I never quite liked potatoes... Give me a second, allow me to correct that: I always hated potatoes. I blame that in part to our culture; potatoes are hardly an important part of Dominican cuisine, they are mostly used as an ingredient in stews and soups. It doesn’t help much that they are also considered a bland food, the ideal fare for babies, the infirm and little old ladies with no teeth.

It took me over two decades and meeting my now-husband for me to learn to enjoy the virtues of potatoes. Danes are as passionate about potatoes as Dominicans are about rice. Having been exposed to the many varieties and countless ways of preparing this humble tuber made me, if not a raving fan, at least an appreciator.

It is unfortunate that potatoes have such a bad reputation here; it is after all an excellent food, one that is cheap and provides us with many important nutrients. A small serving of potatoes provides us with thiamin, dietary fiber, protein, carbohydrates, folic acid, niacin, phosphorous, magnesium, calcium, zinc and iodine. Potatoes also have a whooping 80% of the daily requirement of vitamin C, more potassium than that found in bananas and more antioxidants than most vegetables. To take better advantage of the nutritional richness of this tuber it is important that whenever possible the potatoes be cooked with the skin intact so it retains nutrients that could be lost during cooking. The skin itself is a great source of soluble fiber.

I have no intention of turning anyone away from our beloved rice, but it is always nice to be open to new things. And to help you ease your way into the world of potatoes I give you my favorite potato recipe, one that is easy to prepare and for which I have to credit my mother-in-law.



Potatoes with parsley sauce

• 2 lbs of potatoes
• 2 cups of heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• 2 tablespoon of butter
• 4 tablespoon of parsley, finely minced
• Salt
• Pepper

1. Boil potatoes and peel.
   
2. In a saucepan heat the butter until it melts, add the parsley and stir. Add the flour and mix thoroughly, be careful that the mix doesn’t burn. Add the cream and boil until you obtain a heavy sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste.
   
3. Serve potatoes with the sauce on the side. This dish is best served with red meat or fried fish.

By Aunt Clara