Everything we eat affects nature. We can point our fingers at the largest groups, the bigger evil, but if we don’t consider all of our choices, we only delay the problem. Initiatives like Root Zero (distributers of the carbon-neutral potatoes) fill me with mixed emotions. Their mission is fantastic. Far beyond neutralising their transport emission, they support biodiversity by cultivating woodland, hedgerows and cover crops, all of which are crucial to a chemical-free ecosystem that functions in harmony. Their bags are also plastic free, which, although it still baffles me, is a rarity in larger stores. For that alone, it’s worth supporting them.
But equally, it makes me cautious about how long it will take until larger conglomerates abuse the label of biodiversity and once more streamline the very system that simply cannot be streamlined if it was to function properly: Nature. Seeing Root Zero potatoes pop up at stores is great, but it doesn’t save us from doing our own digging and finding out where the food we buy actually comes from. That’s why the local market will continue to reign when it comes to sustainability. They are pockets of locality that support an immediate circle, rather concepts that are rolled out to fit an entire country. I guess, ultimately, it’s about this. If you shop at a larger store and find a bag of these taters, pick it up. But let it be the beginning of a journey that makes you question not only potatoes, but everything else in the basket.
serves 4
-
1 garlic bulb
-
1 kg potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
-
60 ml extra virgin olive oil
-
10g sage leaves
Method
Trim the top of the garlic bulb. Place on kitchen foil, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, wrap in the foil and roast for 50 minutes at 200°C
Place the potatoes in a pan, season generously with salt as you would to cook pasta and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
Drain the potatoes but reserve at least 200 ml of the cooking water. Tip them into a bowl and squeeze in the roasted garlic. Then mash it together with the olive oil, reserved cooking water and 3/4 tsp salt. Squeeze in the roasted garlic and mix through.
For a topping, roll the sage leaves into a cigar and slice into thin strips. Heat some extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan and drop in the sage slices. It should sizzle instantly. You can always test the heat by dropping in a pinch of the sage before adding all of it. Turn off the heat and let the sage get crispy. Then divide it over the mashed potatoes along with the oil from the pan.
Garlic & Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1 garlic bulb
- 1 kg potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 10 g sage leaves
Instructions
- Trim the top of the garlic bulb. Place on kitchen foil, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, wrap in the foil and roast for 50 minutes at 200°C
- Place the potatoes in a pan, season generously with salt as you would to cook pasta and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
- Drain the potatoes but reserve at least 200 ml of the cooking water. Tip them into a bowl and squeeze in the roasted garlic. Then mash it together with the olive oil, reserved cooking water and 3/4 tsp salt. Squeeze in the roasted garlic and mix through.
- For a topping, roll the sage leaves into a cigar and slice into thin strips. Heat some extra virgin olive oil in a frying pan and drop in the sage slices. It should sizzle instantly. You can always test the heat by dropping in a pinch of the sage before adding all of it. Turn off the heat and let the sage get crispy. Then divide it over the mashed potatoes along with the oil from the pan.
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