Happy National Potato Day! Seven Ways With… Potatoes

There are so many foods out there that deserve the credit for being versatile and go beyond the mistaken boundaries of frying, baking and boiling. The delicious potato is renowned for being used for all sorts of delectable snacks and dishes, but have you ever thought about the other ways you can utilise its goodness? In this new feature, we’re looking at some alternative ways to cook and eat popular foods from across the globe. From unusual dishes to simple classics, here are seven ways with potatoes: 1. Dauphinoise Deliciously creamy potatoes that make the perfect sidedish to so many meals. It's a rich and indulgent example of perfect French cuisine. Have a look a BBC Good Food's recipe here. 2. Potato Cakes A great way for using up leftover mashed potatoes. With potato cakes you can pretty much add in whatever you wish - chicken, bacon, cheese - the choice is yours! See this simple recipe from Odlums here. 3. Hasselback Potatoes A product of Sweden, hasselback potatoes not only taste great, but this have a quirky look to them too! Nigella Lawson's recipe is definitely recommended. 4. Potato Rosti A well-seasoned grated potato dish, which is fried until golden, and has a wonderful crunch - Perfect for lunch. Here's a recipe from River Cottage to test out. 5. Skordalia For something completely different, why not try this amazing greek dip. Skordalia is a puréed sauce with garlic and potato at its core. Perfect if you're looking to top off your crackers and crisps with something unusual. Check out this recipe from the Food Network here. 6. Potato Skins Don't throw away those skins! Filling up potato skins and stuffing them with bacon and cheese is one of our favourite treats. Plus, what's great about these beauties is that you can pretty much serve them at any time. Lunch, parties, dinner? Sorted. Here's a great recipe from Chow.com. 7. Gnocchi There's something quite satisfying about making your own gnocchi! Though it takes a bit of practice, once you get the hang of it you can combine these delicious balls of potato with all sorts of foods, including tomatoes, basil and bacon. Check out this great recipe on the Food Network here.