Blue Potato Recipes, by Melinda

Blue Potatoes really stand out!  (source)

Blue potatoes (ours are called "All Blue," as both the skin and flesh are bluish purple) are an excellent multi-purpose potato. They're great bakers, but also are fine and tasty when mashed, steamed, microwaved, roasted, or made into chips! As you see in the above photo, they also look pretty--e.g., in potato salads--in combination with other color potatoes (some folks make 4th of July red, white, and blue potato salad!). In fact, in most of these recipes you can change out blue potatoes for other colors and types.

Fork-Crushed Blue Potatoes--serves 4, unless you're a mashed-potato freak!

(source)

• 1 lb blue or purple potatoes, washed
• 4 shallots, minced
• 2 tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 3 to 6 tbsp olive oil (to taste) [non-vegans could use butter]
• Fleur de sel to taste [you could use regular salt]
• white pepper [or black] to taste
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

In large pot, cook potatoes w/ skins on till tender, ~15 minutes (blue potatoes are a smallish variety). Remove potatoes from pot & peel them while still warm. Put potatoes in large bowl &, using a fork, gently smash them, maintaining a fairly chunky consistency. Fold in minced shallots, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, & pepper. Sprinkle w/ parsley & eat!  (recipe source)

Blue Potato Salad w/ Lemon Basil Vinaigrette

(source)

• 1 3/4 lbs blue potatoes (or mix of blue & white)
• 1 small bell pepper, diced (a lavender one is nice if you can find it)
• 1/4 large onion, chopped fine
• juice of one lemon
• 1 tsp apple-cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• ~15 fresh basil leaves [& extra for garnish, as in photo above]
• salt & pepper to taste

I cook the potatoes using a method taught by my mom. Place the whole potatoes in a poet, cover w/ water, cover the pot with a lid, and bring to a boil. Once they boil, turn off the heat. Leave the lid on & let them sit in the hot water till potatoes are softened. For this recipe, that's ~15-20 min. Drain the potatoes & let them cool [peel or not, your preference]. Chop into bite-sized pieces & add bell pepper & onion. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, & sugar. Chop the basil & stir into dressing. Pour dressing over potatoes & toss to coat. Salt & pepper to taste. Eat while warm, or refrigerate for 15 min. before serving. Either way, serve soon after making, as the potatoes' color lightens the longer they sit.  Serves 6.   (recipe source)

Double Blue Rosemary Potato Mash--I adapted this from a recipe calling for Yukon Gold potatoes, b/c I think it would be much prettier with Blue potatoes.

• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, plus more for the baking dish
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled & smashed [not minced, just smashed into largish pieces]
• 1 tbsp finely chopped rosemary leaves [or substitute other chopped herbs if you don't care for rosemary]
• freshly cracked black pepper
• 6 Blue potatoes, peeled & cut in chunks
• kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cups crumbled blue cheese (recommended: Shropshire blue)

Butter a 6 to 8 cup shallow baking dish. In small saucepan, heat butter, garlic, rosemary, and pepper, to taste, till butter is melted. Allow to sit over very low heat to infuse flavors & keep hot while cooking potatoes. In large pot, add potatoes, cover w/ water and add a heavy pinch of salt. Bring to a boil on medium heat, then reduce heat & simmer till potatoes are fork-tender, ~15 min. Immediately drain the potatoes & put back into hot pot over very low heat to dry thoroughly. Next, pass them through a food mill over a bowl. If you don't have a food mill, use a potato masher or a ricer.** Preheat the oven broiler [set to "broil"]. Remove smashed garlic from warm butter and whisk about 1 cup of the blue cheese into the butter. By hand, mix this cheese/butter sauce into the potatoes & season w/ a little salt & pepper to taste. Spread into prepared baking dish & top w/ remaining blue cheese. Broil till cheese is golden & melting, ~3 min. Remove from oven & serve. (recipe source)
**Whatever you do, don't ever try to whip potatoes in a food processor or blender--they get gluey.