My new favourite potato dish

A recipe for cooking tomatoes and potatoes together

Hello! My name is Rebecca May Johnson, I am a writer and cook and this is my Substack. This newsletter has a recipe for a new favourite potato (or tomato?) dish that is very easy to make and very delicious.

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Baked Tomato and Potato

When we were on holiday my partner Sam made a new dish with potatoes that I instantly loved and looked forward to trying out at home. One layer of thickly sliced potato alternating with thick slices of tomato and garlic tucked in between, roasted in the oven. The moisture from the tomatoes ensures that the potatoes cook well and do not dry out, and they contribute a fruitiness and contrast that mean it can act alone as an accompaniment to meat or fish. On both occasions we had it with a pork chop and a quick sauce made from pan juices, a little wine and cream, and fresh soft herbs. I can imagine it would be tremendous served with a piece of white fish, or fried eggs.

This evening I made it with the addition of bay leaves - perhaps my favourite herb with baked fresh tomato – and it was excellent.

Baked Tomato and Potato
Serves 2-3

5 medium size potatoes, peeled and sliced 2-3mm thick
3-5 ripe tomatoes, sliced 4-5mm thick
2-3 garlic cloves sliced very thinly
(optional) 2-3 fresh bay leaves, torn in half
olive oil
salt and pepper

How to make
Pre-heat the oven to 180C. In a baking dish lay one slice of potato, then a slice of garlic, a little salt and pepper and a drip of olive oil. Then a slice of tomato half overlapping. Then a slice of potato half overlapping the tomato. Then a slice of garlic, a little salt and pepper and a drip of olive oil. Repeat until the baking dish is filled. Tuck the torn bay leaves in between some of the slices. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

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How I cooked the pork

I cooked the pork in this way: removed from the fridge an hour before cooking. Patted dry and rubbed in a teaspoon of olive oil and salt and a little black pepper. Heated a cast iron pan, when hot, put the pork chop in. Leave until there’s some colour on then pork chop and then turn over. When there’s colour on the other side too, add in a nut of butter and some thyme/rosemary and turn the heat down. Turn the chop every minute or so until still a little pink - but not uncooked - in the middle. Leave to rest.

For the sauce, pour 100ml dry white wine into the pan, reduce for a minute on a medium heat, then turn the heat down and pour in a few tablespoons of double cream. Simmer very gently for a minute, without allowing the heat to get too high. Then taste and season and stir in fresh chopped herbs – tarragon or parsley.