Skinny fries Healthful olive oil is the only fat in these fries. Roasted garlic imparts the flavour. Serve with malt vinegar, ketchup and curried mayo. 4 large Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, scrubbed 4 tablespoons olive oil           60 ml 4 plump cloves of fresh garlic, minced Coarsely ground black pepper and sea salt, to taste 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 2. Retaining skins, cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Slice into 1/8-inch-wide pieces (0.5 mm), turn and slice into "fries." To avoid browning, place the slices in cold water as you go. 3. Drain the potatoes. Toss with the minced garlic, olive oil, ground pepper and sea salt. 4. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, turning with a spatula after 20 minutes. Tip: Using a clay baking sheet eliminates the need to turn the fries. They bake up crisp and nicely browned. SERVES 4 Curried mayo dip 2/3 cup mayonnaise           160 mL 1/3 cup plain yogurt           80 mL 1 tablespoon curry powder           15 mL 1 teaspoon ground ginger           5 mL 1/2 teaspoon turmeric           2.5 mL 1/2 teaspoon chili powder           2.5 mL 1/2 teaspoon paprika           2.5 mL Combine all the ingredients. Refrigerate for at least an hour before using. Fat potato lasagna This rich, special-occasion dish is especially good with grilled or roasted meat. 5 slices bacon, diced 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced 4 cloves garlic, minced (divided) 1/8 cup chives, finely chopped           25 mL 2 pounds baking potatoes           1 kg 1 1/2 cups heavy cream           375 mL 2 cups whole milk           500 mL 1/2 cup Gruyère cheese, grated           125 mL 1/2 cup cream cheese, diced           125 mL 2/3 cup Parmesan cheese, divided           160 mL 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 2. Sauté bacon until crisp. Add onions and half the diced garlic. Sauté until soft. Add chives and remove from heat. 3. Using a food processor or mandolin slicer, cut scrubbed, unpeeled potatoes into very thin slices. Place in cold water to prevent browning. 4. Combine the cream, milk, Gruyere and remaining garlic. 5. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish. 6. Drain the potatoes. Layer half the potatoes in the dish, and cover with half the cream mixture. 7. Add the bacon/onion mixture. Dot with the cream cheese. Sprinkle with half the Parmesan. 8. Layer on remaining potatoes. Cover with remaining cream mixture, and top with remaining Parmesan. 9. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. 10. Remove foil and bake 30 minutes longer, until golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. SERVES 6 Shepherd's pie with cheesy topping Try using lamb instead of ground beef. For a meatless version, use chick peas. Topping: 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes           1 kg 3 tablespoons butter           45 mL 1 cup sour cream           250 mL 1/4 cup milk           65 mL 1 1/2 cups mature cheddar, grated, divided           375 mL 1/2 cup chives or green onions, chopped           125 mL Salt and pepper to taste Filling: 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef           0.67 kg 2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped 3 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil           15 mL 2 tablespoons tomato purée           30 mL 1/2 cup salsa           125 mL 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce           15 mL 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce           1 mL 1 14-ounce can corn niblets           398 mL 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped           30 mL 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon           2 mL 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour           15 mL 1 cup canned, diced tomatoes           250 mL 1 1/2 cups beef stock           375 mL Coarsely ground pepper and sea salt, to taste For the topping: 1. Peel potatoes, cube, and place in a pot of cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, 15-20 minutes. 2. Drain the potatoes. Add butter, sour cream and milk, and mash into a smooth puree. Stir in cheese (reserving a little) and chives. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. For the filling: 1. Heat olive oil in a deep sauté pan. Add ground beef and brown. Remove from the pan, reserving juices. 2. Add onions and sauté until browned at the edges. 3. Add the chopped carrots, and cook until soft. 4. Add tomato puree, parsley and cinnamon, and sauté 2 minutes longer. 5. Stir in flour to soak up the juices, and cook briefly. 6. Add the beef stock, chopped tomatoes, salsa, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, fresh garlic and canned corn. Add salt and pepper to taste. 7. Return meat to the pan, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Assembly: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 2. Spoon the filling into a 9 x 13 ovenproof dish. 3. Spread potato mixture evenly on top. Sprinkle with reserved cheddar. 4. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes, until topping is firm and golden. SERVES 6 Spud facts & stats Storing potatoes * Potatoes keep best in a dry, cool and dark area that is well ventilated. * Don't store spuds in plastic bags. Air circulation is important to a long life. * Potatoes bruise easily if they're dropped, or if something heavy is placed on them. * Never store potatoes in the refrigerator, unless they are "new" potatoes. Cold (as opposed to cool) temperatures cause the starch in the tubers to turn to sugar, causing dark spots and an unpleasant, sweet flavour when cooked. * Warm temperatures encourage sprouting, shriveling, and loss of nutrients. Did you know? * The name "spuds" derives from the type of shovel Irish farmers used to dig up potato hills. * Potatoes belong to the same family as tomatoes, tobacco, chili peppers, eggplants and petunias. * Sweet potatoes are part of the potato family. * The potato is Canada's favourite vegetable, yet Germans eat twice as many potatoes per capita as Canadians do. * Potatoes are 80 percent water and 20 percent solids. * Legend has it that the word "pothole" comes from the Irish tradition of setting boiled pots of potatoes on earthen roads to cool. When the potatoes were mashed, the pots got pushed into the ground, forming a hole. * The Incas in Peru were the first to cultivate potatoes in about 200 BC. Besides eating them, they had other uses for this staple. They believed raw potatoes would heal broken bones, and they measured time by the interval required to cook potatoes. * During the Klondike gold rush (1897 to 1898), potatoes were so valued for their vitamin C content that they were traded for their weight in gold. * NASA successfully grew potatoes in space in 1995. * The fibre in potatoes can help lower cholesterol, and the high levels of potassium can reduce blood pressure. * The best potatoes are firm and heavy with no cuts, soft spots, green skins or sprouting eyes. * Apples and onions can spoil potatoes so they should not be stored together. Kitchen tip for potato lovers * A kitchen mandolin is a manual tool that slices, shreds and grates fruit and vegetables to precise widths. It's perfect for producing the consistently thin slices required for our "Fat potato lasagna" recipe. Mandolins are fitted with hand guards, which helps keep fingernails out of the coleslaw! With a good quality mandolin, you can adjust the thickness of the slices, usually from one to eight millimetres.