Potatoes For One, plus Two.

About 2 years ago I read this very nice post by Luisa over at Wednesday Chef. She wrote about one of my favorite food subjects-the joys eating alone. She mentioned some of her more unusual solo dining cravings, (mine is chocolate chip cookies dunked in OJ.) But the post centered around Aglaia Kremezi's recipe for Fried Potatoes with Yogurt Sauce, a perfect meal to eat by yourself. I eagerly printed it out. I love solo dining!

As I stood by the office printer pretending something work-related was being expelled, (hint: frown, impatiently tap foot, mutter "Clients!" angrily under breath), a thought stuck me. One that brought tears to my eyes. Real tears, guys.

I was never going to eat alone again. Ever. I had a full time job that demanded a lot of my attention, a 2-year-old who demanded even more of it and a husband that I needed to touch base with in order to stay sane. All of my meals were either rushed with a little guy running towards electrical outlets with metal objects, at a desk with a co-worker or with Fred, recounting our days. The only alone time I ever had was in the shower and even that was iffy since Walt had learned to open our lock-less bathroom door. My solo life was over! I was doomed.

I know. What an asshole, right? Someone call the Count Your Blessing Doctors because girlfriend needs a gratitude transfusion! Boo-hoo. I'm happily married with a healthy child and a good job in a crap economy. Wah-wah-wah I can't eat potatoes by myself. Poor me, poor me, pour me a drink.

Well, maybe not an asshole. Maybe just an overwhelmed mother who values alone time is all. Maybe a human being who dips her head into the Sorry For Herself vat because that's just what we do at times. Yeah, maybe that.

And you know what, I got alone again. Eventually Walt grew older and I learned to let go a little. He and Fred went to LA last summer without me and are going again next week. In preparation for their trip, I got out my old recipe bin and started digging for the potato recipe.

Then I had an inspirational thought. I call it inspirational because it wasn't selfish. Why not make the potatoes for Fred and Walt to try? I was planning on making Orangette's chana masala for dinner and thought a potato side would go well. So I did. And it did.



They were every bit as good as Luisa claimed them to be. The fried nuggets of potato with tangy sauce went down just as deliciously with my family as I'm sure they would have alone. But just to be sure, I'm making them again when Walt and Fred are in LA and I'm alone in the apartment. They'll be a perfect prelude to my chocolate chip cookie and orange juice dessert.



Fried Potatoes With Yogurt Sauce
borrowed from The Wednesday Chef

Fried Potatoes with Yogurt Sauce
Serves 1, or more if you're feeling inspired

3 Yukon Gold potatoes, or as many as you want to eat in a sitting
3 or 4 tablespoons olive oil or sunflower seed oil
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used 2% Liberté, though the author says full-fat is better, just don't use use the thick, strained kind)
2 tablespoons crumbled Greek feta cheese
2 to 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Plenty of Aleppo pepper (I used close to a tablespoon)
1 tablespoon of white wine vinegar

1. Halve the potatoes lengthwise, then slice them slightly thinner than 1/8-inch. Fry them in the hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown in places. Drain them on three layers of paper towels.

2. Combine the yogurt, feta, mustard and pepper. Add the vinegar and stir well, until creamy. Put the potatoes on a plate with some of the sauce on the side and dip the forked potatoes into the sauce as you go. You might have sauce left over - a good excuse to fry up a few more potatoes tomorrow.