I made a fairly ordinary meal last night of sausage and mash, but had a hankering to experiment a bit on the side. I had seen a photograph on Foodgawker of Hasselback potatoes on a blog called Seasaltwithfood and wanted to try them.
So in addition to a mountain of fluffy mashed potato (I always make too much and also can’t tell you how much better your mash will be if you use a potato ricer) I made a few Hasselbacks. They are of Swedish origin and I think they look fantastic, and they taste pretty good too.
I wasn’t sure if you should peel the potatoes first so I did one peeled and two not. I would definitely not peel them next time. The trick to the slicing is to put a chop stick along each of the long sides of the tato and cut down onto that so that the cuts do not go right through. A slice off the base helps to steady them.
Then it’s just a case of a slug of olive oil, sea salt and pepper and some shards of butter then into a hot oven for 45 minutes or so. I will follow Angie’s advice next time and add some garlic slivers. I have just eaten one cold for lunch after I finished making cute little tiles at a ceramic workshop at George’s school.
The second experiment was photographing them. I am going through a learning process with my new Nikon Speedlight Flash, so I was trialling working with the flash off camera, triggered remotely. Ed was nudged from the table in the study whilst I moved hot potatoes and bits of reflective paper around the desk to take this one in what otherwise would have been a shot clothed in darkness.
The competition is one I entered on Gardening Blog Fennel and Fern.
This photograph of an Allium Christophii in the garden was shortlisted this week.
Thanks to everyone who voted for my photo…but it didn’t win. A pretty picture of a poppy pipped me to the post.
Things we make 
Kathy - Cooking On the Side
October 7, 2009
These look amazing – I’m going to have to give them a try too. Time to veer away from my regular roasted potatoes for a second!
Jessica Lee Binder
October 7, 2009
Ooh, those potatoes looks so good! saw them on foodgawker and had to drop by.
natalie
October 7, 2009
yum! i’ve been seeing these too and have been wanting to try them! def something i might try for the holidays this year since we’ll be hosting!!
Thomas
October 8, 2009
I am definitely voting for your picture! Claire, I have to say that out of all the blogs I read you take by far the best pictures. I really haven’t taken the time to learn how to properly use my Nikon. Shame on me! Hopefully you can teach me a thing or two these days.
P.S. Your husband is an amazing craftsman as well!
thingswemake
October 8, 2009
Aah! Thanks all, especially Thomas. Ed read this to me this morning and I thought he’d added that last bit himself! It is really nice to have such positive comments.
I am still learning so much on the photography front myself and find lots of resources online like White on Rice (below) which will be worth keeping an eye on, and I am also learning lots by being in groups on Flickr as it makes you take pictures outside your comfort zone. Try joining one on a subject that interests you or one that is about your camera.
http://www.whiteonricecouple.com/photography-tips/what-is-photography-exposure/
Have a good day everyone.
Zack
October 10, 2009
what temperature did you cook the taters at? I tried these last night and mine don’t look as rustic as yours
thingswemake
October 10, 2009
Hi Zack. About 190 I think, and I would leave them for nearly an hour if I did them again to make sure they are super cooked through. Leaving the skins on and using butter helped them brown plus our oven is a fan oven and quite hot. They were Vivaldi potatoes, which are supposed to be for mashing if that helps. Thanks for visiting!