Fresh new potatoes, dug out of the ground a few days before, made an appearance in our CSA box this week. I love to steam these tiny potatoes until tender, thread them on a skewer and grill to serve along side just about anything in the summer months.
However, this week I’m on a mission. My stepsons have arrived for their annual summer vacation with us, and I’m determined to expose them to as many new vegetable dishes as possible. They are being good sports about it, often eating everything and at least being willing to try a bite or two of the things they aren’t so sure about.
I’ve got plans to showcase the beautiful zucchini (and it’s other summer squash counterparts) in a variety of ways over the coming weeks. To start, I’ve opted to combine familiar and comforting potatoes with the more exotic zucchini. I thought it was a pretty common vegetable (it is in my house, but so is kale and sea vegetables…), but both of them swear up and down they’ve never eaten it before. This gentle introduction was eaten with great gusto.
Pan Fried New Potatoes and Zucchini
Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4-6
Ingredients
2-3 cups new potatoes, cut in halves or quarters so all pieces end up approximately the same size
1 tbsp grapeseed oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 zucchini, depending on the size (should end up with about 2-3 cups cubed zucchini
1/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves, rolled into a cigar shape and sliced very thinly
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
- Cover the potatoes with water and add a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook 7-10 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain and set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the grapeseed oil and garlic and stir for 30 seconds, until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
- Add the zucchini and saute for 3-5 minutes, until tender-crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add the drained potatoes to the pan and continue to saute until they are golden brown, adding more oil if necessary (if the potatoes appear dry, or are badly sticking to the pan). When they are browned, add the zucchini back to the dish and continue to cook until heated through.
- Add the basil and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
