Gold Medals

If you have been holding out for the International Olympic Committee to answer your petition to make Couch Surfing an official sport, there’s still a chance! Don’t give up your training until the last gold medal is awarded. Keep the dream alive with a round of thick cut potato gold medals with bright lemony mayonnaise. The Olympics is no ordinary sporting event, you can’t just eat potato chips, this is the Olympics and you need to go for the Gold Medals! INGREDIENTS

3 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ inch slices

Canola oil for frying

salt

Gold aioli

1 egg yolk

1 cup Organic Canola oil (available at the Cookbook Co.)

1 Tbsp Local Alberta Brassica mustard (or Dijon)

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

pinch of salt

pinch of curry (optional)

PROCEDURE

Start with a clean bowl, and vigorously whisk the egg yolk and mustard together. Continue whisking steadily while very carefully adding the olive oil 1 drop at a time—try pouring oil into a spoon, then adding the oil drop by drop from the spoon into the bowl. This will start the emulsion, and it should begin to thicken and start looking like mayonnaise. Continue to whisk, drizzling the oil slowly and in a very thin stream this time. When half the oil is incorporated you can pour the rest in a little faster than before (but not too fast). The result should be a thick, gloopy mayonnaise. To make the mayonnaise delicious, add the lemon juice and zest, and season to taste. Add the curry for nice yellow colour and a punch of flavour.  Transfer to a smaller bowl, cover, and place in the fridge while the flavours develop and you get your gold medals going. Peel the Yukon Gold potatoes and cut into ½ inch thick rounds.  Place the potatoes into a pot with UNsalted cold water. Place the pot over high heat. Exactly when the water starts to bubble, set the timer for 3 minutes. Don’t overboil or the potatoes will lose their shape and fall apart. Carefully drain the potatoes and let them air dry in the colander for 10 minutes. Get a dry pan on the stove over medium heat and allow the pan to heat up for 5 minutes before adding the oil. When the pan is hot, put in enough oil to fill the pan with a ¼ inch of canola oil. Let the oil heat up for 30 seconds. Place the dried potatoes carefully, one at a time, in a single layer to the pan. Let the potatoes fry slowly until they are golden and beautiful. Gently flip and fry the other side. Remove the potatoes to a plate lined with paper towel and sprinkle generously with salt. Continue frying until all the potatoes are fried beautifully. Serve gold medals warm with the lemony, curry mayonnaise for dipping.   Q: How many Vancouverites does it take to screw in a lightbulb? A: 2. One to screw in the lightbulb, the other to tell you about the 2010 Olympics.