The side was no joke

Goodness Tuesday seems to roll around quickly. Unless, of course, you're wanting time to pass quickly in which case....really? Tuesday? We're only on Tuesday? Drat. Wait a sec, this was a cooking entry and now I'm distrac look a squirrel!

So, cooking. Tried two new things yesterday. Supper was porc tenderloin with port and cherries, potato thingys and creamed corn. No, the corn wasn't new. The corn was because I seem to be unable to eat porc without corn. This isn't a Quebec thing, it's a family thing, I think. I should totally put that on a list of things the next time I have to write some sort of "about me" list: "Loves reading, dancing, bakes a little too often, too many drawers of drawers, more teapots than one person could ever use and must have corn with porc". Where was I again? Stupid squirrel. Oh yeah:

The entree was bland , which was a disappointment, if not a surprise. The meat was seasoned lightly, then seared and cooked in what was essentially stock and port with cherries and a sprig of rosemary. The sauce cooked down nicely but the meat was just cooked meat sitting in sauce.

The potatoes, now, there's a recipe and a half! They need some sort of name, I think the recipe just called them crisp Parmesan potatoes. Very simple and tasty enough that we're having them again tonight. Why not? The Girl and I are trying out a recipe for flank steak with carrots and parsnips. The potatoes will be a perfect side.

Yes, I'm going to tell you how to make them. Take some baby red potatoes. I just counted out how many I wanted, I think the original recipe called for a pound. Pierce them with a fork, toss them with two tablespoons oil (recipe called for vegetable oil, I used Olive because I was out of the former), salt, pepper and two cloves of diced garlic. I cheated and used a spoonful of prepared garlic from a jar. Something you occasionally do making supper on a work day, when even chopping things seems tiring after a day's work. ANYWAY

Microwave the potatoes, six to eight minutes in total. Stir them around half way through. Preheat your oven to 500. Yes that high. Put a cookie tray in the oven to preheat with it. I put parchment on my sheet just to be sure of getting the potato cakes off without breaking. It did get awfully dark but nothing burned.

Take those precooked potatoes and put them on the preheated tray. Smash them down with the bottom of a glass, just until they burst open. Kinda flat, but not pressed all the way down. I made sure the leftover oil and garlic got onto them at this point. When they're squished, grate some Parmesan cheese over each little cake. Bake them until they're golden and crisp. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn. Happens quickly at 500.

If they turn out the way they did for us last night they'll be flavourful, crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Between these and last week's discovery that ricing potatoes is worth the effort, I think I may be the potato queen again. Not that there's a point to being potato queen without Ky in town, but still....these are some good 'taters!