Potatoes: A Love Story. I think it may have started way back when I was 18, married, extremely poor, and I only knew how to make three things: popcorn, noodles and cheese (not to be confused with Mac and cheese), and hashed brown potatoes — all of which I could afford. We ate baked potatoes, mashed potatoes (when I was feeling fancy), and hashed brown potatoes — breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Time passed quickly, and my potato repertoire grew, until I one day at Cafe Beaujolais in Mendocino, I ordered the ultimate potato dish — Goop. The clouds parted, the angels sang and played their harps, and I begged for the recipe.

You will thank me, and you will curse me when you get on the scale.

Start early — they bake for 2 hours!

Potato Goop

8-10 servings

3 pounds small red potatoes, unpeeled

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, peeled

4 shallots, peeled

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and add a good pinch of Aleppo pepper if you have it!

1. Early in the day parboil the potatoes, covered with water, in a large saucepan until just tender, about 10-15 minutes. Drain, then refrigerate. ;

2. Melt butter. Place salt, olive oil, garlic, shallots, parsley and pepper in the bowl of a food processor with steel blade in place and blend until thoroughly combined. Pour into a large bowl and stir in melted butter. ;

3. Cut the potatoes into quarters and add to bowl. With a large spoon or your hands, gently mix, covering potatoes with goop on all sides. ;

4. Transfer mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking pan or broiler pan, spreading the potatoes out in a single layer. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 2 hours, until crispy, stirring about every 30 minutes.