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January 26, 2012 – Our Show has A PEEL!!!
Getting Tipsy – Cooking Potatoes
Baked Potato Tips: When using an already baked potato, be sure potato is fully cooled/refrigerated before cutting. For example, bake extra potatoes and use leftovers for hash browns the next day.
Rub a little oil, butter, or bacon drippings on potatoes before baking for crispier skins.
Cut leftover baked potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces and brush with olive oil and seasonings. Bake at 425 degrees, turning occasionally, for about 35 to 45 minutes.
Cut leftover skins in strips and brush with olive oil. Bake at 400F for about 10 minutes, until crispy and use as a snack with dip or crumble on soups or salad.
Top baked potatoes with chili, cheese, sour cream, light cream cheese and chives, vegetables and cheese sauce, spaghetti sauce, pizza toppings, etc.
Fried Potatoes Tips: Allow 1 potato per person when making French fries. After cutting potatoes, soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes and dry potatoes thoroughly before frying.
After frying, drain fries on a double layer of paper towels, and keep warm in a low (250 degrees) oven while frying the remainder. Reheat oil between batches. For crispier fries, fry twice. First fry until golden in 340 degree oil, then drain and let cool at room temperature. Just before serving, fry in 375 degree oil in batches until golden brown; transfer to paper towel-lined baking sheets and keep in warm in a low oven while frying the rest.
Mashed Potatoes Tips: Cook the potatoes in warmed milk for extra richness. Cook the potatoes with several peeled garlic cloves, then mash with garlic as usual. Using Russet potatoes are better than new yellow potatoes.
Use baked potatoes for mashed potatoes instead of boiled.
Add evaporated skim milk instead of whole milk.
For lighter mashed potatoes, beat in more milk and leave out the butter. Don't overbeat - overbeating can cause starchy, sticky mashed potatoes.
Use leftover mashed potatoes to thicken soups and sauces, or dip in beaten egg and crumbs, refrigerate for an hour, and fry until crispy. Use shredded beef, surround beef with mashed potato. Refrigerate and either deep fry at 350 for 3-4 minutes or bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. These make a great snack!
Beat in herbs, seasonings, roasted garlic, minced vegetables, or grated cheese for added flavor and color.
History – Origins of the Potato
The potato is the world's fourth largest food crop, following rice, wheat, and maize. The Inca Indians in Peru were the first to cultivate potatoes around 200 B.C. In 1536 Spanish Conquistadors conquered Peru, discovered the flavors of the potato, and carried them to Europe. Before the end of the sixteenth century, families of Basque sailors began to cultivate potatoes along the Biscay coast of northern Spain. Sir Walter Raleigh introduced potatoes to Ireland in 1589 on the 40,000 acres of land near Cork. It took nearly four decades for the potato to spread to the rest of Europe.
Eventually, agriculturalists in Europe found potatoes easier to grow and cultivate than other staple crops, such as wheat and oats. Most importantly, it became known that potatoes contained most of the vitamins needed for sustenance, and they could be provided to nearly 10 people for each acre of land cultivated.
Potatoes in the United States - Potatoes arrived in the Colonies in 1621 when the Governor of Bermuda, Nathaniel Butler, sent two large cedar chests containing potatoes and other vegetables to Governor Francis Wyatt of Virginia at Jamestown. The first permanent potato patches in North America were established in 1719, most likely near Londonderry (Derry), NH, by Scotch-Irish immigrants. From there, the crop spread across the country.
Idaho, the present-day largest producer of potatoes, actually did not begin growing potatoes until 1836, when missionaries moved west in an effort to teach the native tribes to grow crops instead of relying upon hunting and gathering methods. However, it wasn’t until 1872 when the Russet Burbank variety was developed, that the Idaho potato industry began to flourish.
The Irish Potato Famine - In the 1840s a major outbreak of potato blight, a plant disease, swept through Europe, wiping out the potato crop in many countries. The Irish working class lived largely on potatoes and when the blight reached Ireland, their main staple food disappeared. This famine left many poverty-stricken families with no choice but to struggle to survive or emigrate out of Ireland. Over the course of the famine, almost one million people died from starvation or disease. Another one million people left Ireland, mostly for Canada and the United States. Appetizer – Bacon-Wrapped Potato Bites with Spicy Sour Cream Dipping Sauce
Ingredients: 1 pound small or medium red potatoes
Directions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash and dry the potatoes. Chop them into 1-inch pieces, keeping the chunks roughly the same size, even if they aren't the exact same shape. Put the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Season the water with salt. Once the water begins to boil, cook the potatoes for about 3 to 4 minutes, until you can stick a fork into them without too much resistance. You want the potatoes to be almost, but not fully, cooked through (so they won't fall apart during the next steps).
Drain the potatoes and put them in a large bowl. Add the rosemary, olive oil, salt, and a few grinds of pepper, and toss until the potatoes are evenly coated.
Cut the strips of bacon in half (with a short, vertical slice). Wrap each piece of potato in a half-strip of bacon, securing it with a toothpick. Put the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. You may need to cook the potatoes in two batches.
Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, then flip each piece. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the bacon is cooked through and crisp. Mix the sour cream and hot sauce in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pile the potato bites on a plate and serve alongside the dip.
Salad – Loaded Baked Potato Salad
Ingredients: 4 pounds Idaho® potatoes, peeled 1 pound bacon, crisply cooked, and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (fat reserved, if desired) 4 ounces unsalted butter, melted 1/2 cup chopped green onions 2 cups grated or shredded cheddar cheese 1 1/2 cups sour cream (regular or low-fat) 1 tablespoon black pepper 1 teaspoon salt
Directions: Cook whole potatoes in boiling, unsalted water until tender. Refrigerate until chilled then chop into one-inch pieces.
Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl along with the remaining ingredients and thoroughly combine. Add some of the reserved bacon fat.
Chill at least 2 hours before serving. Add bacon, butter, green onions, cheese, sour cream, salt and pepper and mix gently.
Put it on the Side - Scalloped Potato Gratin
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups heavy cream 1 sprig fresh thyme 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg Butter 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch thick slices Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for broiling
Directions: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a saucepan, heat up the cream with a sprig of thyme, chopped garlic and nutmeg.
While cream is heating up, butter a casserole dish. Place a layer of potato in an overlapping pattern and season with salt and pepper.
Remove cream from heat, and pour a little over the potatoes. Top with some grated Parmesan. Make 2 more layers. Bake uncovered, for 45 minutes. Sprinkle some more Parmesan and broil until cheese browns, about 5 minutes.
Main Course – Patty’s Shepherds Pie Ground Beef (recipe already doubled)
Ingredients: 8-10 medium Idaho potatoes (peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces) OR Instant potatoes work just fine!!!!!! Just follow package directions. 2 Tsp. Table salt 1 Tbsp. Butter or Margarine 2 Tbsp. Vegetable oil 2 Medium Onions or 1 large onion chopped 2 Pounds lean ground beef (85%) 1 Tsp. dried basil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 Can Green Beans (drained) 1 Can Whole kernel Corn (drained) 1 Can Peas (drained) 8 Cups Mashed Potatoes (instant is ok to use too) 1 Egg, beaten 1/2 Cup water 2 Cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Directions: Add potatoes to cold water in a large pot (make sure water is at least 1 inch above potatoes) and add 2 Tsp salt to water and bring water to boil stirring occasionally. Cook until potatoes are tender 20-25 minutes. Mash the potatoes with butter/margarine and 2 Tbsp. warmed milk.
OR use instant potatoes and follow package directions. (I use these)
Preheat oven to 350 degree F (175 degree C). Coat a 2 quart casserole dish with cooking spray. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook onion in oil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently and add garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the ground beef and basil, and cook and stir for 12-15 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Mix in green beans, corn and peas, simmer for 5 minutes. Transfer beef mixture to prepared dish. (I like to use a little oil on my baking dish and coat sides and bottom for easy removal when serving as well as when cleaning later).
In a mixing bowl, mix together the homemade mashed potatoes or the instant potatoes with the egg and water. Spread potato mixture evenly over meat mixture. Bake in a preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until potatoes start to brown on top. Sprinkle with cheese, and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
Dessert – Peanut Butter - Irish Potato Candy
Ingredients: 2 (1 lb. each) boxes powdered sugar
Directions: Mix sifted sugar into potatoes a little at a time by hand. (Don't panic when potatoes liquify as the first sugar is added. This is what it's supposed to do. Just keep adding sugar until it is pastry consistency.) Sprinkle wax paper with additional powdered sugar. Take baseball-sized ball of mixture and roll out like pastry. Spread with peanut butter and roll like a jelly roll. Wrap rolls in plastic wrap; chill and slice. Makes 2 rolls.
Lighten UP!!! Warm Potato Salad Dietitian's tip: A mixture of smooth and whole-grain mustards forms the base for vinaigrette much lighter than traditional mayonnaise dressings. This salad is most flavorful when served warm or at room temperature. By Mayo Clinic staff - Serves 6
Ingredients: 1 pound small red or white new potatoes (about 1 1/2 inches in diameter) 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard 2 tablespoons rice vinegar 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar 2 tablespoons minced shallot 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions: Put the potatoes in a saucepan, add water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain and let stand until just cool enough to handle. Cut each potato in half (or quarters, if the potatoes are large) and place in a warmed serving dish. In a small bowl, whisk together the mustards, the vinegars and the shallot until well blended. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the olive oil to make a thick dressing. Stir in the parsley, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the warm potatoes, mix gently and serve immediately. Nutritional Analysis - (per serving)
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