The Not so Humble Potato!. (Home Cooking - Helpful Hints and Tips)

Member Name: leviathan

Product:	Home Cooking - Helpful Hints and Tips
Date:	13/10/01 (998 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Easy to buy, little waste, and they are good for you.

Disadvantages: Can be boring.

The humble potato has formed part of our staple diet for centuries. And its great!

Boiled, fried, baked, or roasted. Fresh out of the ground, or used after storing, its on our plates, but I think many of us still tend to under use this most versatile of vegetables. Especially since rice and pasta dishes became so popular.

So in order to redress the balance here are few of my favourite ‘potato’ recipes.

1)Potato Pastry.

This can be used to ‘top’ any savoury filling of your choice to replace puff, shortcrust or suet pastry. Or alternatively can be cut into squares after rolling, and ‘ dry’ fried on a griddle or in frying pan, for use as either a supper snack , or to accompany a main meal. They are particularly good with bacon and eggs, or sausages.

Ingredients.

6 oz (175 grams) Cold mashed potato ( an excellent use for leftovers)
6oz (175 grams) Self-raising flour. ( For Coeliac’s and other gluten allergics replace with any gluten-free flour mix).
4oz (100-125 grams) Hard margarine or cold butter)
A pinch of salt.and pepper.
1 egg for glazing before baking.

If I am making ‘potato cakes’ I also add a pinch of dried garlic powder, and a tablespoon of mixed chopped herbs.

Method.

Place flour and margarine, or butter, in a bowl and rub in, until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add salt pepper, and herbs and garlic is using. Then add cold mashed potato, and mix together.
Knead mixture until a smooth ball of pastry forms. Wrap in cling-film and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
After which the pastry is ready to use.

Chicken and LeekPie.

Ingredients.

Above quantity of potato pastry.

1lb ( 500 grams) Fresh chicken breast ( diced into ¼” cubes)
1lb (500 grams) Leeks. Washed and sliced.
2 cloves of garlic finely chopped.
Chicken stoc
k cube
½ pint of milk
1 heaped tablespoon plain flour
2oz (50 grams) butter
a little olive oil
A tablespoon of Crème Fraiche.
Salt and pepper to taste.

Method.
Pre-heat oven.

Place chicken, stock cube and milk in a saucepan. ( Or if using micro-wave in suitable container)
Bring to the boil, then simmer until chicken is cooked through ( top milk back up to ½ pint when finished)

Meanwhile soften leeks and garlic in butter and olive oil in another saucepan.

When cooked, add flour salt and pepper, stir for a further minute, then add milk and chicken mixture.
Any lumps which form WILL cook out if you are patient.

Add Crème Fraiche, pour mixture into a deep pie dish, and top with potato pastry.

Brush pastry with beaten egg, place in oven and bake for 25 minutes (Gas mark 5) Electric 190C 375F.


2) Potato and Celeriac Cake.

This recipe combines two favourite vegetables.

Ingredients.
1lb (500 grams) Waxy variety of potato. (ie Charlotte, Nicola, Anya, Pink Fir,) scrubbed but not peeled.
1lb (500 grams) Celeriac.
1 clove garlic Finely chopped.
Heaped teaspoon of black pepper.
Heaped teaspoon salt.
Tablespoon of good quality olive oil or similar. (Ground nut is nice)

Method.
Grate potatoes and celeriac. Place in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Stir and cover bowl with a clean cloth.
Leave for about 10 minutes. Then turn mixture into cloth, and squeeze (really, really hard) over sink, removing as much moisture as possible.
Add garlic and black pepper. Mix well in.

Heat oil in large frying pan, and when smoking hot. Spoon in potato and celeriac mixture. Remove from heat whilst flattening to make a neat pancake. Place back over reduced heat, and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Turn and cook other side for similar time.
Best eaten straight away.

3) LeftOver Heaven.
In truth I deliberately co
ok far more potatoes than I need, in order to have plenty of left-overs for this dish.
And I cannot say why using potatoes that were cooked the previous day in this recipe makes the end result taste better. It just does. Right!

Ingredients.

1lb (500 grams) Cold mashed potato.
6oz ( 175 grams) Good quality Cheddar Cheese. Grated.
1 bunch finely chopped spring onions.
¼ pint of milk.
1oz ( 25 grams) butter (melted.
A little oil.
Salt and pepper to taste.
A little grated nutmeg.

Method.
Fry spring onions in a little oil, until soft, but not browned.
Add milk and heat until almost boiling.
Meanwhile give cold potato mash,a thorough beating, and then add cheese.
Pour heated milk and spring onions into mixure, add salt and pepper to taste, and stir well until milk is absorbed in potato, cheese and onion mixture.

Turn into an ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with grated nutmeg, and then pour over melted butter.

Bake in a moderate oven until a slightly browned crust forms.

I sometimes serve this with thick meaty pork sausages, ( a variation on the sausage and mash theme), but it makes excellent comfort food all on its own.


4) Hot Potato Salad. ( A must for cooks who like to cheat).

Ingredients.

1lb(500) grams New or Salad potatoes. Scrubbed and cut into large chunks. If small leave whole.
1 tub or jar ( 150 grams) Sour Cream and Onion Dip.
1oz (25 grams butter).

Method.

Boil potatoes in salted water until cooked.
Drain, and return to hotplate tossing pan until all moisture has evaporated..
Add butter, then toss again to coat potatoes, before adding Sour Cream and Onion Dip.
Serve at once.MMMMmmmmmmmmm!.

I have to say this dish goes fantastically well with fish, ie Salmon, Tuna steaks, or grilled Mackeral, and green salad.

Easy or what?

Think I might start a Potato Lovers Cl
ub. Unless one already exisits.

What the betting a Dooyooer knows the address of the Potatoes Fan Club?

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