General Discussions => Hobbies => Cooking => Topic started by: Cindy on September 17, 2012, 05:14:18 AM Return to Full Version

Title: Potatoes
Post by: Cindy on September 17, 2012, 05:14:18 AM
Well,

I have now cooked a terrific steak, and I'm going to try a few more variations from the various recipes. Lamb is good, my favourite is still slow cooking but with lots of herbs. But the price of lamb is going haywire here.

Potatoes. I love roast potatoes. I wash them, cut of the nasty bits and then microwave for abouy 3 mins on high. Put the oven to high (250C) and put the spuds and roast in and leave for about80 mins. I add pumpkin, and mushroom and if I remember a tomato about 15 mins before the meal is ready.

But Potatoes

After working in hospitals for so long I cannot even look at mashed potatoes. They do nothing but really bad mash. My mother used to make mashed potatoes but leave hard bits in them (chuck).

Chips, fine,  love them. Called French fries for some strange linguistic reason in the USA .

Boiled, no, too boring.

In their jackets Get real I want food.

So how do we cook Potatoes to make them fun?

Or are Potatoes just boring - like rice.

I'm roasting some at the moment Mmmm

Cindy
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Beverly on September 17, 2012, 05:50:38 AM
The roast potato is the king of potatoes. Chips are just pure fun.

Boiled, jacket and mash are just plain dull on their own. I posted a recipe the other week for cottage/shepherds pie both of which have a mash potato topping but the savoury mince and gravy under that potato really make the potato taste much, much better. These plain potatoes need a really good gravy to 'lift' them.

I never had any time for new potatoes with parsley and butter.  Rice is dull too unless you add something....

Chop one medium onion finely and fry in sesame oil. Add fours rashers of smoked back bacon chopped finely. When cooked add 1/2 a red pepper, 1/2 a green pepper and 1/2 a yellow pepper. stir well and dose with some dark soy. Add plain cooked rice and mix. Liberally dose with light soy and you now have a more savoury rice that can be eaten on its own or.......

Take one chicken breast and place in a medium hot pan. After a few minutes turn and brown the other side. Turn again and repeat until the centre is cooked (slice a hole with a sharp knife and look). Drizzle with honey and dust with chili powder (be careful, some powder will lift in the warm air around the cooker - put a lid over the pan or keep the window open). Turn the chicken and do the other side with honey and chili. Remove from the pan and slice into sections about 1cm wide. Drizzle with juice from half a lemon and maybe a dash of light soy. Serve on the savoury rice.
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Pippa on September 17, 2012, 06:17:15 AM
Try potato rosti, (shred the potatoes using a grater, dry them to get rid of excess moisture, form them into patties and shallow fry until golden)

A good potato salad dressing is mustard, olive oil and white wine vinigar with chopped chives.  Use English or dijon mustard, not that yucky yellow stuff you squirt on hotdogs.
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Padma on September 17, 2012, 06:17:52 AM
I like mashed potato and swede (what the Scots call neeps) with butter, pepper, garlic... yum. Also baked potatoes with loads of butter. I've never liked roast potatoes because they remind me of school (shudder...)
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Medusa on September 17, 2012, 06:23:03 AM
I love boiled potatoes, I can eat huge amount of them
I can eat 1.5kg (3.3lb) bag for two meals with some fish fingers or chicken steak  ;D
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Pippa on September 17, 2012, 06:23:46 AM
Neeps are not mashed potato and swede, their mashed swede with carrot and lots of pepper.  I believe potato and swede is referred to by the worrying name of Clapshot.

As a scot I was raised on Haggis, Neeps and Tatties.  Oh, and don't pour whisky on your haggis, it ruins both the Haggis and the malt!
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: justmeinoz on September 17, 2012, 06:33:55 AM
It's hard to go past tiny New Potatoes boiled in their jackets with butter.

I quite often do baked potatoes in the microwave for a quick lunch. Scrub them clean, prick the skin all over, and spray or brush with a little oil. 
They take about 10 minutes in the microwave, depending on the spud and the microwave.
Slit down the middle and have with butter, salt and pepper.  You can add shredded cheese and bacon too. Yum.
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Beverly on September 17, 2012, 06:42:33 AM
Oh well if we are going gaelic... they attempted to raise me on 'champ' - mashed potato with finely chopped scallions (spring onions). I never liked it. I was the shame of the family.
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Padma on September 17, 2012, 06:49:00 AM
Quote from: Pippa on September 17, 2012, 06:23:46 AM
Neeps are not mashed potato and swede, their mashed swede with carrot and lots of pepper.  I believe potato and swede is referred to by the worrying name of Clapshot.

As a scot I was raised on Haggis, Neeps and Tatties.  Oh, and don't pour whisky on your haggis, it ruins both the Haggis and the malt!
I didn't say neeps were potato and swede, I said they were swede (to distinguish them from what we Sassenachs call turnips).
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Beverly on September 17, 2012, 07:03:18 AM
Quote from: Padma on September 17, 2012, 06:49:00 AM
I didn't say neeps were potato and swede, I said they were swede (to distinguish them from what we Sassenachs call turnips).

Ah! So you really should have typed....

I like mashed potatoes and I also like swede (what the Scots call neeps) with butter, pepper, garlic...
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Padma on September 17, 2012, 07:12:42 AM
Quote from: brc on September 17, 2012, 07:03:18 AM
Ah! So you really should have typed....

I like mashed potatoes and I also like swede (what the Scots call neeps) with butter, pepper, garlic...

Well, I felt that not typing "I like mashed-potato-and-swede" was sufficient to make clear that the neeps-in-parentheses referred to the swedes only - which turns out not to be the case, so clearly what I should have typed was "I like mashed potato, and swede (what the Scots call neeps), with..." - stinting on commas leads to ambiguity :).
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Beverly on September 17, 2012, 07:47:30 AM
Quote from: Padma on September 17, 2012, 07:12:42 AM
stinting on commas leads to ambiguity :).
Save the Comma! Stop commas going extinct from over use.   :o :o :o
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Padma on September 17, 2012, 08:08:12 AM
In order to prevent extinction, you have to bring them together in long sentences, so they can breed.
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Beverly on September 17, 2012, 08:23:34 AM
Comma potato

Take a big pile of potatoes. Boil then mash until a uniform consistency is achieved. Carefully arrange on a plate in the shape of a comma. Take an OXO cube and add hot water. Reduce or mix with cornflour until thickened. Pour carefully on the plate to surround the comma potato with a dark brown gloop. Garnish with neep, champ or savoury fried rice and make Aunty Cindy eat it.
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Padma on September 17, 2012, 08:34:39 AM
Make 2, yin-yang potato!
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Joelene9 on September 17, 2012, 06:42:58 PM
  I grow them in my garden.  I've grown many types from blue colored ones to the reliable Yukon Golds I grow today.  I like potatoes from baked to Swedish potato sausages called Potatis Korv my uncle made for Christmas eve dinners. 
  FYI:  French Fries was dubbed by Benjamin Franklin from a French recipe he got while being an ambassador there.  He introduced the potato from the French who got them from South America.  The French farmers were at first reluctant to grow this tuber because the plant resembled and is related to a weed in the nightshade family (solanum) that is poisonous to humans and livestock.  Only the tubers are edible.  Eggplant, tomatoes, tomatillo, Chinese lanterns, purple nightshade, chili peppers along with the potatoes are related. 
  Joelene
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Ms. OBrien CVT on September 17, 2012, 06:49:18 PM
Mashed potatoes with roasted garlic is the bomb.  Fresh garlic with tops cut down and a little olive oil drizzled on top and roast till golden.   Mashed together.
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Sephirah on September 17, 2012, 06:58:44 PM
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.poundland.co.uk%2Fimages%2F3598%2Foriginal%2Fsmash-potato.jpg&hash=12b159e9ff19eef9b89d0c5d48e00155b39c3ddc)

Smash ftw. With onion gravy. Yummy.
Title: Potatoes
Post by: Padma on September 17, 2012, 07:02:21 PM
Chunky chips (that's fries, only better) with mayonnaise and lots of freshly ground black pepper :). The best chips in the cosmos come from Wrights in Sheringham. It is written.
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Joelene9 on September 17, 2012, 09:43:34 PM
Quote from: Sephirah on September 17, 2012, 06:58:44 PM
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.poundland.co.uk%2Fimages%2F3598%2Foriginal%2Fsmash-potato.jpg&hash=12b159e9ff19eef9b89d0c5d48e00155b39c3ddc)

Smash ftw. With onion gravy. Yummy.
When I grew up we had instant mashed potatoes.  Some of the dehydrated potatoes came in bud shapes and the most brands came with flakes.  Onboard my ship in the Navy they were known as "Snowflake Potatoes" on the menu section of the ship's POD (Plan Of the Day).  We all read through that.  We also had Potatoes Au Gratin onboard ship using the dehydrated sliced or fresh potatoes and it was not bad, even though some of my shipmates called it "Potatoes Au Rotten" while they were eating it!  We were served the fresher foods close to the supply ports and the canned and dehydrated stuff weeks out to sea. 
  The Navy introduced me to O'Brien Potatoes.  This is sliced potatoes fried with coarsely chopped bell peppers and onions added halfway through the potato frying.  I still make this dish for breakfast in bacon grease with the bacon and eggs camping out or at the cabin.   
  I still cannot stand the dehydrated mashed potatoes, but I like the dehydrated slices.  In late summer and into fall, the time of my garden potatoes from the ground to the dinner table is as little as 20 minutes.  I only dig up a plant at a time with enough potatoes to supply me for up to two weeks.  Before the first hard freeze, the rest are dug up and stored in a cool, dry, dark place.  Sometimes I'll have enough to last into January. 
  Joelene
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Ms. OBrien CVT on September 17, 2012, 09:54:52 PM
Scalloped potatoes with ham

Potatoes Au Gratin with ham.

Can substitute spam for the ham,  And also use bacon.

Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: JoanneL on September 18, 2012, 04:26:29 AM
After reading this thread I no longer wonder why you are overweight. LOL.   I spent my early days in Eastern England and swedes were grown and then fed to the animals during winter. 
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Cindy on September 18, 2012, 04:32:16 AM
Quote from: Sephirah on September 17, 2012, 06:58:44 PM
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.poundland.co.uk%2Fimages%2F3598%2Foriginal%2Fsmash-potato.jpg&hash=12b159e9ff19eef9b89d0c5d48e00155b39c3ddc)

Smash ftw. With onion gravy. Yummy.

Oh my sainted aunt.

How could you :icon_mrgreen:

Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Padma on September 18, 2012, 04:37:36 AM
Smash advert (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKt-KR1TsRg#)
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Cindy on September 18, 2012, 04:37:50 AM
Quote from: Pippa on September 17, 2012, 06:17:15 AM
Try potato rosti, (shred the potatoes using a grater, dry them to get rid of excess moisture, form them into patties and shallow fry until golden)

A good potato salad dressing is mustard, olive oil and white wine vinigar with chopped chives.  Use English or dijon mustard, not that yucky yellow stuff you squirt on hotdogs.


Rosti sounds interesting. I had them once in Austria, but they had a lot of onion in it and it was large and cake like. I didn't like it. But the idea of small potato rossti sounds interesting. Do you use anything to bind the shreds? Cheese could be fun?
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Padma on September 18, 2012, 04:39:57 AM
You're Doing It All Wrong - How to Make Latkes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-iI7GfrEYY#)
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Jamie D on September 18, 2012, 04:53:08 AM
(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinaepicurean.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2012%2F08%2FRosemary-Crusted-Multi-Colored-Potatoes.jpg&hash=af5de31ea639ecb1c334ab89a3acee95c2104d4c)

Very easy

Rosemary Crusted Multi-colored Potatoes

Ingredients

    * 2 tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil – from a local olive oil store
    * 1 tablespoon Unsalted Butter
    * 1 tablespoon Garlic (minced)
    * 2 lb Multi-Colored Potatoes ( nugget sized – washed)
    * 1/4 cup Fresh Rosemary (chopped)
    * to taste Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
    * 1/4 cup Chicken Stock

Directions
1.    In a large skillet on medium heat, add the olive oil, butter and garlic and heat until the garlic is soften but not brown. Add the washed potatoes and keep the heat on medium to medium high heat. The potatoes will need to turned often so the potatoes will brown evenly for about 5 minutes.
2.    Add the rosemary, salt and pepper and mix together with the potatoes. As the potatoes are cooking and sizzling, add small amounts of the chicken stock to add flavor. This will evaporate with the heat but will help the potatoes to cook. Once the potatoes are crispy but soft on the inside, they are ready to serve.

From: The Carolina Epicurean
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Padma on September 18, 2012, 04:54:35 AM
Good grief, über-wave of latke craving :(.
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Jamie D on September 18, 2012, 05:01:24 AM
Quote from: Pippa on September 17, 2012, 06:23:46 AM
Neeps are not mashed potato and swede, their mashed swede with carrot and lots of pepper.  I believe potato and swede is referred to by the worrying name of Clapshot.

As a scot I was raised on Haggis, Neeps and Tatties.  Oh, and don't pour whisky on your haggis, it ruins both the Haggis and the malt!

In the United States and Canada, the Swedish Turnip (swede in many Commonwealth countries; neep in Scotland) is known as a "rutabaga."
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Cindy on September 18, 2012, 05:10:33 AM
I'm still not sure of this veg. Is it the carrot shaped, white tasteless thing? There is also a more ball shaped white tasteless thing. Are the the same? We (I) make stock from them, never thought of eating them.
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Pippa on September 18, 2012, 05:20:17 AM
JoanneL,

Sure some waste swedes may be used as animal feed but it is far more likely that the veg in question was beat, otherwise known as mangleworzle.

When I was young, rape seed oil was used to bind animal feed, now posh people use it like olive oil.  Shows what good marketing can do!
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Beverly on September 18, 2012, 05:22:20 AM
Quote from: Jamie D on September 18, 2012, 04:53:08 AM

    * to taste Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper


Kosher salt? Salt needs to be kosher?
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Padma on September 18, 2012, 05:26:39 AM
Quote from: Cindy James on September 18, 2012, 05:10:33 AM
I'm still not sure of this veg. Is it the carrot shaped, white tasteless thing? There is also a more ball shaped white tasteless thing. Are the the same? We (I) make stock from them, never thought of eating them.
the swede/neep is big and roundish, and orange inside (though often purple on the skin).
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Padma on September 18, 2012, 05:29:11 AM
Quote from: brc on September 18, 2012, 05:22:20 AM
Kosher salt? Salt needs to be kosher?
Everything "needs" to be kosher if you're orthodox. Don't ask me what makes kosher salt kosher - I think it gets blessed by some grumpy dude in black. For what it's worth, giraffe meat has been officially declared kosher ::).

This reminds me of the story of the rabbi who works in the duracell battery factory. He stands at the end of the production line, and as each battery rolls past, he says "I wish you long life... I wish you long life..." ;D
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Jamie D on September 18, 2012, 08:04:06 PM
Quote from: Cindy James on September 18, 2012, 05:10:33 AM
I'm still not sure of this veg. Is it the carrot shaped, white tasteless thing? There is also a more ball shaped white tasteless thing. Are the the same? We (I) make stock from them, never thought of eating them.

Sounds like a parsnip.  Used a lot in Asian Indian cooking.

(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Frecycleworks.files.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fparsnip.jpg&hash=b71c90c8dabff87f958fca8ebbe24dff7b161847)

"There is also a more ball shaped white tasteless thing."

(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.mijnwebwinkel.nl%2Fwinkel%2Fzadenenzo%2Farticle22588987.jpg&hash=2541a56843688e007b3ef399435804a65f0440f2)
Watermelon radish

(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fcontent.answcdn.com%2Fmain%2Fcontent%2Fimg%2Fwiley%2Fvisualfood%2F02_LegumesRacines%2F40752-CeleriRave.jpg&hash=ff616956855873a31927d29eb44916bdee9a264b)
Celeriac (celery root)

(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anniesheirloomseeds.com%2Fproduct_images%2Fi%2F481%2FGold_Ball_Turnip_448x299__76054_zoom.jpg&hash=f6565e4057fad7fba14fee124e74afb8360eaf40)
Gold ball turnip
Title: Potatoes
Post by: Padma on September 19, 2012, 03:15:01 AM
A swede (can be up to 6" round).

(https://www.susans.org/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-mirE2RK6Fxw%2FUC9aQvL7brI%2FAAAAAAAACAQ%2FMKsw7wYSQqA%2Fs1600%2Fswede.jpg&hash=adc324fe89ea153ee41c7c553a9a1f7313157c87)
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Cindy on September 19, 2012, 03:22:10 AM
Parsnip was the thing (veg) I was thinking of. I've only ever used them for veggie stock making; boil the root vegetables until you can't stand the smell any more and filter and freeze the liquid for future use.
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Padma on September 19, 2012, 03:24:56 AM
Nothing, I say nothing, is more amazing that roasted parsnips. Quartered lengthways, with the hard core cut out, and slow roasted in plenty of oil, they caramelise, and are incredibly sweet. Oh gods, I want some right now.
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Cindy on September 19, 2012, 03:35:15 AM
I'll give them a go, just slice out the middle? I have to say that lots of things my Mum used to boil to death are quite nice when cooked differently. But Liverpool cooking circa 1960 was not an art form.
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Beverly on September 19, 2012, 03:51:46 AM
Quote from: Padma on September 19, 2012, 03:24:56 AM
Nothing, I say nothing, is more amazing that roasted parsnips. Quartered lengthways, with the hard core cut out, and slow roasted in plenty of oil, they caramelise, and are incredibly sweet. Oh gods, I want some right now.
Or slice them into slices 1cm thick, drizzle in olive oil and basil and roast for 20 mins at 200C or until the edges start to brown/blacken. They will be much softer (Quick cheat - give them a few minutes in the microwave first to help soften the middle)
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: Padma on September 19, 2012, 03:55:19 AM
Yeah, pretty much any way you slice it, parsnips are great (see what I did there?)
Title: Re: Potatoes
Post by: justmeinoz on September 20, 2012, 03:45:40 AM
Love roast sliced parsnip. along with roast spuds and Yprkshire pud! Yummo!!