Cooking With Campiche: Versatile garden potatoes

Ozette potatoes are among the oldest regional heritage varieties, long enjoyed by the Makah people of northwest Washington state. Here, they are paired with with purple Peruvian potatoes and seasoned with herbs, onion and celery.

Potatoes, fresh onions and herbs from the garden — yes, it is that time of year. We have waited patiently for the garden to bloom and spring is finally upon us.

One variety of spud I love is a heritage potato called an Ozette. The potato is a small fingerling and very delicious. The second potato here is a purple Peruvian.

These are common and tend to take over a garden. Cut open at harvest, they present a startling, vibrant purple color. Some of that color boils out, but the point is simple: A cook ends up with a hearty dish and an uncommon presentation.

Add a bit of celery, some shredded chicken or pieces of fish and you have a colorful hash, and these potatoes are a tasty accompaniment to a roast or steak.

Sometimes a simple presentation is the perfect accompaniment to a quick meal. Potatoes can stand on their own. These unique potatoes even grow in a garden composed mostly of beach sand, standard on the Long Beach Peninsula.

A tablespoon each of stock and black bean paste gives the recipe a jump. So do diced sweet peppers. Green beans are a perfect vegetable on the side. I like to toss these in a little butter with a splash of sweet chili sauce.

For a hash, add a Japanese eggplant. There is no end to the opportunities for the adaptable potato.

Ingredients

• 1 pound fingerling potatoes (Ozettes),

par-boiled and cut bite-size

• 1 pound purple potatoes, par-boiled and

cut bite-size

• One medium onion, medium diced

• Three celery stalks, sliced 1/2-inch

diagonally

• Herbs: fresh parsley, dried rosemary

and basil

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons butter

• Four cloves fresh garlic, crushed and

finely chopped

• Green onions, cut diagonally in 1-inch

pieces

• Splash of homemade chicken stock,

or a splash of Asian black bean sauce (or

both!)

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Dried chili flakes (optional)

Preparation

Par-boil the potatoes and set them aside. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and butter. Saute the garlic and onion.

Quickly add the celery and cook for a few minutes until translucent. Add the potatoes and then the herbs. Salt and pepper to taste and toss in the green onions. Pour in a splash of stock and black bean sauce. Toss the ingredients with a splash of virgin olive oil in the hot pan until well-mixed. A poached egg is perfect on top.

At this point, try expanding the recipe into a hash by adding small bits of meat or fish — or top it off with lots of vegetables.

David Campiche is a potter, poet, writer and lifelong resident of the Long Beach Peninsula. His novel "Black Wing" is now available in bookstores.

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