Thumbs and Finger(ling)s

Remember those parsley buttered potatoes we got in the school cafeteria? Easily my favorite dish served there, even though they were likely made with margarine back then and sprinkled with minced, dried parsley. They weren't heavenly by any definition but they beat the heck out of pallid gray Salisbury steak and those nightmarish limp fish sticks.

To go with our fricadellen, I decided to upgrade that elementary school favorite simply by making it with fresh ingredients and a twist.

On medium low heat, I gently sautéed fingerling potatoes in butter in a single layer in the pan with the cover on, rolling them around every few minutes, until they were tender and their skins were browned in spots, perhaps 15 minutes. Don't let the butter burn - you want a nice, slow sizzle. When they were done, I dropped them into a bowl, crushed each one briefly with my thumb to make lots of surface area, drizzled a little prepared creamy horseradish sauce (store bought) over the tops and sprinkled on some fresh coarsely chopped parsley.

Nothing this simple and easy should taste this good. The fingerlings are tiny and fresh at this time of year, and loaded with flavor. Parsley is my favorite green this year - bright, clean and tangy. And the horseradish sauce added just a little bite to the combination. Thumbs up for fingerlings and simplicity!

What was your favorite school cafeteria dish? Or perhaps you'd prefer to vent about your least favorite?