I've been following Taffy Elrod on Twitter for a while but I think I noticed her sharp, insightful messages mostly during the pandemic. As we were all trying to figure things out, she was a constant source of sanity. We were excited when Taffy agreed to help us with an e-book with recipes. This is one of the recipes she shared. You can also find it in our new cookbook, The Rancho Gordo Vegetarian Kitchen, Volume 2.

From Taffy: "I couldn't resist this play on caviar and potatoes, even though that's not my usual style. A little whimsy is worth it in this case because the results are delightful. They are good served hot or cold. If you want to assemble them in advance, wait to add the seaweed sprinkle until immediately before serving so it stays crisp."

• 12 small red potatoes, about 2 inches each
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (divided use)
• 1 cup uncooked Rancho Gordo Black Caviar Lentils
• 2-inch piece dashi kombu
• 1 tablespoon crisp wakame seaweed, such as wakame chazuke, plus more for garnish
• 1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
• Snipped fresh dill or chives

1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F. Oil a baking sheet. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise, and trim the rounded sides so they sit flat. Toss the potatoes in the oil and ½ teaspoon sea salt, then spread them out on the baking sheet. Bake until tender but still firm, about 30 minutes.
2. In a pot, combine the lentils with 2 cups water, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and the kombu. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer until tender but still holding their shape, about 25 minutes. Drain the lentils and mix in the wakame.
3. Arrange the roasted potatoes on a serving platter so the broader flat sides are facing up. Top each potato with a spoonful of lentils, a sprinkle of seaweed, a dollop of crème fraîche, and a sprinkle of dill or chives.

Serves 4 to 6