RV Recipe - Salt Potatoes

Want an irresistible dish to wow your family and friends? Careful...they're addictive!

Many moons ago – way before we began our RV adventure – we visited my husband’s childhood friend in central NY and were treated to an easy picnic dish that I have not seen anywhere else – salt potatoes. A wonderful addition to bbq fare, this tasty little side dish is a staple in this part of the country. Almost every grocery store in the area carries a 5 pound paper bag of

Hinerwadel’s Famous Salt Potatoes – small potatoes and a bag of salt.

Why salt potatoes here? Turns out Syracuse, NY was a major salt producer. According to http://www.ilovethefingerlakes.com/:

“Commercial salt production from brine wells began in the Finger Lakes on the shore of Onondaga Lake in Syracuse when it became difficult to obtain salt from abroad during the War of 1812 with England. The refining of salt was Syracuse's largest industry at the time, and it supplied salt to much of the country. The building of the Erie Canal allowed the bulky and low-priced Syracuse salt to be transported to Chicago and beyond relatively quickly and inexpensively by way of the Great Lakes. Although the Erie Canal was known by many names, those in Syracuse called it ‘the ditch that salt built.’”

Many of the workers were Irish and brought potatoes for their meals to be boiled in the salty water from Onondaga Lake – thus the humble beginnings of the salt potatoes we know and love today. The going salt to water ratio is 4 ½ pounds of potatoes to 1 ½ cups of salt but those numbers can be adjusted to your personal taste. If, by chance, you get the water too salty you can rinse some of the potatoes to mitigate the salt.

Here’s how it’s done:

Salt a large pot of water using the ratio noted above and bring to a boil (you could do this on an outside burner), add the scrubbed potatoes (peels left on please) and boil until cooked but still firm – about 10-12 minutes. Serve with plenty of melted butter. If desired, sprinkle and mix with chopped parsley or rosemary.

Cook the whole batch at once – you’ll save propane and if you have leftovers for the next day all the better.

I enjoy salt potatoes even when I’m not in the central NY area by picking up a pound of small white potatoes and using kosher salt in the water. Try it and don’t be surprised if salt potatoes become a family favorite in your RV!

Evanne
http://www.rvcookingshow.com/