*POTATOES* Some good SPUD recipes!

The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family (also known as the nightshades). The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species. Potatoes were first introduced outside the Andes region four centuries ago, and have become an integral part of much of the world's cuisine. It is the world's fourth-largest food crop, following rice, wheat, and maize.  Long-term storage of potatoes requires specialised care in cold warehouses.

The English word potato comes from Spanish patata (the name used in Spain). The Spanish Royal Academy says the Spanish word is a compound of the Taino batata (sweet potato) and the Quechua papa (potato).  The name potato originally referred to a type of sweet potato rather than the other way around, although there is actually no close relationship between the two plants. The English confused the two plants one for the other. In many of the chronicles detailing agriculture and plants, no distinction is made between the two.  The 16th-century English herbalist John Gerard used the terms "bastard potatoes" and "Virginia potatoes" for this species, and referred to sweet potatoes as "common potatoes".  Potatoes are occasionally referred to as "Irish potatoes" or "white potatoes" in the United States, to distinguish them from sweet potatoes.

*Twice Baked Potatoes*

Cook time: 1 hour, 45 minutes  

• 4 large russet potatoes, about a pound each
• Olive oil
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 Tbsp cream

Cheddar and bacon version

• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 4 strips bacon
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion

Blue cheese and chives version

• 1 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• 1/2 teaspoon salt


1 Bake the potatoes. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Scrub the potatoes clean under running water. Poke each potato in several places with the tines of a fork so that when the potatoes are cooking they don't explode. Rub the potatoes all over with a little olive oil. Place directly on the middle or top rack of the oven. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are cooked through. They should give a little when pressed.
If short on time you can bake the potatoes in the microwave, 10 minutes on high heat for 2 potatoes, 15 minutes for 4 potatoes. The skins of microwave baked potatoes aren't nearly as crispy, so you may want to rub a little olive oil on them and finish them in a conventional oven at 400°F for 10 minutes.
2 If you are including bacon as one of your mix-ins, while the potatoes are cooking, cook the bacon strips in a frying pan on medium low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Let cool. Crumble.
3 Allow the potatoes to cool to touch. Slice the top third lengthwise off the potato. Use a spoon to scoop out the insides, forming a potato "canoe", leaving about 1/4 inch of potato on the skin.
Alternatively you can slice the potatoes in half, lengthwise. In this case you may want to bake an extra potato so that you will have more potato filling to mound into the potato boats.
4 Place the scooped out potato insides, sour cream, milk, cream, and butter into a large bowl. Mash with a potato masher. If you want a creamy texture, beat with an electric beater until desired consistency. Note, do not over-beat potatoes, they can turn glue-y.
5 Mix in the extras with the potatoes. Reserve some of the extras to sprinkle on the tops of the potatoes. Spoon fillings into the potato shells. Sprinkle with extra toppings.
6 Heat oven to 350°F. Place potatoes on a roasting pan and bake 15 to 20 minutes until heated through.

*Italian Potato Salad*

Ingredients

• 5 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
• Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, cool and chop.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the garlic, olive oil, vinegar and parsley. Add potatoes and toss to evenly coat.
3. Cover and refrigerate overnight.               

*Mushroom & Potato Gratin*

Gratin  is a widely used culinary technique in food preparation in which an ingredient is topped with a browned crust, often using breadcrumbs, grated cheese, egg and/or butter.  Gratin originated in French cuisine and is usually prepared in a shallow dish of some kind. A gratin is baked or cooked under an overhead grill or broiler to form a golden crust on top and is traditionally served in its baking dish.

Potatoes gratiné is one of the most common of gratins and is known by various names including gratin dauphinois. In North America, the dish is referred to variously as scalloped potatoes, potatoes au gratin, or au gratin potatoes. (Note that the term scalloped originally referred to a style of seafood dish rather than to one specifically based on the scallop).  In French-speaking Canada, the dish is referred to as pommes de terre au gratin . Australians and New Zealanders refer to it as scalloped potatoes or potato bake.

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter, divided
1 tbsp olive oil
5 cups sliced mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
5 medium russet potatoes, sliced thin
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
6 oz sottocenere cheese, grated
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup chicken broth

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and mushrooms and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Arrange half of mushroom mixture in bottom of 13x9 inch glass baking dish. Arrange half of potatoes over. Combine salt, pepper and nutmeg in small bowl. Sprinkle half of mixture over potatoes. Spoon remaining mushroom mixture over. Arrange potatoes over mushroom mixture. Sprinkle remaining salt mixture over. Combine cream and stock in large bowl. Pour over vegetables. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until vegetables are almost tender, about 45 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Uncover pan. Bake until juices thicken, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until cheese melts and is golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool gratin 15 minutes before serving.

**NOTE**

Sottocenere al tartufo is a very pale yellow to off-white cheese that has a grey-brown ash rind. It has a somewhat mild taste and is semi-soft in firmness.
Sottocenere is originally from Venice, Italy and translates from Italian literally as "under ash", while al tartufo means "with truffles." It is made with raw cow's milk and slices of truffles, then rubbed with various herbs and spices. After creation, sottocenere is aged in an ash rind as a way to preserve it over a long period without losing flavor. The use of ash as a cheese rind is a tradition in the Venetian region. The ash is also used to convey subtle flavors into the cheese, with a variety of spices (cinnamon and nutmeg, among others) mixed with the ash.

*Sweet Potato Biscuits*

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 3/4 cup mashed sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup milk

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in the shortening until pieces of shortening are pea-sized or smaller. Mix in the sweet potatoes, and enough of the milk to make a soft dough.
3. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and roll or pat out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into circles using a biscuit cutter or a drinking glass. Place biscuits 1 inch apart onto a greased baking sheet.
4. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.                

*Baked Potato Soup*

Ingredients
• 9 baking potatoes
• 2/3 cup butter
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups whole milk
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup bacon bits, divided
• 4 green onions, chopped
• 10 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
Directions
1. Prick potatoes with a fork and cook in the microwave, 3 or 4 at a time, and scoop out the flesh (while the others are cooking).
2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in flour and cook about a minute. Whisk in milk, a little at a time, stirring constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes, salt, pepper, 1/3 cup bacon bits, 2 tablespoons green onions and most of the cheese. Cook until thoroughly heated. Stir in sour cream and heat through. Serve topped with remaining bacon, onions and cheese.               

*Loaded Potato Casserole*

Ingredients:8 medium potatoes (about 2 1/2 to 3 lb. total), peeled and cut into equal chunks
1 cup Carnation evaporated milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups (8-oz. pkg.) shredded cheddar cheese, divided
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled, divided
sliced green onions (optional)

*Potato Focaccia*

Chef's note: You can use store-bought pizza dough for this recipe. You will need about 1 1/2 pounds.

 Ingredients

For the dough:

• 1 envelope active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 cup lukewarm whole milk
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting work surface
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, preferably gray salt

For the topping:

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3/4 cup diced pancetta or bacon (about 1/4 pound, cut in 1/2-inch dice)
• 1 1/2 cups peeled and diced, new or russet potatoes (about 1/2 pound, cut in 1/2-inch dice)
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
• Gray salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, to coat the baking sheet and the dough

Directions

For the dough:

Combine the yeast, sugar, and milk in the bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add 1/2 cup of the flour. Stir well, cover with a towel, and let rest in a warm place for 25 minutes.

Mix in the olive oil, salt, and 1 cup of flour, until well incorporated. Add the remaining flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough adheres to the hook. It should remain soft and slightly sticky. Continue mixing for about 6 minutes, or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Remove from the bowl, shape the dough into a ball, flatten slightly, and put into an oiled bowl. Turn to coat. Cover the bowl with a towel and put in a warm place for about 1 hour, to let the dough rise until doubled.

For the topping:

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook slowly until very crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain. Reserve the pancetta and fat separately.

Put the potatoes in cold salted water, cover, and bring to a boil. Cook about 8 minutes, or until tender. Drain well and place in a bowl.

Pour the pancetta fat over the warm potatoes, add the crisped pancetta, 1 teaspoon of the rosemary, salt and pepper to taste, and the lemon zest. Toss well and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Oil a baking sheet.

Lightly flour the dough and punch it down. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until smooth. Roll out the dough into a rectangle about 12 by 10 inches. Brush off any excess flour and transfer to the oiled baking sheet. Brush the dough with olive oil and leave to rise for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle the potato mixture onto the dough and press it in with the flat of your hand. Press your fingers into the dough to make evenly spaced indentations all over the surface, being careful not to puncture or tear the dough. Scatter the remaining rosemary over the dough.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until the potatoes are golden brown and the bread is crisp on the bottom. Let cool in the pan to room temperature. Cut into squares, "fingers," or triangles to serve.

*Double Potato Mash*

Ingredients

• 4 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
• 4 1/2 pounds white all-purpose potatoes
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground mace
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Loosely wrap the sweet potatoes individually in aluminium foil and cook in the oven for 1 1/2 hours or until cooked through. Leave to cool in their foil parcels.

Meanwhile, peel and chop the white potatoes and cook them in salted water until tender; then drain and mash.

Open the sweet potato parcels carefully over the mashed white potatoes to catch all the juices that have leaked from them. Still holding each sweet potato over the other potatoes, peel the skin away with your fingers and scoop out the flesh into the mash.

Add the oil and mace and beat the potatoes together very well with a wooden spoon adding salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

*Instant Potato Pancake*

Ingredients:
1 cup cold water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup Betty Crocker Potato Buds (probably will work with any similar brand)
fresh chives
freshly ground black pepper
cayenne to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon butter

*Potato-Broccoli-Fennel Salad*

Ingredients

• 8 large Idaho Potatoes (about 4 pounds), well scrubbed, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups chopped broccoli (about 1 bunch)
• 2 cups (16 ounces) favorite ranch salad dressing
• 3 cups chopped fennel (about one large bulb), with core and tops removed
• 1 large red onion, quartered and very thinly sliced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/2 cup diced green olives with pimento (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste
• leaf lettuce and cherry tomatoes or sliced tomatoes for garish

Directions

1. Fill a large stockpot half full of water, add salt and bring to boiling over high heat. Add potatoes and bring back to boiling over high heat; reduce heat to medium and boil 3 minutes.
2. Add broccoli to the potatoes and bring back to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium again, and cook until desired doneness (1 - 3 minutes). Potatoes and broccoli should both be firm. Drain well in a colander.
3. Transfer potatoes and broccoli to a large mixing bowl, add ranch dressing and let cool. Stir in fennel, onions, and olives, if using. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
4. Serve on a bed of leaf lettuce, with ripe tomatoes as a garnish.

*Potato Wedges w/Sriracha*

Ingredients

• Potatoes, washed well
• Kosher Salt

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/2C Mayonnaise
• 2t Lime juice
• 1t Orange juice
• 1T Sriracha (chile sauce)

Directions 

1. Place potatoes on a sheet tray covered liberally with salt.
2. Bake in a 475 degree F oven for about 90 minutes or until potatoes are completely cooked.
3. Remove from oven and let cool in the freezer until cold.
4. With a serrated knife, preferably electric, cut potatoes in 1/2 lengthwise. Then cut each 1/2 into 4 wedges.
5. Put on a sheet tray leaving space between each potato so that they do not stick.
6. Fry in a 350 degree F fryer until golden brown, dredge on paper towels and season with salt.

Sauce Preparation:

1. Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl and reserve.
2. Serve as a dipping sauce for the potato wedges.

Sriracha is the name for a Thai hot sauce named after the coastal city of Si Racha, in the Chonburi Province of central Thailand, where it was first produced for dishes served at local seafood restaurants. It is a paste of chili peppers, distilled vinegar, garlic, sugar and salt. Sriracha is a common condiment in many Asian restaurants and increasingly found in American and European homes.

*Potato Muffins w/Smoked Salmon*

Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion
• 2 large Idaho® potatoes, scrubbed and cut into narrow, matchstick-like pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 2 ounces good quality smoked salmon, diced
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
• 1/4 cup sour cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325° F. Coat the cups of a 6-cup muffin pan with the softened butter; refrigerate pan.
2. Add salt to a large saucepan of water; bring to boil over medium-high heat. While waiting for water to boil, sauté onion in olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet until lightly browned and softened. Transfer onion to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
3. Add matchstick potato pieces to the boiling, salted water and cook 3 - 4 minutes. Strain off the water and add potatoes to the bowl with the onions. Cool potatoes and onions to room temperature.
4. To the cooled mixture, add olive oil, thyme, smoked salmon and black pepper to taste; mix thoroughly.
5. Using clean hands, shape potato mixture into 6 equal portions; press each portion into a muffin cup of the pre-buttered pan. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the muffins from the pan and top with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chives.