Cooking with Potatoes
By Chef Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD
HISTORY
Potatoes were being cultivated in South and Central America long before they were thought of in the Old World. Their origin may be in the Andes of Peru, where wild potatoes grew abundantly for centuries before they were cultivated. Potatoes were savored in the New World and looked down upon in the Old. Royalty disdained the potato, and it was thought that a diet based on potatoes would make one sluggish and mentally slow.
Be that as it may, when grain crops failed, countries turned to the potato. Frederick William I planted potatoes in 1720 when the German wheat crop failed. The potato saved Ireland from one famine, in 1740, only to fail itself in 1845. A famous French chef, Augustin Parmentier, became a champion of the potato in the 1770's, creating many potato dishes, which are still prepared today. Before embracing the culinary profession, Parmentier was a military pharmacist who was wounded and held prisoner in Germany. During his incarceration he noted how the potato was used by the German military for a major source of nutrition. He wrote over 50 books and pamphlets extolling the virtues of potatoes.
Today, potatoes rank fourth in production among all the world's crops. It is one of the fifteen major foods that feeds the world and is the staple vegetable crop of the temperate world. Some of the potato's selling points are its neutral flavor and its inexpensive cost.
THE RIGHT SPUD FOR THE RIGHT JOB
You have to select the right potato for the job. To do this, here is a fast Potato 101. Waxy type potatoes are good for boiling, as they can hold their shape under high heat. Select waxy varieties, such as red or white rose, for salads, soups, or wherever you would like the potato to stay solid. Non-waxy potatoes, such as russets, are good for baking and mashing, as they flake easily and absorb moisture well.
Whichever type of potato you choose, store them in a cold, dry, dark place. Exposure to light causes sprouting and the development of green spots, which can lead to bitterness. Be sure to scrub potatoes well before handling them for preparation.
BEYOND THE BASIC SPUD
Nowadays, you can find all shapes and sizes in potatoes. Finnish potatoes, grown in Washington State, have a golden skin and a creamy yellow interior, good for mashing. Purple potatoes have deep purple skins and lavender interiors. The color heightens the more it is cooked and they are good for baking. Texas fingerlings are thumb-sized russets, good for conversation and baking. Yukon gold potatoes are yellow-skinned with a pale yellow interior. An all-purpose potato, Yukon gold gives a buttery appearance without the fat.
YOU SAY CHAUDIERE, I SAY CHOWDER
The term chowder goes back to the seventeenth century and is slang for the word "chaudiere" (pronounced show-de-are), meaning "hot" in French. Chaudiere was also the word used for the large cast iron stock pot used aboard French fishing boats to keep a thick stew going while the sailors spent days at sea.
However you pronounce it, potato chowder takes advantage of the potato's starchy qualities to produce a "meal in a bowl." Potato chowder is flavored with celery (stalk and leaves), onions or leeks, and chopped parsley.
POTATOES SERVED IN THE MORNING
Potatoes are not just for lunch or dinner. Hash browns are a familiar morning menu item and are as varied as the number of chefs who create them. Grate or slice cooked potatoes (waxy or non-waxy are both fine) and oven- or pan-fry with sautéed chopped veggies. Hash browns can be made in a mound or cooked in individual portions. They can be a side dish, a whole meal (add onions, peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, chilies, etc.), a bed for entrées instead of rice, or a filling for breakfast burritos.
Morning potatoes can also be a simple baked white or sweet potato topped with margarine or soy cheese, boiled potatoes served warm with tofu sour cream, or scalloped white or sweet potatoes. For a change of pace, have white or sweet potato pancakes for breakfast instead of the wheat-based type.
POTATOES FOR DESSERT
Potatoes have a neutral flavor, which can be slightly sweet. Mashed potatoes have been used as a moistener in quick breads and pound cakes. Sweet potatoes can be used in muffins, pancakes, fritters, cookies, and flans. Boniato potatoes, available in Central American stores, are a Cuban type of sweet potato with a naturally creamy texture. The boniato has red or pink skin and a white or yellow interior. It resembles a bland sweet potato and can be fried or baked for chips or used in baking and custards.
BAKED, ROASTED, BOILED, SAUTÉED
Potatoes are willing palettes for whatever seasoning we'd like to throw at them, and they are willing to be subjected to all kinds of heat and manipulation.
For the purist, a simple baked potato is the essence of potato-ness. As mentioned above, you'll want to select russet-style potatoes for baking. If you are aiming for a true baked potato, merely scrub the skin, dry it off, rub with a little bit of oil if you like, and bake in a 400 degree oven for about an hour. If you microwave your russet or wrap it in aluminum while it's still wet and cook it in the oven, you will get a steamed potato. This has a great flavor, but has a different texture than a baked potato. Rest-aurants tend to use the steamed-baked method, as it is fast and gives a moister product.
Boiled potatoes (look for the waxy kind) can be tossed with chopped fresh or dried herbs and served hot. Or they can be sliced and oven- or pan-fried with onions. If you want to impress your diners, call these Lyonnaise potatoes, named after the town of Lyon. Boston browned potatoes are boiled potatoes which are tossed with paprika, salt, and pepper and oven-browned, while Saratoga potatoes are thick homemade potato chips. Scalloped potatoes are made with a white sauce (create one with soymilk along with flour and margarine used as thickeners), and sliced, boiled potatoes baked in the oven until bubbly. And, of course, diced boiled potatoes can be used for hot dishes, such as soups and casseroles, and cold dishes, such as tofu and potato or bean and potato salad.
Potato croquettes and potato pancakes can be made from grated raw potatoes (you can use either waxy or non-waxy) combined with bread crumbs, egg replacer or soft tofu for binding, and herbs. Croquettes are formed into three-dimensional triangles and fried or baked, and pancakes are griddled or baked until they are crispy. Serve croquettes with an herbed white sauce, tomato vegetable sauce, or mushroom gravy. Serve potato pancakes with applesauce, grilled onions or grated beets, and horseradish.
Sweet potatoes (or yams) can also be baked and boiled. A baked sweet potato is a sweet and simple delicacy. If you have leftover baked sweet potatoes, mash them with a little soy or rice milk, margarine, orange juice concentrate, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg for a side dish. This same combination can be thinned with puréed silken tofu or soymilk and served as sweet potato soup. Scalloped sweet potatoes are made with sliced, peeled, and boiled sweet potatoes, thinly sliced unpeeled apples, apple juice concentrate, and margarine. Layer sweet potatoes and apples into a baking dish, cover with concentrate and dot with margarine, and bake. Sweet potato croquettes can be made with mashed sweet potatoes, egg replacer or tofu, dried breadcrumbs, margarine, and chopped parsley.
AND AS AN INGREDIENT
Puréed potatoes are excellent to use as thickeners in soups and sauces. To make puréed potatoes, take mashed potatoes and blend them until smooth with the texture of a thick, smooth sauce. Mashed potatoes are a potato menu item in themselves. Boil potatoes until tender, drain and peel, mash, and moisten with soy margarine or with vegetable or mushroom broth. Season mashed potatoes with garlic, horseradish, sautéed chopped veggies, rosemary, onions, parsley, celery, diced mushrooms, pepper, and paprika. Serve mashed potatoes on their own, or shape them into patties and fry or bake them. Use mashed potatoes as an ingredient in baking (biscuits, focaccia, etc.), in stuffings, and to thicken up chowders and vegetable soups.
LEEK AND POTATO SOUP
(Makes four 6-ounce servings)
Also known as vichyssoise, this "creamy" soup can be served hot or cold. You can use low-sodium broth for a healthier meal.
2 large leeks
2 medium baking potatoes
1 Tablespoon oil
3-1/2 cups vegetable or mushroom broth
Thinly slice the entire white part of the leeks and about 3 inches of the greens. Set aside. Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
Heat oil in large saucepan. Sauté the leeks until they are tender (about 3 minutes). Add the potatoes and cook and stir for 2 more minutes.
Add the broth, bring to a boil, and reduce heat. Cover and allow to simmer until the potatoes are tender and falling apart.
Soup can be served as is or puréed in a blender with 1/4 cup silken tofu, for a creamier soup.
| Total calories per serving: 123 | Fat: 4 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 20 grams | Protein: 4 grams |
| Sodium: 888 milligrams | Fiber: 2 grams |
POTATO BISCUITS
(Makes ten 2-inch biscuits)
Perfect for leftover mashed potatoes!
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons margarine
1 cup mashed potatoes
1/2 cup soymilk
Vegetable oil spray
Sift together dry ingredients.
With a fork, work margarine into dry ingredients until blended. Add potatoes and blend. Add the soymilk and mix until you have a soft dough.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with the oil.
Roll out dough on a floured surface to a 1/2 inch thickness. Cut out and place on greased sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden.
Note: to make sweet potato biscuits, add 3/4 cup mashed, cooked sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes and use 2/3 cup soymilk and 3 Table-spoons margarine. Bake at 450 degrees.
| Total calories per biscuit: 82 | Fat: 3 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 13 grams | Protein: 2 grams |
| Sodium: 408 milligrams | Fiber: 1 gram |
POTATO FILLING
(Makes 3 cups)
Use this filling for pasta or blintzes or fry or bake as croquettes. Add sautéed chopped veggies that you like, such as bell peppers, carrots, and garlic.
Vegetable oil spray
1/2 cup diced onion
2-1/2 cups mashed potatoes
2 Tablespoons firm tofu
1 teaspoon white pepper
Spray frying pan with oil. Allow to heat and sauté onions until soft (not brown).
In a separate bowl, combine mashed potatoes, tofu, and pepper. Add onion.
Use this mixture in pasta, in dumplings, for turnovers, and for savory crepes.
| Total calories per 1/2 cup serving: 61 | Fat: 1 gram |
| Carbohydrates: 13 grams | Protein: 2 grams |
| Sodium: 4 milligrams | Fiber: 1 gram |
POTATO-BREAD STUFFING
(Makes 6 cups)
This stuffing is delicious.
4 cups dry bread, cubed
1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 cups mashed white or sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons black pepper
Soak bread in vegetable broth until just soft. Squeeze dry.
In a large mixing bowl, mix all ingredients until well combined.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Bake in a casserole dish or in individual muffin tins for 15 minutes or until browned on top. This stuffing can be frozen for later use, or before baking, can be used to stuff peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, or summer squash. Use it instead of pasta or rice for a starch at meals.
| Total calories per 1/2 cup serving: 126 | Fat: 2 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 25 grams | Protein: 3 grams |
| Sodium: 143 milligrams | Fiber: 2 grams |
SWEET POTATO FLAN
(Makes eight 3-ounce servings)
Sweet potatoes don't just belong in pies!
2 cups peeled, raw sweet potatoes
1 cup soymilk
2 cups silken tofu
8 teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer plus 1/3 cup water
1/2 cup granulated sweetener
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
Vegetable oil spray
Bake or microwave sweet potatoes until they are soft enough to mash with a fork. Remove from oven and mash by hand or with a food processor.
In a medium saucepan, mix soymilk and tofu together over low heat until just simmering. Set aside.
In a large bowl, mix sweet potatoes, egg replacer, sweetener, vanilla, and zest together to combine. Slowly add soy milk mixture, stirring constantly until combined.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 10-inch baking pan with oil and fill it with the sweet potato mixture. Place the 10-inch pan in a larger pan, which has two inches of water (to oven-steam the flan). Bake for 35 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven, remove from water-pan, and allow to cool before serving.
Note: Ener-G egg replacer can be purchased in many natural foods stores.
| Total calories per serving: 138 | Fat: 2 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 26 grams | Protein: 4 grams |
| Sodium: 14 milligrams | Fiber: 1 gram |
SWEET POTATO SLAW
(Makes six 6-ounce servings)
This slaw has a vibrant color and a milder flavor than traditional cabbage slaw. Be sure to use fresh sweet potatoes or yams.
Dressing:
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
1/4 cup silken tofu (plain soy yogurt can be used for more "tang")
2 Tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1 teaspoon black pepper
Slaw:
2-1/2 cups shredded raw sweet potato
1/2 cup shredded raw broccoli stalks
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup raisins
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon orange zest
In a nonreactive bowl, combine all dressing ingredients and mix until blended.
In a large bowl, combine all slaw ingredients and toss to combine. Add dressing to slaw and mix until slaw is well coated.
Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve. Will last up to 2 days in the refrigerator.
| Total calories per serving: 168 | Fat: 8 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 24 grams | Protein: 3 grams |
| Sodium: 44 milligrams | Fiber: 2 grams |
Nancy Berkoff is a chef and registered dietitian living in California. She is a regular contributor to Vegetarian Journal.
