Rustic Garlic-Smashed Purple Potatoes

I made this dish on Halloween eve (it seemed appropriate) and I wish I'd taken a photo of it! I've already bought a new batch of purple potatoes and have no intention of only cooking them as a novelty dish - they were delicious.

Purple potatoes are an heirloom variety. I'm glad these luscious beauties are finding a market - like many other heirloom food plants, their benefits far exceed more commonly marketed food. Sadly, we've gotten used to produce whose main attributes are their ability to withstand transport without bruising and long shelf life. In many cases we've given up taste, texture, nutrition, and ecological diversity (which ensures sustainability for a whole web of life).

If you remember back to my post "Colors" every plant food has different nutrients based on their colors. Purple and blue plants have anthocyanin, a flavonoid that has anti-cancer, heart-protective, and immune enhancing effects as well as being protective against age-related memory loss. The USDA Agriculture Research Service has found that darkly colored potatoes have more than four times the antioxidant potential as light potatoes.

This recipe fed four which shocked even me - I suspect it's really enough for eight if those people don't happen to be the people living in my house! I kept the skin on the potatoes for added texture, nutrients, and to keep this dish rustic.

Ingredients:
10 purple potatoes
1 head of garlic
coconut kefir (or milk/milk substitute of your choice) - 1/2 cup or more
butter (or olive oil) - 2 T or so
Celtic sea salt (or other good salt)
Black pepper

- Heat oven to 375 F. Pierce potatoes with a fork so the steam can escape as they cook. Cut the top of the garlic bulb so each clove is missing its tip, remove most of the paperlike skin (leave bulb intact). Wrap garlic in aluminum foil. Bake potatoes and garlic for about an hour or until the potatoes are tender.
- Open the garlic packet and allow garlic to cool enough for handling.  
- Smash the potatoes with a fork or potato masher. Squeeze the garlic on top, add butter, kefir, salt, and pepper to taste.


Enjoy!