Soft potatoes slow cooked with garlic and thyme and covered in melted brie. These Thyme & Brie Slow-Fried Potatoes really are something special. 

I have adapted this recipe from one in ‘Real Food’ by Nigel Slater. It was one of my first cook books that my Mum bought me and is packed with delicious, comfort food recipes.

Although this was one of the first cookbooks I was given, it isn’t due to excessive scanning for recipes that the book is now a little worse for wear. We rescued a border collie called Tom who was an amazing dog, but had a few special tendencies. Sometimes when we went out and he was left alone he took his anxiety out on the post, the cookery books in the kitchen, or once when I left my bedroom door open; my school books. My parent’s had to write a letter to my Business Studies teacher, who was also the Headmistress, explaining that our dog had actually eaten my homework!

One day, Tom took his anxiety out on my beloved cookery book. Somehow he managed to leave the recipes intact so I have still been able to use it. I was in Tesco the other day and I saw a new revamped version of the book. I won’t replace my book though, it always makes me think of Tom who only left us last year.

Although this recipe is incredibly delicious, it isn’t one I make all the time. This is partly due to the fact that I don’t buy brie very often, but also because this recipe is more of a treat rather than an every-day recipe (although I wish I could eat it every-day!). There are times to be health conscious and then there are times to treat yourself. This recipe is definitely the latter. 

This is the time of year when quite a few people may have some brie lurking in their fridge is after Christmas. People seem to stock up on enough cheese to last them the whole year to eat over the festive season. Inevitably there is always some cheese left that you didn’t manage to eat your way through, so this recipe is a great way to use up that leftover cheese. And once you have made these Thyme & Brie Slow-Fried Potatoes, you will be finding any excuse to make them!

These Thyme & Brie Slow-Fried Potatoes lend themselves to being cooked at the weekend because as the name suggests they are cooked slowly. It does take a little bit of time, but once you’ve prepared all of the ingredients you can leave it to slowly cook away and only come back to give it a stir once in a while.

This recipe technically is enough to serve four people as a side, but if you’re going to spend the time making these, I would personally serve this recipe between two people. It is guaranteed to be very popular so i would always recommend you do a few more potatoes encase people ask for seconds (which they will!). This is s delicious and slightly different way of having potatoes instead of normal boiled or mash potatoes. 

Updated 2018.

Serves 2 – 4 people

500g waxy new potatoes
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
25g butter
1 ½ tsp sea salt
pinch of black pepper
2 tbsp fresh thyme
100g brie 

1. Cut the potatoes into slices approximately 5mm in width
2. In a large, shallow pan melt the butter and the oil. Once melted add the onions and fry very slowly for a couple of minutes until they are pale and golden

3. Next add the potatoes, garlic, salt, pepper and thyme leaves. Make sure you stir the potatoes so they are completely covered in the butter and oil. Cover the pan and leave on the lowest heat to cook slowly for 40-50 minutes. Stir them every so often to make sure they don’t stick to the bottom of the pan

4. Test to see if the potatoes are cooked by sticking the point of a knife into them. If the knife goes in easily, they’re done if not give them a few more minutes before testing again
5. Once the potatoes are cooked, lay slices of brie onto the potatoes and cover with the lid for a couple of minutes. Once the brie has melted, serve.