It would only be natural to select a home named after a Thanksgiving table staple for the November edition of Home Cooked. This month, we invite you to take a little dinner adventure and visit us on Potato Island for a meal named after the magical place.

You’ll arrive by boat to our private island.  We’ll greet you on the lawn with a glass of crisp champagne and usher you onto the wrap around porch.

You’ll want to take a tour, of course.  The cozy window seat large enough to fit the Brady Bunch is too unique to be missed. And it will be a tough decision to decide between a dip in the garden’s lap pool, or a seat by the waterside fire pit.

But, inevitably, we’ll end up in the heart of the house, at the rustic dining table.  Delicious smells of fresh herbs and garlic permeate the air.

We’ll take a seat in the cozy cottage kitchen and you’ll slice thick slabs of the buttery potato galette and toast to a delicious meal.  You’ll of course want the recipe…

Crisp Potato Cake (Galette de Pomme de Terre)

From the New York Times

2 pounds (about 3 medium) potatoes, peeled and sliced very thinly

1 tablespoon olive oil, or as needed

Freshly ground nutmeg

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Salt

Fresh thyme leaves for garnish (optional).

1. Pat potatoes dry if very starchy or moist. In a sauté pan large enough to fit potato slices in just two layers, spread 1 tablespoon oil and sprinkle with nutmeg and pepper to taste. Starting in center, arrange potato slices in a closely overlapping, attractive spiral. When pan is filled, repeat to make a second layer.

2. Place pan over medium heat and cover. Slowly cook potatoes until well browned on underside, about 15 minutes, occasionally shaking pan gently to avoid sticking. Wipe inside of lid as needed to keep it dry.

3. Press potatoes down with a flat spatula and remove from heat. Place a larger platter over pan and flip it upside down, transferring potatoes to the platter. Check pan to make sure it is clean and has enough oil to keep potatoes from sticking.

4. Slide galette, raw side down, back into pan, and return to medium heat. Cover and cook until well browned, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a persillade by combining parsley and garlic in a small bowl. To serve, slide galette onto a serving platter, season to taste with salt, and garnish with persillade or thyme.

Yield: 4 servings.

We all will declare that this would be our pick for our last meal if we were stranded on a deserted island.  But, lucky for us, Potato Island is just a short boat trip back to shore.

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