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Mr Flibble
Nov 20th, 2005, 02:16 PM
Potatoes.....now there's a vegetable I actually like! When I was younger and ate meat, roast potatoes with gravy were the best part of sunday dinner by a long shot, and now I'm vegan they still are!

I searched and found nothing, so thought I'd start a definitive cooking potatoes thread to share ideas in.

I've just cooked and eaten the best roast potatoes I've ever had. They were from this year's new crop of King Edwards and are what I would call the perfect roasting potato. The outside had an impressive crunch and the inside perfectly fluffy, moist, steamed and without a hint of oil or liquid. I din't cook them differently to how I normally do, so I guess it was just luck. My method is similar to Delia's - peel and boil in water for 15 until the outside is soft. Drain with a lid and shake to make the surface fluffy (but not so hard that they break appart - there'll always be at least one casualty) and add to preheated oil (about 0.5 to 1cm deap) in an enamel roasting tin on the cookertop. Fry for about 5 minutes over a high heat then bung in a hot oven (220 degrees). Take out after about 10 minutes and turn them over/baste, then continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Repeat then leave them to cook till done. I tend to only using Maris Piper or King Edward for roast, baking potatoes if neither are available. I don't know how common these are in other parts of the world, but then I'm pretty sure potatoes arn't native to the UK ;)

I also like potato cakes. Peel, boil and mash without margerine or soya milk, cool then combine with plain white wheat flour into a dough with chives and a splay of soya milk if needed. Leave to stand for a few minutes then roll out to 5mm thick on a floured surface and cut into circles with a pastry cutter. Fry on both sides with a frying pan or scotch pancake griddle.

twinkle
Nov 20th, 2005, 02:19 PM
What oil are you using? In my family it's traditional to use corn oil. We coat them in a little salted flour before they go into the oil as well.

Aww, I've started drooling over my keyboard now. Look what you made me do! :(

Tigerlily
Nov 20th, 2005, 02:24 PM
You're evil.

I was planning on having a stirfry for supper but no, look what you did. You ruined it!!

DianeVegan
Nov 20th, 2005, 02:28 PM
Oh, I love peanut oil, salt and rosemary on my roast potatoes. I'm sure peanut oil isn't good for you but it adds a slight taste that makes them so nice.

Breakfast potatoes are sliced potato, onion, green pepper, salt and ground pepper pan-fried in a cast iron pan.

Mashed - my husband likes them lumpy and I like them smooth, but we both agree that fresh chives or carmelized shallots make them even better.

New potatoes - ah, nothing like spring weather and those small, tender, sweet potatoes boiled and then mixed with a little parsley or dill.

Great, now I'm hungry too.

Mr Flibble
Nov 20th, 2005, 02:34 PM
I use sunflower oil. I only really use sunflower, extra virgin olive and sesame oil in my kitchen, and the latter to arn't good for roasting.

Has anyone tried ricing potatoes instead of mashing and have any tips? I have a ricer, but am a bit disapponted with it. It creates potato puree if you arn't careful.

Splay was a typo btw, it was meant to be splash. I'm not changing it thou, now i've looked the word up I quite like the phrase "a splay of" in recipes :D

Pob
Nov 20th, 2005, 02:54 PM
Ricing potatoes? Does that involve a large spoiler and spinner wheels? :D

I tend to mostly do wedges rather than roast potatoes - seems a waste to not eat the skin. Never tried roasties with skin, though. Were always my favourite bit of a roast dinner, too, though.

Mr Flibble
Nov 20th, 2005, 03:13 PM
A ricer:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00004OCJQ.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

Actually this one looks nicer than mine. Mine doesn't have rubber bits on it and kills your hands if you use it for hard vegetables.

Artichoke47
Nov 20th, 2005, 03:16 PM
I like potatoes baked with olive oil, oregano, salt, garlic, lemon juice, and vegetable broth.

speedylemons
Nov 20th, 2005, 06:22 PM
That ricing thing is crazy! Can you just use any veggie and make rice out of it? Sounds verrrrry interesting. :o

Litsea
Nov 20th, 2005, 06:29 PM
I use a food mill to 'mash' my potatoes... works great and highly recommended! :) And, I like to add a few cloves of peeled garlic (whole) to the water when boiling my potatoes and then just mash them along with the potatoes... yum!

Mr Flibble
Nov 20th, 2005, 07:28 PM
That ricing thing is crazy! Can you just use any veggie and make rice out of it? Sounds verrrrry interesting. :o

It doesn't actually create rice, it's just a press like a big sieve - it effectively extudes the potato. The cooked potato goes in whole and comes out like string (although not strong in any way and all falls appart). You then pass it through again till you get the desired consistancy. If you keep ricing it over and over you get puree, which you then mix with margerine/butter. I remember hearing that it's better than normal mashing because it doesn't break the starch bonds and gives a nicer consistancy. There's no much useful info online thou. They do work with limited sucess for other cooked/part cooked vegetables, but potatoes are the primary use. I don't know in the US, but they're relatively easy to get in the UK in specialist kitchenware shops. I chronically overpaid for mine (about £19) and i've since seen them as low as about £6. I'm guessing you can get them thou, the pic above is off the amazon us site.

Tigerlily
Nov 20th, 2005, 07:37 PM
I think we have something like that, or used to. I think I used to use it with play dough.

twinkle
Nov 20th, 2005, 07:54 PM
... I remember hearing that it's better than normal mashing because it doesn't break the starch bonds and gives a nicer consistancy. There's no much useful info online thou...

There's a whole chapter on this (and other potato-related cookery-pokery) in 'The Man Who Ate Everything' by Jeffrey Steingarten. In fact, you should probably read it anyway Mr Flibble - think a lot of the stuff in there might interest you. I'll see if I can find my copy and bookcross it to you.

Jacqui
Nov 20th, 2005, 09:11 PM
Potatoes..... I tend to only using Maris Piper or King Edward for roast, baking potatoes if neither are available. I don't know how common these are in other parts of the world, but then I'm pretty sure potatoes arn't native to the UK ;)

Great thread! I love potatoes.
I am in Tasmania, Australia and haven't heard of Maris Pipers. At the moment I'm getting Dutch Creams, Pink Eyes and Kenebecs, I'm interested if everyone does get the same potatoes??:)

applepie
Nov 20th, 2005, 09:12 PM
I love a traditional German recipe I grew up with - it's called "Himmel und Erde" (heaven and earth). Basically it's grated potatoes and apple all fried nice and crispy, a bit of cinnamon on top - yummy!

DianeVegan
Nov 20th, 2005, 09:41 PM
In the U.S. we have Yukon Gold, Red Bliss, Purple, White, Russet, Idaho, Fingerling - and some I can't remember.

Ricers are expensive here. I have been told they make lovely mashed potatoes but have never tried it. I think I'll use the food mill this week - hadn't thought of that.

P.S. - NEVER use a food processor for mashing potatoes - it turns into paste! (Yes, I learned the hard way a few years ago). :o

Cherry
Nov 20th, 2005, 10:13 PM
A ricer! Now there's a gadget I don't have. I have always meant to get one as I heard they were good for mash. Maybe I'll just stick with my masher.

Roast potatoes rock. Maris pipers are my favourite.

How about rosti? A bit fiddly perhaps but I love it.

Mr Flibble
Nov 20th, 2005, 10:14 PM
At the moment I'm getting Dutch Creams, Pink Eyes and Kenebecs

have you considered seeing a doctor? Oh, potatoes! No, never heard of them ;)

I'd acuse of Diane's country's potatoes having funny names too, but technically I think potatoes are one of the few good things that are naturally american ;)

Tigerlily
Nov 20th, 2005, 10:17 PM
Naturally American?

No way!

Potatoes are a Prince Edward Island [Canada] tradition. :) PEI makes the best potatoes. We're famous for it.

DianeVegan
Nov 20th, 2005, 11:05 PM
Hey!

We're still considered Americans down south! You Canadians are supposed to share the continent with us (even if we don't do such a great job of sharing ourselves).

Come to think of it, you can take credit for the potato.

Jacqui
Nov 20th, 2005, 11:09 PM
In the U.S. we have Yukon Gold, Red Bliss, Purple, White, Russet, Idaho, Fingerling - and some I can't remember.

Ricers are expensive here. I have been told they make lovely mashed potatoes but have never tried it. I think I'll use the food mill this week - hadn't thought of that.

P.S. - NEVER use a food processor for mashing potatoes - it turns into paste! (Yes, I learned the hard way a few years ago). :o

I made the food processor for mashing mistake ONCE. It made a great glue/wallpaper paste.
:)

speedylemons
Nov 21st, 2005, 12:07 AM
sweet poatoes taste awesome with a little agave nectar, cinnamon, and sesame seeds. :D

Tigerlily
Nov 21st, 2005, 12:33 AM
Today I had mashed potatoes with nutritional yeast. It's a must try for those who want buttery mashed potatoes but without the butter and without the fat!

thecatspajamas1
Nov 21st, 2005, 12:47 AM
mmm potatoes. My favorite thing ever. They are so good in every way. You can never go wrong with potatoes. I actually just had some french fries like half an hour ago. And earlier today i had some potato wedges. Last night I had a tomato samwich with potato chips in it. I am a potato addict. AHHHHHH

foxytina_69
Nov 21st, 2005, 02:37 AM
as you all know, i love potatoes. in any form lol. hashbrowns, fries, chips, mashed, roasted, etc. i like them because theyre cheap and easy and quick.

tigerlily, thats a great trick about the nutritional yeast thanks!