Salt and Vinegar Potatoes

 I'd often associate foods with feelings.  My boyfriend's petname for me is "Potato" - supposedly, back in his country, calling someone a potato is a good thing, it means that they are... Versatile.  You know, a potato can be turned into a mash, rosti, latkes, chips, crisps, it can be anything.  And if I could associate the different forms they take with the different feelings I have, well, I unfortunately don't feel like these glorious salt and vinegar potatoes right now - these are new potatoes that are boiled in vinegar and water so they have that lovely sharp tang, and they are then cut in half and fried in plenty of oil so that they're crispy and rich. Topped with plenty of maldon salt and chopped herbs and it's a side that stands proud in any meal.  I don't feel like that now.  I feel like a bland pile of lumpy mash.  Like a school dinner mash.  Yes, my current emotional state is school dinner mash.

I wish I could call this ingenious idea my own but I got the recipe from Bon Appetit.  These truly are brilliant and addictive.  If you like salt and vinegar crisps, or like malt vinegar on your chips/fries - then these are for you.

We should all aim to feel like these salt and vinegar potatoes.

Serves 2 as a side
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit
Ingredients
500g new potatoes, skin on, scrubbed clean
1/2 cup white wine vinegar + more for drizzling
Olive oil
Maldon sea salt, or other flaky salt
Spring onion, chopped
Parsley, chopped

Method
Put the potatoes in a pot and add the vinegar, a generous pinch of salt, and cover with water.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to let it simmer until potatoes are tender.  Drain and pat dry.

Add olive oil in a sautee pan - it should cover the whole surface and come up to 2-3mm.

Cut the potatoes in half, and place them, cut side down, and cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes until they are crispy.  When the cut side is crispy, flip them over and gently toss in the pan for a minute or two. 

Drizzle with a bit of white wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, chopped herbs and Maldon salt.