| Potato Tips from Chef Tracy Griffith |
From "DIY Cooking"
episode COK-124F |
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Potatoes have long been known as the perfect side dish for just about any entree you can think of. Chef Tracy Griffith shares some potato tips. - Potatoes come in four different categories: russet, long white, round red and round white. The long whites (figure A), which are mostly grown in California, are excellent for baking because they have high starch and low moisture content. The russet potato ( the same as the Idaho potato) is excellent for baking. Baby reds (figure B) are new crop potatoes; the name refers to the potato in its immature state. The larger red potatoes are considered main crop because they are more mature. The purple potato, with its lavender flesh, has good texture and is best for baking and boiling. Yukon gold potatoes, the champions of mashed potatoes, have a creamy texture and are succulent and buttery yellow on the inside. The sweet potato has a higher sugar content.
- An easy way to peel potatoes after they have been fully boiled is to take a paring knife and pull the skin off (figure C). This way you don't waste any potato -- the skin will come right off.
- To dice a potato easily, cut it in half lengthwise and then make several long cuts with the knife. Turn it to the side and make slices across the lengthwise slices for perfect little cubes (figure D).
- If you're concerned about fat, there are some alternatives. You can use chicken stock, low-fat milk or nonfat sour cream.
- To make double-stuffed twice-baked potatoes, scrape out the insides of a baked potato (figure E) until you have approximately 1/2" of potato left in the skin. Place the scraped-out potato in a bowl and add butter, sour cream, whole milk, a little sea salt and pepper. Mash the potatoes, preferably using a hand masher, until creamy, then place them back in the potato shells. Return them to the oven for 20 minutes to heat all the way through. Remove from the oven and sprinkle Cheddar cheese, chopped scallions and crumbled bacon on top (figure F) for a treat your family will love.
- You can buy precut frozen potatoes to fry, but it's better to make your own. You need to blanch them first (you can save time by peeling and blanching several at once and freezing the extras for later). Cut potatoes to your choice of thickness and place in boiling water in small batches for approximately 2 minutes. Remove and plunge them into ice cold water (figure G). This will stop the cooking process and retain the color and texture of the potatoes. Let them sit until they are thoroughly cold. Remove them from the cold water and strain them. Add a small amount of oil olive (enough to coat them and make them slippery enough to prevent their sticking together when you place them in the freezer). Lay them on a towel and pat dry. Place in freezer storage bags for potatoes that are ready to fry or bake whenever you need them.
- There are several toppings you can put on potato cakes. A nice breakfast treat is to poach an egg, place it on top of a potato cake, garnish with smoked salmon pieces on each side of the egg and top with hollandaise sauce (figure H). Garnish with capers, fresh herbs and chopped fresh parsley. For a Mexican fiesta potato cake, add a dollop of sour cream to each potato cake, spoon salsa over that and garnish with chopped green onion (figure I). For a potato cake with a little sweetness, you can add sour cream and applesauce. Last but not least, for the caviar lover, add a dollop of sour cream and caviar of your choice.
- Contrary to popular belief, dried potato flakes are real potatoes. They can be delicious with the addition of hot steaming milk, shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream, butter and chopped parsley.
Special thanks to Pier I Imports (see Resources, below for more information). Website resources for potatoes: Andouille Potato Cakes with Fresh Corn and Tomato Salsa from Food TV.com Salmon Potato Cakes with Roasted Tomato Mayonnaise from Food TV.com Double Fried French Fries from Food TV.com BBQ Spiced French Fries from Food TV.com Mashed Potatoes with Buttermilk and Dill from Food TV.com Mashed Sweet Potatoes from Food TV.com We at DIY believe all of the recipes from DIY Cooking are accurate and reliable, but since we have not tested them personally, we can claim no responsibility if the desired results are not achieved.
RESOURCES :
Cooks Potato Book
Model: 0754806227
Author: Alex Barker
Lorenz Books / Anness Publishing Inc.
Website: www.lorenzbooks.com
Potato Harvest Cookbook
Model: 1561582468
Author: Ashley Miller
(1998)
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
50 Best Mashed Potatoes
Model: 076790043X
Author: Sarah Reynolds
(1997)
To order this title from Amazon, click here.
Broadway Books/Random House, Inc.
Website: www.randomhouse.com
Cooking for Dummies, 2nd Edition
Model: 0764552503
Author: Bryan Miller and Marie Rama
(2000)
Web site for the Dummies books: www.dummies.com
IDG Books Worldwide, Inc. (An International Data Group Company)
Foster City, CA 94404
Food Lover's Companion
Model: 0812015207
Author: Sharon Tyler Herbst
(1995, 2nd Edition)
Barron's best-selling A-to-Z guide is back and better than ever with 900 new listings and the most up-to-date information on culinary terms.
Barron's Educational Series, Inc.
Hauppauge, NY 11788
Jewish Cooking For Dummies
Model: 0764563041
Author: Faye Levy
(2001)
Hungry Minds, Inc.
The Food Lover's Tiptionary
Model: 0688121462
Author: Sharon Tyler Herbst
(1994)
William Morrow Books / Hearst Books
Website: www.harpercollins.com
Christmas Cooking for Dummies
Model: 0764554077
Author: Dede Wilson
(2001)
Ruminator Books
St. Paul, MN 55105
Phone: 651-699-7038
Fax: 651-699-7190
Email: books@ruminator.com
One Potato, Two Potato
Model: 0618007148
Author: Roy Finamore and Molly Stevens
(2001)
Houghton Mifflin Co.
Boston, MA 02116
Phone: 617-351-5000
Email: tradecustomerservice@hmco.com
The Great Potato Book
Model: 1580081851
Author: Florence Fabricant and Charlie Trotter
(2001)
Ten Speed Press
Website: www.tenspeed.com
The French-Fry Companion: A Connoisseur's Guide To The Food We Love
Model: 0867307609
Author: David Graulich
(1999)
Lebhar-Friedman, Inc.
New York, NY 10022-3556
Phone: 212-756-5204
Fax: 212-756-5128
How to Cook Potatoes: An Illustrated Step-by-Step Guide to Perfect Potatoes Every Time
Model: 0936184426
Author: Cook's Illustrated
(1999)
Boston Common Press
Boston, MA 02445
Phone: 617-232-1000
Email: webmaster@bcpress.com
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