Braised Potatoes in Wine - 3 ways

This is really a method rather than a recipe and I offer three options. They can be mixed and matched and altered at will. Everything about this cooking method for potatoes is very forgiving. You could even leave out the wine if you have other liquid. There should be a combination to suit whatever you happen to have in the store cupboard of an evening: be creative - herbs, spices, whatever takes your fancy!

The big advantage of this method is that the potatoes cook in the oven for about an hour without any interventions so they're great for entertaining as all the prep - 5 minutes tops - can be done in advance. They can be served directly from the cooking dish and will quite happily stand and stay hot for at least half an hour.

While other dishes may cause stress these are simply the easiest potatoes ever invented. And they taste good and look flash. What more can you ask?  

Before...

INGREDIENTS:

6 to 8 BABY POTATOES - no need to peel them

BRAISE #1 

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup chicken/vegetable stock

50g butter

4 garlic cloves, peeled, lightly crushed

1/2 small red onion chopped

salt & pepper

 

BRAISE #2 

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup orange juice

50g butter

4 garlic cloves, peeled, lightly crushed

2 spring onions, white parts and a little green in 2 inch pieces

salt & pepper

 

BRAISE #3 

1/2 cup white wine

2 Tbs instant onion or mushroom instant soup mix

(any or none of the other things - onions, butter, garlic - mentioned above)

salt (less because of the soup mix) & pepper

METHOD:

Pre-heat oven to 160/320 degrees  Put all the ingredients in a covered oven-safe dish, preferably one that you can put on the table. Cook for roughly 50 minutes, till potatoes are done. Poke them - it's easy to tell. Serve directly from the dish after lifting the lid at the table - if you've used garlic it will smell wonderful - and warning everyone it's hot...

After...

NOTE: This is a good amount for the 2 of us. Scale it up for more people or for folk with a bigger appetite for potatoes (we're trying to be pretty modest on the carbs right now, though I can't see it lasting...).