A simple yet flavorful new potato dish does the trick

Luckily, one of the farmers at my local farmers market had some beautiful small yellow new potatoes available. These potatoes came with several big pluses.

First, these golden nuggets had been grown without pesticides or herbicides. Second, they had not been treated, as some supermarket potatoes are, with CIPC (chlorpropham - an herbicide), the most commonly used sprout suppressant.

After bringing my new potatoes home, I wanted to see if I could do something different with them. A short search turned up Giangi's Kitchen (giangiskitchen.com), where Giangi Townsend shared her version of a very French recipe: Potatoes Boulangère (pommes boulangère). No surprise, Giangi was raised in Paris.

Giangi explained that pommes boulangère originated in France when a baker's oven was communal; home ovens didn't always exist there.

Besides its provenance, Giangi's recipe's short ingredient list appealed to me: five, not including salt and pepper, and I had everything, including the potatoes, ready to go.

I started by slicing some organic, applewood-smoked bacon and cooking it in my skillet. There is something wonderful about the aroma of cooking bacon. My partner, Nan, drifted into the kitchen to see what I was making.

While the bacon cooked, I rinsed the potatoes under cold water and cut them in half, cutting out any bad spots.

I transferred the cooked bacon to a plate, pouring almost all the bacon fat into a jar I keep refrigerated so I can cook with that flavorful fat later.

Into the skillet went the onions, which slowly cooked until they started to turn golden. The aroma of the cooking onions once again drew Nan to the kitchen to see check on my progress.

Next, I added the potatoes to the skillet and cooked them, turning them frequently until they started to brown. I added the bacon and thyme to the skillet and then organic chicken broth and let them simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring everything from time to time until they pierced easily with a fork.

How did my version of Pommes Boulangère turn out? Nan and I both loved them: simple to prepare and full of flavor.

Finally, I've found a new and tasty way to prepare potatoes.

• Don Mauer welcomes questions, comments and recipe makeover requests. Write to him at 1leanwizard@gmail.com.

Nouvelles Potatoes Boulangère

6 ounces organic bacon, sliced crosswise into ½-inch strips

1 pound organic small new potatoes washed well; halved or quartered

½ medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Place a large skillet over medium heat and add the sliced bacon. As the bacon cooks, separate the bacon into pieces. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all but two tablespoons of the bacon fat.

Return the skillet to the heat and add the onion, stirring frequently, and sauté for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until the onions are starting to turn golden brown.

Add the potatoes to the skillet and sauté, stirring occasionally, for about 5 or 6 minutes or until the potatoes start to become golden. Add the bacon and the fresh thyme; stirring to combine.

Pour the broth over the potato mixture and add the salt and pepper; stirring to combine. Raise the heat to medium-high and bring to a low boil. Lower the heat so the potatoes gently simmer. Cook stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes or until the liquid has reduced and the potatoes are tender and glazed.

Taste and adjust seasoning and serve.

Serves 4

Nutrition values per serving: 214 calories (49.8% from fat), 11.9 g fat (4.2 g saturated fat), 20 g carbohydrates (18 net carbs), 2.1 g sugars, 2 g fiber, 7.5 g protein, 19 mg cholesterol, 759 mg sodium.

Based on the original Giangi Townsend recipe.