Saffron, bay leaf and fennel potatoes

RECIPE BY DEBBIE CROMPTON FROM PUNATAPU LODGE, OTAGO

SERVES 4 AS A SIDE

This dish is to be enjoyed ‘bathing’ in plenty of the best-quality oil you can get your hands on. Don’t settle for anything less.

1 onion, chopped,

4 garlic cloves, crushed

1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) extra virgin olive oil

8 fresh bay leaves

2 pinches Ida Valley saffron threads or other saffron

800 g–1 kg (1 lb 12 oz–2 lb 4 oz) small waxy potatoes, such as kipfler (fingerling)

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4). In a heavy-based flameproof casserole dish or ovenproof frying pan, begin by gently cooking the chopped onion, garlic and sliced fennel in the extra virgin olive oil.

Add the bay leaves, and break up the saffron in the palm of your hand before adding to the dish. Do not allow to brown, but rather ‘sweat’ the vegetables slowly — the slower this is done the better the flavour will be.

Slice the potatoes into 5 mm (¼ inch) slices (skin on is fine) and add to the dish. Mix well, and add plenty of freshly ground black pepper and salt. Mix again to ensure the salt and pepper are evenly distributed throughout the dish. If you like, add another slug of olive oil — the potatoes shouldn’t be too dry.

Cover the dish with a lid and put into the oven for 40 minutes until the potatoes are just tender when tested with a fork. It pays to mix again once during cooking to make sure the flavours of the bay leaves, and fennel have infused evenly, and the saffron has stained everything a glorious rusty orange.

This is a classic example of utilising great local ingredients to their best advantage. If you make this using the very best produce it will be absolutely delicious.