Archive for December, 2010

Q: I bought a five pound bag of grown in Idaho® Russet Burbank potatoes .I put them in a slow cooker on low for six hours. The meat that was cooking along with the potatoes was cooked but the potatoes were hard as bricks. I tried nuking them and it helped a little but not enough. I then tried frying them and that helped some more, making them edible with lots of catsup. What is wrong with these potatoes?

A: There are so many variables it is hard to know where to start. The only experience I have had with a slow cooker is with a pretty high powered one, it is an All Clad and has a metal insert which I use to cook items partially first and then put the insert into the slow cooker to finish it off or hold. This version costs a couple of hundred dollars so not the usual one most people purchase.  http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/all-clad-deluxe-slow-cooker-with-aluminum-insert/?pkey=celectrics-all-clad

Even when I use it I cut the potatoes up into 1 inch cubes or 1/2 inch slices to get them to cook thoroughly. I found this out when doing a stew as both the carrots and the potatoes were rock hard after several hours.

Q: I need to make Jansson’s Temptation (a Swedish version of scalloped potatoes) for a group of 70+ as a part of a holiday dinner.  Can scalloped potatoes be frozen before baking (or at least refrigerated), to allow me to put this dish together a few days before serving?

A: I have had very good luck, including this Thanksgiving, in cutting the potatoes up and immediately tossing them in cold water, rinsing until the water is clear (to remove any excess starch or sugar) then boiling the potatoes, covered with about an inch of water, for 25-30 minutes. Smoosh a potato slice with a fork to see if it breaks up and that will be the right time to pull off the burner. Add some lemon concentrate to the cooked potatoes and water, about 1 teaspoon per gallon of water.  Drain the hot water and place the potatoes into colander, run cold water over the potatoes or add some ice on top to cool. Once cooled off, place the potatoes in a large plastic food bag and seal or put them in a plastic tub and put a lid on it. The next day or two, arrange the potatoes in a casserole dish. Add warm liquids to the potatoes and bake off.

Q: We have 4 different sized ovens and need to cook 150 pounds of Idaho® potatoes for a fundraiser. Is there a formula we can use to determine the appropriate cooking time for all these potatoes?

A: Not sure of a formula but here is what I would do: Using one oven thermometer, turn all the ovens to 400°F and measure the inside temps of each oven to get the most consistent reading as possible between all of them. Adjust the oven temps to get a matching temperature between all 4 ovens. Next wash, prick the skin with a fork (to allow the steam to escape) and prepare to bake the potatoes. Don’t wrap them in foil. Try to use similar pans for all of the potatoes. ONLY place the potatoes one level deep on the pans for more even cooking or bake them right on the rack. The potatoes are done when the internal temperature of the largest potato reaches 210°F. This will take approximately one hour, unless the potatoes are huge, which may then require the cooking time to be lengthened by about 10 minutes. To transport the potatoes to the function, you can wrap them in foil or you can pre-heat a cooler with hot water, drain the water and add in the potatoes.

Q. I have always made twice baked Idaho® potatoes for our holidays.  Our family has grown and I want to enjoy Christmas Eve and Christmas.  I will need enough twice baked potatoes for 30 people.  How far in advance can they be made before baking in the oven Christmas Day?   Are there any secrets?  I usually do not use cream cheese.

A. You will want to bake the potatoes up to 1-2 days ahead of time, refrigerate them and leave whole until the day before. The day before you should hollow out the potatoes and add a little lemon juice to the inside mixture to help it from oxidizing and turning gray. Cover the potatoes with plastic wrap to seal off any air from getting in.  You can assemble and bake the potatoes on Christmas day and still have time to enjoy with your family.

Q. I love garlic and want to pair a recipe up with potatoes. Seems like the restaurants I go to that serve garlic mashed potatoes are afraid that they will offend someone who orders this side dish, I can hardly ever taste the garlic… any suggestions?

A. Potatoes pair up with so many great flavors, especially spices, herbs and as you pointed out…garlic.  While the first recipe that follows is from a restaurant, it can easily be adapted for a dinner party.  With a name like Chef Wendy Jordan’s “GET-A-MAN” Potatoes with Dijon Aioli and Roasted Garlic Jus” it would be perfect for entertaining.

While browsing the internet I came across another recipe for garlic mashed potatoes using whole roasted garlic.  If you have ever dined at Domenico’s on the Wharf in Monterey California then you already know how roasted garlic heads make a wonderful jam to spread on fresh baked French bread.  So imagine what it would taste like when combined with your favorite mashed potato recipe.  The blog I am referencing is a real find, Jaden does food styling, photography and has a wonderful way of describing what she is making and pairing it with pictures. Check out these three hits from www.steamykitchen.com:

Welcome to Steamy Kitchen!
I’m Jaden Hair, a professional recipe developer, food columnist, and food photographer specializing in fast, fresh, and easy recipes for the home cook.

Garlic Mashed:
http://steamykitchen.com/12025-roasted-garlic-mashed-potatoes.html

Potato Dominoes:
http://steamykitchen.com/4644-potato-dominoes.html

Wasabi Smashed Potatoes:
http://steamykitchen.com/4147-wasabi-smashed-potatoes.html

Q. What secret ingredients, if any, will make my Idaho® mashed potatoes sparkle when I serve them to my family?

A. OK, get ready for a couple of straight forward tips that may surprise you.  One is the water you boil the potatoes in. Always start with cold water. Warm water from the tap could contain extra mineral deposits from being heated and from the plumbing lines, and you just don’t need that flavoring the potatoes. Same with water softeners, you are adding stuff in you may not want. Alkaline water can make the potatoes turn gray, just the same as oxidation or exposure to air. So once the potato is cut, don’t add extra air, cover the potatoes in water for example. To help offset the PH neutrality of potatoes and keep them from turning gray, here are some other secret ingredients…add in something acidic such as a teaspoon of concentrated lemon juice, white wine vinegar, cream of tartar or even a vitamin C tablet. The type of salt you use can make a big difference. I love to use sea salt or kosher salt. The granules are a little bigger so you can easily see how much you are applying and the flavor (pinch a little and taste) is much cleaner to the palate. Same with fresh ground pepper versus the kind in your pepper shaker. Dried spices taste like, well, dried spices. Splurge and buy some fresh chives, scallions, green onions, a head of garlic, etc. You won’t regret it when you take the first bite.

Very few people buy buttermilk anymore, but you need to know that the fat in this or real cream will shout out when combined with Idaho® potatoes. Save the skim milk for your latte or cold cereal. Add in butter, just do it!