This unique potato dish is almost a complete meal! Country mashed potatoes, a mixture of cooked and crumbled Italian sausage, sautéed red bell pepper, shallot, garlic and cottage cheese, are served surrounded with golden, butter-fried potato 'coins' topped with crumbled blue cheese and broiled just until the cheese melts.

Golden Coins Topped with Country Mashed Idaho Potatoes

5 large Idaho Russet Potatoes

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons virgin olive oil

1 small red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 Italian sausage link, sausage removed from casing

1 shallot, diced

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup large curd cottage cheese

5 sprigs thyme - divided use

5 sprigs rosemary - divided use

2 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel, cut and cook 3 potatoes in lightly salted water with 1 sprig each of thyme and rosemary until tender, approximately 20 minutes. Drain and mash the potatoes.
2. Saute the sausage with the bell pepper, shallot and garlic. Drain off excess liquids from the mixture. Add to the potatoes along with the cottage cheese and season to taste.
3. Wash the remaining 2 potatoes and then slice 1/4-inch thick. Saute in skillet with hot butter and olive oil mixture 3 to 5 minutes each side until golden. Season to taste.
4. Transfer the golden potato coins around outside edge of plate and top with mashed potato filling. Sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese. Broil for a few seconds until the blue cheese is melted. Garnish with sprigs of rosemary and thyme.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Idaho Potato Commission.