Archive for September, 2009


Potato Trends

Friday, September 25th, 2009

Recently I had a group of operators from Korea asked me about potato trends and also if I had seen anything unique that they might be able to take back to their country and try on customers for late night or breakfast/brunch.

Here are the potato trends I divulged:

Fries with dips: Old versions of dipping sauces were fry sauce (ketchup and mayo), salsa, and ranch dressing.  New versions include spicy peanut satay sauce and various fruit chutneys such as mango, roasted herb, and sour cream.

Hash brown cups:  Using mini muffin tins, the dehydrated, frozen, or fresh hash browns are mixed with whipped raw egg or egg whites and combined with red peppers or herbs and pre-baked.  These are then filled with various toppings from smoked salmon and crème fraiche to an egg, ham, or bacon mixture and baked off.

Potato cakes:  Whether it’s a new version of a latke, or potato cakes formed from hash browns or left over mashed potatoes, these are served next to a protein such as beef short ribs or under a fish such as halibut or barramundi.

Upscale Tots:  Made from scratch, the fillings include chorizo and cheddar cheese, crab or lobster, pungent cheeses, etc. and slightly oversized from the traditional tater tot.  By the way, have you had the Cheesy Tots from Burger King? They taste great!
Recipes:

Here are two of my absolute favorite recipes:

conesThe Parmesan Fried Idaho® Potatoes are a great late night appetizer for the bar and what is great about them is that you can make the cubes from any size Idaho Russet potato.  The skin can be peeled or left on.  The cubes can be blanched ahead of time so that they can be quickly finish fried to order.  The herbs can be swapped out for other herbs (sage, rosemary) or spices (curry, Spanish paprika) and so can the cheeses (gruyere, blue cheese).  The potato cubes are bite size and I guarantee that they are hard to resist.

Recipe: Parmesan Fried Idaho® Potatoes

The Idaho® Potato Volcano is a totally unique entrée to serve with fresh fruit for a breakfast/brunch.  It has a filling of pre-made scalloped potatoes along with many other exciting ingredients outlined in the recipe below.  This dish was served at the Sun Valley Resort in Idaho last month.  Credit goes to the Momofuko Milk Bar in NYC for the original recipe:  http://newyork.seriouseats.com/2009/05/momofuku-milk-bar-making-of-the-volcano-nyc-east-village.html

The version Sun Valley chefs served to guests also included a Mornay sauce under the volcano and a Roasted Red Pepper Coulis sauce to create the allusion of hot molten fire and rock spewing out of the top of the volcano.  Momofuko used bacon as a filling, the Sun Valley version used shredded beef, but you could also substitute shredded pork with a soft Mexican cheese or make an Italian version with Mozzarella, Monterey Jack and aged Cheddar and use precooked pepperoni or salami as the meat.

Recipe: Idaho® Potato Volcano

Posted in Cooking Potatoes, Recipes

Q&A: This Year’s Harvest

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

Q: What is the harvest like this year?

A: The Idaho potato harvest starts up in the western side of the state first (usually they are the first to be able to get potatoes planted because of earlier spring weather and warmer conditions) and then moves across the bottom of the state to towns such as Gooding, Jerome, Twin Falls, Rupert, and Burley.  Next in timing are American Falls, Pocatello, Blackfoot, and then Idaho Falls.  Finally, the most northern places begin their harvest in Rigby, Rexburg, Sugar City, etc.  From mid-August to mid-October the growers are busy harvesting potatoes, along with other crops, which they rotate growing in the same fields.

I had the opportunity to see a couple of russet varieties harvested recently.  At Doug Gross Farms they were harvesting a Blazer Russet variety, which is relatively new, and is used right now exclusively for processing potatoes into fries and other frozen forms such as hash browns.  The potatoes looked great; Doug had leased land out by Lake Lowell and the yields were excellent. Here are a couple of videos from that trip:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MJ6BsG3NpU

Next up was a trip with several culinary students to Simplot and a nearby farm at Highway 55, just off Chicken Dinner road.  Love that name!  The grower, Jerome Wanders, was harvesting the Ranger Russet variety, also for French fries.  Rangers are also sold into the fresh market and they make an excellent fresh cut French fry too.  Here is some additional information on the Simplot visit:

The Simplot Top of House Culinary Board and the Idaho Potato Commission supported this ongoing quest for excellence by providing a Culinary Learning Experience beyond the school and workplace environment.

Five culinary students were selected to take an all expenses paid 4-day, 3-night trip to Boise, Idaho to learn about the diverse agriculture industry of Idaho, from our famous potatoes to the natural spring water that has allowed us to become the world’s largest trout producer. Students attended an Idaho Specialty Foods Showcase and Taste of Idaho, toured the Clear Springs Food Trout Farm, and explored onion and potato fields.  After the trip, these students will share their experiences with their fellow classmates by presenting what they learned in a multi-media presentation.  Our goal is that the learning experience never ends for culinary students and professional chefs alike.

The participating students were:
•    Aurora Nessly – Institute of Culinary Education, NY
•    Erica Sung – Sullivan University, KY
•    Noel Muniz – Kendall College, IL
•    Buffy Weiss – Cincinnati State, OH
•    Renee Lalonde – Florida Culinary Institute, FL

Here are some pictures of the tour:

Potatoes-in-Storage

Potatoes in storage

Conveyor-belt-with-potatoes

Conveyor belt with potatoes

Students-in-front-of-Tractor

Students in front of a tractor with Idaho potato grower Jerome Wanders

Tractors

Tractors

And, if you’d like to see what a harvest is all about, be sure to go to our harvest video at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shs07rvWFYc

With all the talk about buying local and the whole Locavore movement it is important to share this video with readers too…it’s about the Idaho Potato grower: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYvA9wlWxAQ

Posted in Q & A

Idaho® Potato Chips

Monday, September 21st, 2009

Here’s a little history to go along with some suggestions for adding homemade chips to your restaurant operations.

Although potato chips have existed since the 1840’s, they were sliced a lot thicker than today’s potato chips.  The original thin potato chip, known as “Saratoga potatoes” or “Saratoga chips”, is said to have been invented in 1853 by Chef George Crum at Moon’s Lake Lodge in Saratoga Springs, NY, a town known for its spa waters and resorts.  According the story, Chef Crum sliced his potatoes as thin as he could to placate a persnickety customer who kept sending his fries back because they were too thick.  The next day, the rest of the chips were fried off and were put in paper cones and passed out free to customers at the bar, where a sign said “Help Yourself”.  The rest is history.  Today, potato chips are one of the largest-selling snack foods in America.

There’s no secret as to who your competition will be if you offer a freshly made chip with sandwiches or burgers or other entrees; Frito Lay owns nearly a 50% share of the market for packaged snack chips.  But one of the up and coming chip makers that can give you insight into some possible flavorings or spices is Kettle Foods.  I’d suggest getting on their mailing list just for the exposure to some terrific marketing ideas that involve communication with their customers on new products. Go to: http://www.kettlechipchallenge.com for a good example.

Another interesting source on chips is the book Crunch! A History of the Great American Potato Chip, by Dick Burhans, which tells the story of this crispy, salty treat, from the early sales of locally made chips at corner groceries, county fairs, and cafes, to the mass marketing and corporate consolidation of the modern snack food industry.

For fresh Idaho potato chips you want to use a high solids potato, so waxy varieties such as reds will be a challenge.  I’d recommend sticking with a chipping variety or a high solids russet such as the Russet Burbank. This doesn’t mean that other potatoes won’t work, but having high solids and low moisture plays into your favor in consistency. One of the more unusual executions of chips we’ve had lately was the Red Thumb Fingerling variety prepared by chef/owner Randy Zwieban of Province Restaurant in Chicago.  Randy made paper thin slices of the potatoes, fried them up quickly, and dusted the finished chips with cinnamon and sugar for an interesting sweet flavored dessert accompaniment.

On a small scale here is a recipe to start with:

Perfect Idaho Potato Chips

Ingredients:
•    4 Idaho Russet Burbanks
•    3 quarts of oil (olive, vegetable, peanut or your choice)
•    Coarse salt

To Prepare:
1.    Slice the potatoes paper thin.
2.    Soak potato chips in cold water (one gallon), changing the water often or rinse potatoes under cold running water until the water runs clear. Takes about 10-15 minutes.
3.    Drain and dry the potatoes.
4.    Heat oil to 350°F, work in batches to avoid overcrowding or reducing the oil temp with too much product, and fry the slices until golden brown, about one minute per batch. Drain on a metal screen or towel, sprinkle with salt to taste and serve.

And, here are five tips to make your customers keep coming back for more Idaho® potato chips:

•    Slice potatoes thin, using a mandolin or a commercial meat slicer.  Be sure to use the machine guard as the potato can easily slip when you reach the end and fingers have a tendency to suffer.  Several companies make specialty potato slicers, such as the ones used for ribbon cutting.  Nemco’s Power Cut Ribbon Fry machine turns a whole potato into a continuous thin sliced curl, popular at state fairs.  Just think, for about 25 cents you can slice an entire potato and easily charge $2-3 per portion.
•    Soak the slices in cold water to remove excess starch.  Dry the slices before frying to reduce splattering and oil absorption. Some people find that an inexpensive salad spinner works great for this.  A suggested commercial salad spinner is made by Novon Company, it has a capacity of five gallons: www.novon.com
•    Keep the oil temperature at 350°F or higher.  Frying at lower temperatures increases oil absorption.
•    For crisper chips, avoid overcrowding by frying in small batches.  Allow oil to return to 350°F or higher temperature before using again.
•    Replace oil completely if it starts to smoke, darken, or form bubbles along the side.  This indicates that the oil is breaking down and the resulting chips will be greasy.
•    Experiment with chip seasonings, or serve with dips, salsa, or vinegar.

Posted in History

Kids Menus – Healthful Tips

Monday, September 14th, 2009

The folks over at Good Housekeeping have some strong feelings on what fast food operators should be feeding kids these days.

Look at the salt, fat, and calorie count of what’s served up at many fast food restaurants and it could make you lose your appetite. It’s a special concern for kids’ meals. You’d think a child-sized meal should include child-sized calories, but the Good Housekeeping Research Institute found that fast food restaurants pack way too many calories in their children’s meals. “They really push the fries, the shakes, the sodas,” said Samantha Cassetty, the nutrition director at Good Housekeeping Research Institute. “What you are not getting here is enough produce or any low fat dairy.”

With obesity in children at an all-time high, fast food businesses are revising their menus to include healthier options, and you can too. Fries are always a kid’s favorite. One suggestion that keeps these on the menu but makes them healthier is to cut the potato portion costs but fill out the plate by adding nutritious dipping sauces such as fresh tomato salsa. Another crowd favorite, especially in casual dining situations, is a baked potato skin with smaller quantities of fillings. These become a sharable appetizer or meal when combined with a salad and split among kids or adults. Check out the photo attached (Attach Steve Welsh standard potato skins). These can also be customized to be ethnically compatible with themed restaurants, filled with black beans, corn and shredded pork for Mexican or Pizza toppings (including a veggie version with olives, tomatoes).

Mashed potatoes don’t have to be laden with gravy or butter, these can be spiced up with freshly chopped herbs, blended with mild cheeses (again watch the portioning quantities) and served with a vegetable side dish.

Have you ever seen how popular a baked potato bar is at elementary and middle schools? Kids add all kinds of ingredients, using the potato as a neutral palate to hold the toppings. The size of the potato (and the plate or bowl it is placed in) can help limit the portions. Use a smaller 90 count or even take your regular baked potatoes and slice down the middle. Here is a guide for creating your own version of a baked potato bar (potato bar wall chart inserted link here). The same thing can be done with mashed potatoes, but you can also have flavored oils to drizzle on the top.

If you have a kid’s menu special that includes potatoes send it on to me!

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Posted in Nutrition

Q&A: Healthy Choices

Monday, September 7th, 2009

Q: We operate a restaurant in an area where people demand healthy choices on their menu. Do you have any suggestions?

A: Helpful Tips for Creating Healthful Dishes with Idaho® Potatoes:

Scalloped/Au Gratin Potatoes:
1101Try this basic low-fat scalloped potato recipe: mix skim milk, sliced potatoes, garlic, salt and pepper; simmer until potatoes are nearly cooked. Add a little arrowroot dissolved in cold milk; stir until thickened. Pour into a hotel pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and low-fat Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350°F until brown. If you prepare a béchamel sauce from scratch for your scalloped potatoes, replace the cream in the sauce with equal parts skim milk and chicken stock and thicken with cornstarch or arrowroot rather than a roux. Add the following flavorful combinations of ingredients to your healthy scalloped potatoes, and your customer won’t miss the reduced fat:

  • Chopped sage leaves and diced yellow onions
  • Ground nutmeg and chopped chives
  • Sun-dried tomatoes, roasted garlic, and fresh chopped basil
  • Thinly sliced Spanish onions

Replace the full-fat cheeses atop your au gratin potatoes with reduced-fat versions, like low-fat Parmesan, Mozzarella, Gouda, Cheddar, or Provolone. Choose a smoked variety for extra flavor.

Hash Browns:
Use a non-stick fry pan coated with cooking spray instead of oil for reduced-fat skillet hash browns. If you do use oil to grill your potatoes, choose a heart-healthy oil such as corn or safflower. And make sure the pan and oil are hot (360 to 375ºF) before adding the potatoes; that will help reduce the amount of oil the potatoes absorb. Alternately, bake your browns in the oven, coating the pan with butter-flavored cooking spray first for extra flavor. Instead of salt, sprinkle your hash browns with a medley of finely chopped herbs. The herbs will add color, flavor, and a signature touch to your potatoes. Your customers won’t miss the fat if you turn up the flavor by adding minced garlic, onions, or shallots to your hash browns. Offer an exciting new twist on your reduced-fat hash browns with this Southwestern-style dish: Toss Idaho® potato hash browns with corn, diced red pepper, minced jalapeno peppers, and garlic; top with salsa.

Mashed Potatoes:
Use low-fat or nonfat milk, or even chicken stock, instead of whole milk or cream for a lower-fat but still tasty mashed. As an alternate, add olive oil and water from the pot you used to boil the potatoes, instead of milk and butter. The potato water will contribute to flavor and also help replace the nutrients that are lost during boiling. Herbs and spices, either fresh or dried, can act as colorful flavor boosters in your lower-fat mashed potato preparations. Try basil, parsley, sage, tarragon, dill, saffron, or curry. Prepared sauces also can kick up the flavor of your reduce-fat mashed potatoes. Just fold in horseradish, Dijon-style mustard, or sun-dried tomato paste.

A Few More Healthy Potato Ideas:
Broiled potato chips are healthier than fried, and just as tasty. Spread potato slices (1/16-inch thick) in a single layer on lightly-greased baking sheets, sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper, drizzle with chicken stock, and broil until crisp (about 1-4 minutes), flipping slices midway through. Baking is another healthy chip preparation. To create Orange Roasted Chips, toss sliced potatoes (1/8-inch thick) with olive oil, grated orange zest, dried rubbed sage, and cracked black pepper. Place in a single layer on greased baking sheets and bake at 425⁰F until crisp (about 40 minutes), flipping potatoes midway through. For Herbed Chips, season with minced garlic, rosemary, oregano, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes. Grated raw potato is a healthy alternative to cream for thickening soups. Add about 3 tablespoons of potato per cup of soup. Dehydrated mashed potato flakes or granules work well, too, for a thicker minestrone. Add a tangy, low-fat twist to your potato salad by using a mixture of nonfat yogurt and nonfat mayonnaise to bind the salad. Or, try whipping potatoes with sun-dried tomatoes and freshly chopped basil.

Do you have any tips you’d like to share with our foodservice readers of this blog? Send me a note.

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Posted in Nutrition, Recipes