Chef Terry's Smoky Creek Trail Roasted Potatoes
These spuds were named, rightfully so, after
a 15.3-mile backpacking trail through the desert foothills of Big Bend
National Park. Located on the southwest side of the Chisos mountains, the
hike features numerous springs, gorgeous canyons, and views of a seemingly
endless sky.
While camping one night, we made up this
recipe. We've since modified it to include our favorite smoky salsa, Chili
Ancho. So if you are looking for something hearty that can be used for
either a side dish or a main meal, here it is. (Remember to use the whole
jar of salsa cause you can NEVER have too much salsa). Chili Ancho's smoky
flavor and vegetables add a zip to what I used to think was a bland dish.
Bon Appetit!
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons olive oil
4 pounds clean red-skinned potatoes cut into 1-1/4 inch
chunks
16 shallot parts, peeled, chopped lengthwise
6 whole garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
Coarse ground black pepper and salt to taste
1-12oz jar of Chile Ancho Salsa
Directions:
Place potato chunks in bowl. Sprinkle chopped shallots
and chopped garlic over potatoes. Add the olive oil
and rosemary. Take a wooden spoon and mix until all ingredients
have distributed evenly. Place in pan
and cover. Bake at 425 ° F. until tender (about 50
minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove cover and add
the salsa using the wooden spoon to distribute salsa
evenly. Cover and return to heat for 10 minutes. Take
out of the oven and let stand with cover on for 10 more
minutes.
Serves 8 as a main dish and 24 as a side.
If you're on the trail, here's how to make it happen:
Follow instructions as before, but since most of us don't carry
an oven on our backs when packing, use
your camp stove. What you will need is a good camp stove burner.
I use MSR's WhisperLite Shaker Jet
Stove because it features a self-cleaning shaker jet to reduce
soot build-up and stove maintenance. Bought
it at REI. Next, you need a pot of the 2-1/2 quart variety with
lid. Add the mixture, cover and watch your
heat. Bring to a sizzle and cut back about half. Depending on
the stove and pot, you may have to reduce
the heat a little more. Same cooking time as above. All the ingredients
are easy to pack and hold up on the
trail very well. You MUST eat it all if you make the whole recipe,
as you usually won't have a refrigerator
in your pack either!