A mountain of potatoes from the garden - can anyone suggest some cheap meals?

[Chepstowmonkey]

The only successful vegetables from our graden this year have been potatoes - and boy do we have a lot! They vary in size but are mostly smallish waxy potatoes instead of big baking potatoes. Unfortunately I can't think of many cheap meals to use them and as we have just had a drop in our salary we are on a very tight budget for the next few months. I normally think of new potatoes going along side nice chunks of meat or fish (yum yum lamb chops or steak or salmon) but they are all out of our budget.

Does anyone have any suggestions? My thoughts were patatas bravas (but do I need something with it?), hunter's chicken (using chicken thighs which are cheap) Bombay potatoes (but likewise does that count as a meal or is it really a side dish) and sausages (because EVERYTHING goes with sausages!)

Any help gratefully received!

Lucky you - potatoes have been one of my failures this year - blight and not enough warmth to get them going early.

If very tight budget, I suggest replacing meat wherever you can with quorn-type substitutes and lentils bought in multipacks/deals. You could then cook things in bulk and freeze in pyrex dishes (am assuming you have a freezer!) such as cottage pies made with half-and-half beef mince/quorn mince or beef mince/lentils. Dauphinoise potatoes (layered with a highly flavoured cheese such as gruyere which you don't need a lot of to pack a punch). I would eat that as a main with some steamed veg or a bit of ratatouille for maximum comforting flavours on a cold autumn night!

Of course, also try one of the food websites like the BBC and just look up potato dishes.

Layer sliced potatoes, diced onions and grated cheese, in a lasagne dish, Top with grated cheese. Bake for about an hour, or until top brown and poatoes/onions all soft. Very tasty!

Bombay potatoes - with chickpeas. Or any veg curry i.e. potatoes/cauliflowerchickpeas.

Patatas bravas - we sometimes have them with eggs.

How did I forget about dauphinois potatoes and potato boulangere! Thank you. Also cottage pie with half lentils is another great idea. Veg curry with potato added is another glaring omission from list - thank you.

Think I'll do a couple of Spanish omelettes for us all next week for our lunches and that would be another yummy use of our excellent potatoes.

I've just remembered that I've also got the hairy biker's pie book at home and I'm sure they do a good hotpot - that should be cheap too. Thanks guys - you've got me thinking clearly again!

HASSELBACK HASSELBACK HASSELBACK! (i'm obsessed).

basically this, but actually last night i just did them with no butter at all and they were still delicious. and the children can't get enough of them.

also lentil moussaka can take a layer of potatoes v nicely thankyou ver much and aubs are 49p in lidl at the mo.

Boil them and then top with fried onions, peppers and chorizo and then a poached egg.

Aitch - talk to me about your lentil moussaka - I am very interested!

(will google my nearest lidl as that is very exciting!)

We have a potato glut this year. I make a moroccan stew with harissa paste flavouring and tomato base - big chunks of veg and potatoes work well. Definitely Spanish omelette or a fritata with other veg in.

Potato and cauliflower curry is yum.

And waht about nice potato wedges with a late summer BBQ this weekend?

Or pop them in the oven with lots of S&P, rosemary and olice oil for yummy mini-jacket potatoes (I saw this on Jamie's 30 minute meals).

Give them to meee. I got TWO potatoes. That's less than I fecking planted!

Corned beef pie. I usually do this with mash, but par boiled sliced potatoes would be nice too.

This is for 2, with enough for a small second helping each.

Fry an onion for a few minutes until soft, add a tin of value tomatoes, simmer for a few minutes, you can add some black pepper at this stage. Put tomato and onion in the bottom of a casserole dish. Add a layer of sliced corned beef. Top with par boiled sliced potatoes, dab with some butter. Bake in the oven for about 40 mins until the potato is cooked and going brown. Serve with peas and tomato ketchup. It's a sloppy mess but tasty.

I think 2 onions, 2 tins of tomatoes and one tin of corned beef would feed 4.

Janssens Temptation (potatoes, cream, onions, anchovies layered and baked) is a Swedish classic. For best results get the anchovies from Ikea.

I rather like the look of this Angela Hartnett new potato and smoked mackerel salad. Am going to try it soon.

(but the cheapest tinned anchovies you can find will still be nice)

Potato and salmon bake -

scrub potatoes and boil. Cut into chunks and put into a big baking dish. Mix in some thawed frozen peas, a tin of salmon (tuna is cheaper) and a tub of creme fraiche. Sprinkle some cheese on top and bake until heated through.

Lentil and potato curry - cut potatoes into bite sized chunks. Chop and fry a couple of onions in a good splash of oil. Add curry powder to taste and cook for a couple of minutes. Add potatoes, half a bag of red lentils, a tin of coconut milk and a tinful of water. You can add some frozen spinach as well if you like. bring to the boil, stirring a lot. reduce heat and simmer until everything is cooked and tender. Keep your eye that it doesn't get to dry.

homity pie - fill a pastry case with mashed potato mixed with fried onions and grated cheese, put a lid on if you like. Bake until pastry is done.

Potatoes with cabbage - chop potatoes into bite sized pieces. Par boil. Shred a head of any kind of cabbage or other greens. Chop a couple of onions and a couple of cloves of garlic. Fry onion and garlic in a good bit of oil until translucent. Add cabbage and stir until coated in oil. Allow cabbage to wilt than add curry powder to taste. Add parboiled potatoes, season well and cook, stirring all the time until potatoes and cabbage are fully cooked.

Anchovy and potato bake - you need potatoes, a couple of onions, a tin of tomatoes, a tin of anchovies and some stock. Slice potatoes and onions. Layer potatoes, onions, tomatoes and anchovies in a baking dish. Season well with black pepper between layers. Pour over enough stock to come about 2/3 of the way up the dish. Cover with tin foil and bake at 160 for about 2 hours until everything is tender all the way though.

Potato bake - layer sliced potatoes, onions, tinned tomatoes and baked beans in a dish. Dot top with butter, cover with foil and bake.

Root veg stew - chop 4 potatoes, 4 carrots, 2 onions, 2 parsnips and a bit of swede into bite sized chunks. Put into a large pan with a handful of pearl barley. Pour over 2 cups of veg stock. Stir in 1tblspn of cumin 1tspn balck pepper and a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 30mins, keeping your eye on liquid level, until all veg is tender and barley is cooked.

Potatoes. ham and green beans - defrost a packet of frozen green beans. Cut potatoes into chunks, slice 2 onions and chop a clove of garlic. Put Green beans in slow cooker, top with potatoes, onions and garlic. Lay a ham hough on top. Cover with boiling water. Season with salt and pepper. Cook all day. 30 minutes before eating, remove ham and strip meat from bones. Chop and add back in. Serve in bowls with a small amount of cooking liquid. Reserve the rest of liquid to use as stock for soup