Purple Potato & Carrot Side Dish

Purple potatoes are healthy, delicious, and ideal to serve as a side dish with the traditional Pinot Noir meats - like salmon, duck, or roasted fowl.  The orange color of the carrots makes  a striking and beautiful combination with the purple potatoes. I created this as a great alternative to the standard sides of rice, pasta, or regular potatoes.

Serves 4-6

4 cups purple potatoes (cut into 1/2 inch cubes, or halved if smaller than a walnut)
2 cups baby carrots
2 cups crimini mushrooms, quartered
1 1/2 cups pearl onions, skins removed
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon fresh thyme
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
salt & black pepper
4 cups beef stock, slightly concentrated*
chopped fresh parsley garnish

Bring beef stock to a boil and add carrots. Boil carrots until just tender, 5-7 minutes, and remove with slotted spoon. Chop carrots in thirds or halves, to match size of chopped potatoes. Place in a bowl.

Keep beef stock boiling and add purple potatoes. Boil until just tender, 4-6 minutes, and remove with slotted spoon to bowl with carrots. Reserve 1/4 cup beef stock.

In a skillet, heat olive oil on medium heat and add pearl onions. Saute until golden, but not yet brown, 3-5 minutes. Add mushrooms, thyme, paprika, crushed red & black pepper and salt. Turn up heat slightly to medium-high. Saute until mushrooms just begin to soften, 2-4 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of beef stock to skillet and continue to saute until the liquid reduces and begins to thicken, 2-3 minutes. Add purple potatoes and chopped carrots to the skillet, stir together with mushroom and onion saute and rewarm. Toss with fresh parsley and serve.

*Special Note: For concentrated beef stock use 5 beef boullion cubes, or liquid concentrate packets, to 4 cups of water. Or substitute with Veggie Stock for a vegan alternative.

Pinot Noir Pairing Recommendations

2006 Dierberg Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley