[Jamestown1630]

This week: Spuds!

Posting early because I have a shoulder injury and need some extended time off of typing after tonight. Will read, and be back.

(If you would like to be on or off of this weekly cooking thread, please send a private message.)

-JT

[moovova]

That sounds good ..and I just ate dinner.

[kalee]

Ina is my favorite of the Food TV chefs. I used some of her recipes when I catered.

[ken5050]

Ina's potatoes sound good, but not sure if I'd call it "smashed."

[ken5050]

The only way to “handle” tofu is to toss it in the trash...UGGGGH...

[KosmicKitty]

I love crispy, smashed, taters. Boil them till their tender. Drain and let them cool (you can store them in the fridge at this point and cook them later.) Then, put them on a baking sheet, smoosh them with your hand, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Then roast in a 450 degree oven for 20 minutes or until they’re to your liking.

Makes them nice and crispy, crunchy. I like to use the smaller taters myself.

[outofsalt]

A Cuban Version of Shepherd's Pie is, “Papas Rellenas”.
Fried mashed potato balls stuffed with hamburger filling.

Prepare some hamburger as follows:
Sauté chopped onions and green (red/yellow) peppers until the onions are limp. Add chopped garlic, ground beef, salt, cumin, oregano & black pepper. When the meat is cooked through, drain of any excess oil. Stir in a bit of tomato paste and a drizzle of lemmon juice. (Add chopped olives and raisins now if you want authentic Cuban.) Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is heated through then set aside.

Boil and mash potatoes and season with bouillon or spices and butter then pat into hand size mini “bowls”. Stuff one bowl with the hamburger filling and cover with another bowl of mashed potatoes to create a tennis sized ball (or golf ball). At this point all the ingredients are cooked.

Place in fridge and allow to cool then dip in egg wash and roll in seasoned bread crumbs and fry in EVOO till golden brown. Yum!

[Aliska]

I have loved potatoes all my life, occasionally cook some instant mashed but don't like them. They are good for filling out real mashed potatoes in twice baked, maybe potato soup.

One of my favorites is scalloped potatoes but I needed a change. This was perfect:

Scalloped Potatoes

I got the 2mm blade for my food processor and sliced them with that.

To keep them from turning brown, I crushed a natural Vitamin C tablet (trick I learned on some cooking site) into some water and poured it as I was slicing. Works great.

In the recipe at the link, I substituted Gruyere cheese for the 2 cheeses; a small block which shredded up into quite a bit. I've made them a couple of times now but Gruyere is expensive.

This is a good white sauce recipe when you need it. I learned the hard way not to put the cheese in all at once when I was putting a lot of shredded cheddar for something else. It can clump or curdle and mine did that time.

[bgill]

The whole family likes this:

Shrimp, Potato and Bacon Chowder

1 lb frozen salad shrimp, thawed and rinsed
5 slices bacon
20 oz raw potatoes or bag of frozen cubed hash browns
2 T flour
1 T creole seasoning
3 C chicken broth
2 cans corn
2 C cream

Cook and dice the bacon in large skillet.
Saute potatoes in bacon grease.
Sprinkle and stir in flour and seasoning. You may want to transfer mixture to large sauce pan.
Add broth and let simmer 15 minutes.
Add corn and cream. Bring to boil.
Add shrimp and heat through.

[NorthstarMom]

My family’s favorite potato dish is “Irish Nachos”.
Easy, frugal and no gluten or eggs so my son can eat what we eat.

[greeneyes]

Spuds are my favorite. I never met a spud dish I didn’t like, but I like them so much I don’t need much in the way of extras, and in fact like them kinda plain.

#1. Favorite is FRIED TATERS - just peel and slice them like potato chips except thicker and cook them in oil till browned, flip and turn and brown the other side. Add salt and pepper, and serve with a side of ketchup (optional). Sometimes add onion to them as you fry them.

#2. Second Favorite is BAKED POTATOES - Usually use the microwave these days. Wash the spuds. Stab with a knife. Put on a paper towel, and sprinkle with salt. Wrap up the spud and cook in the Microwave till the potato can be squeezed and is kinda soft/done.

Put spud on the plate and slice in half lengthwise almost all the way through. Put your finger and thumb at 2 different places at the ends of the potato and push towards the center.

Stick a chunk of butter in there and serve with salt and pepper. Optional sides for loaded potatoes, sour cream and chives, bacon, cheeses etc.

[greeneyes]

Ok, so now that we have made me crave spuds (I am on a low carb way of eating right now), let me share a few things I have done the past 2 weeks.

Tonight, I made ice cream for one:

Honey Dew Melon is one of the few fruits that are legal for me. After I cut up some chunks and put into a serving dish, there was quite a bit of liquid and the melon was really good tasting and sweet, so I drained off the liquid before eating.
2 Tbls of heavy cream
1 Tbls of melon juice
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
Added all to a large measuring cup, and used my little hand mixer to whip it all till thickened. Then poured into a small zip lock bag.

Put some ice and salt in a larger zip lock bag, and added the small one with the mix to it. Massage the bags - takes about 2 or 3 minutes for the ice cream to become soft serve frozen.

What a nifty little gadget the mixer is. About the size of a somewhat small flashlight and has a wire whisk or regular beater to use for quick little stir jobs, when you want a little better combo than a fork.

Pasta con Broccoli

What to do for the Pasta? Cabbage sliced about the thickness of fettuccine or narrower. Saute in a little olive oil.

Add an equal amount of frozen baby broccoli, and 1/4 cup of Alfredo sauce per serving of veggies. Bring just to almost boiling. (I always keep several pre made Alfredo sauces in jars in the pantry). Had one that was dated for 5/15 that needed to be used.
The cabbage taste was fine to go with the broccoli taste, and the slices were slurpy.

I haven't been desperate enough to try the cauliflower thing yet. I did see some recipes on pinterest that used Rutabaga for baked “French Fries”.

I am also making crust-less pizza, and find that I don't miss the crust. I just line an iron skillet with parchment paper with a little olive oil sprayed on before I add the sauce.

I use crushed tomatoes with basil and Italian seasoning and add some parmesan grated cheese (fine as powder) to make it thicker and gooey, then put all the other stuff on just like a regular pizza and pop it in the oven.

And that ends the Low Carb efforts for this week. LOL

[RandallFlagg]

Bookmarking

[pugmama]

Here is a family fav:

Cracked Potatoes

Recipe courtesy Amy Finley

Yield:4 servings

Ingredients

12 small-medium Yukon potatoes
1/2 cup olive oil
2 sprigs fresh thyme, plus 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1 clove garlic, sliced
Special Equipment: a rolling pin or heavy pan

Directions

Using the rolling pin or a heavy pan, gently smack the potatoes, 1 potato at a time, until the skin begins to split, exposing the interior of the raw potato. Over low heat, add the olive oil to a medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan, then add the potatoes and thyme sprigs and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the lid on the pan and allow to cook, undisturbed, shaking the pan every 5 minutes or so, until the bottoms of the potatoes are browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. (Check occasionally to make sure the potatoes aren’t browning too quickly and adjust heat accordingly.) Turn the potatoes to their second side, replace the lid, and continue cooking undisturbed a further 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the lid and cook a further 2 to 3 minutes, for the condensation to evaporate. Remove the thyme sprigs and add the sliced garlic and chopped fresh thyme and cook until the garlic is caramelized and chewy, about 2 minutes. Serve hot.

[pugmama]

This is a great menu combination: Roasted Duck Fat Potatoes A favorite in France, potatoes cooked in duck fat emerge crispy on the outside with a wonderfully smooth texture inside. They’re the perfect accompaniment for our Seared Duck Breasts with Cherry Port Sauce Ingredients: Kosher salt, to taste 1 1/2 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled 1/4 cup duck fat 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 cup finely ground cornmeal Directions: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Salt the water, add the potatoes and boil for 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and rinse with cold water. Let cool completely. Preheat an oven to 450°F. Pour the duck fat into an 11-inch fry pan and place in the oven for 10 minutes. In a bowl, whisk together the flour and cornmeal. Cut each potato into quarters. Working in batches, toss the potatoes in the flour mixture until well coated; transfer to a large plate. Remove the pan from the oven. Place the potatoes, cut side down, in the pan in a single layer. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the potatoes are golden brown and crisp underneath, about 30 minutes. Turn the potatoes over and continue roasting until crisp and browned on the other side, about 20 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Arrange the potatoes on a platter and season with salt. Serve immediately. Serves 4. Williams-Sonoma Kitchen. Seared Duck Breasts with Cherry-Port Sauce Duck breast has a fairly thick, fatty skin. When the breast is seared, some of the fat melts away, flavoring the meat in the process, and the skin turns a lovely golden brown. To accomplish this, place the breast, skin side down, in the pan to start, as this speeds up the fat-melting process without overcooking the breast. Accompany with our Roasted Duck Fat Potatoes (see related recipe at left). Ingredients: 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth 1/3 cup dried tart cherries 4 boneless duck breast halves, preferably Muscovy, each 6 to 8 oz. Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste 1 shallot, minced 1/4 cup port 1 Tbs. chicken demi-glace 2 Tbs. unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces Directions: In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the broth until steam begins to rise from the surface, about 3 minutes. Add the dried cherries and remove from the heat. 

Season the duck breast halves with salt and pepper. Using a sharp knife, score the skin by making a diamond pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. 

Heat a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Place 2 duck breast halves, skin side down, in the pan and cook until the skin is very crisp and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn the duck over and cook until the meat is just springy when pressed, 3 to 5 minutes more for rare to medium-rare, or until done to your liking. Transfer the duck to a cutting board and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Pour off the excess fat from the pan, reserving the fat for another use. Repeat to cook the remaining duck breast halves. 
Pour off all but 1 Tbs. of the fat from the pan. Set the pan over medium heat, add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the port, bring to a boil and cook until it is almost evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and cherries and the demi-glace, and cook until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the butter and whisk until completely incorporated. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Using a sharp carving knife, cut the duck across the grain into thin slices and arrange on a warmed platter. Pour the sauce over the meat and serve immediately. Serves 4. Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

[pugmama]

And one more. Loved this-husband not so much. Served this with a roasted lemon chicken.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes With Dried Figs and Thyme

Adapted from Daniel Humm, Eleven Madison Park/New York

Time: 40 minutes plus at least 4 hours’ soaking

1/2 pound dried black mission figs or other dried figs

1 1/2 cups brewed black tea, more if necessary

2 pounds fingerling potatoes

1 head garlic

5 sprigs of thyme

1/3 cup olive oil

Salt and black pepper to taste.

1. Place figs in a bowl, cover with hot black tea and let cool. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours or overnight, depending on initial softness of figs.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash potatoes well and trim any bad parts. Separate garlic head into individual cloves but do not remove outer skin.

3. Drain figs. In a bowl, combine garlic, thyme, figs, potatoes and olive oil; toss. Place on roasting pan and bake until potatoes are tender enough to pierce with a fork, about 30 minutes. Remove and season immediately with salt and pepper. Serve. Diners may remove skin from garlic at the table and eat along with the potatoes, if they wish.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

[Conservative4Life]

My paternal grandmother, old Irish family, refused to sit at a table to eat without some form of potato on the table... its funny, Grandma passed several years before meeting my wife and she would have loved my wife dearly because she is almost the same way...

[Hoffer Rand]

I made this potato and mushroom gratin for Thanksgiving a couple years ago. My daughter's two favorite foods! I'll warn you, it makes a LOT, but it's to die for! Oh, and I upped the amount of cheese in it, because we love cheese.

Potato Mushroom Gratin