now smoked: green cabbage, red cabbage, onion, potato (reg. and sweet), portabella mushrooms, asparagus and turnips. All of it was good on its own, and used in various prepared dishes. Not everyone liked the smoked potato salad. Some people are purists when it comes to potato salad I've come to learn! Asparagus is probably better grilled or steamed. My favorites were the onion, portabella mushrooms and (SURPRISE) the turnips. Turnips when cooked low and slow turn out smoky sweet. The onions were great, but difficult to chop up and use after smoking. The smoked portabella mushroom would make a happy meal entrée for me any time. What other fruits and veggies have any of you tried in the smoker?
