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10 Things to make with Potatoes

Baked, mashed, fried, shredded, diced, wedged, stewed, or whole – yes were talking about POTATOES!

You may not know this, but the first potato was grown about 4,000 years ago in Peru and the introduction of the potato in England happened around 1590. Today in the UK we have around 80 varieties and many of us will be familiar with types like the Maris Piper, Charlotte, King Edward and Rooster.

Potatoes are high in Vitamin C, low in fat, low in calories and contain no cholesterol (when served with their skins) and are a great source of fibre and the British Nutrition Foundation recommends that 1/3 of our daily food intake should come from starchy foods like rice, pasta and of course the potato!

So which potato is best suited for which dish?

The British Potato Council has the most comprehensive information on the best potato variety for cooking – please visit the British Potato Council.

1. Twice Baked Potato

Serves 8
Preparation time: 15 mins

Ingredients:
4 large baking potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward)
230g sour cream
8 slices of bacon
55g butter
120ml milk
Pinch of pepper and salt
115g grated cheddar cheese
8 red / Spanish onions, sliced

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees C.
2. Bake potatoes in preheated oven for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, place bacon in a large saucepan. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, slice and set aside.
4. When potatoes are done allow them to cool for 10 minutes. Slice potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl and save skins. Add the sour cream, milk, butter, salt, pepper, 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 the red onions to the potato flesh. Mix with a hand mixer until well blended and creamy. Spoon the mixture into the potato skins. Top each with remaining cheese, red onions and bacon.
5. Bake for another 15 minutes

2. Savoury Potato Waffles

Serves 8
Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
8 potatoes, peeled and grated
1 onion, chopped
6 parsley sprigs, chopped
1 lemon, juiced
4 large egg yolks beaten
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 pinch salt
1 pinch pepper
4 large egg whites, beat until soft peaks form

Directions:
1) Working quickly so potatoes don’t turn brown from the air, put onion, parsley and potatoes into a large colander, with your hands, squeeze the liquid from the mixture.
2) Transfer mixture to a bowl. Add lemon juice and mix with a fork. Add egg yolks, olive oil, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper; stir to blend. Quickly fold in egg whites.
3) Heat waffle iron.
4) Spread mixture (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup) evenly on iron and cook for about 10 minutes, or until dark golden. Serve the waffles with your choice of condiment.

3. Easy Blue Potato Salad

Serves 8-10
Preparation Time: 10mins

Ingredients:
2 1/2 lbs new potatoes cooked and cubed
1/3 cup chopped green onions
3/4 cup chopped celery
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 Tablespoon of white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. celery seed
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, toss the cooked potatoes, onions and celery.
2) In a small bowl, combine the sour cream, mayo, parsley, vinegar, salt, pepper and celery seed.
3) Pour over potato mixture. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with blue cheese.
4) Cover and refrigerate for several hours before serving.

4. Dauphinoise potatoes

Serves 6
Preparation time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 kg/2lb 4oz baking potatoes (use floury potatoes such as Russet, King Edward, Maris Piper or Desiree) Peel and place in a bowl of cold water
3-4 cloves garlic
500ml/17½fl oz double cream (you may need a bit extra)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 160C/320F/Gas 2.
2) Slice the potatoes into thin slices, about 2mm-3mm/0.13in thick. Place the slices into a bowl.
3) Trim the ends off the garlic cloves but don’t peel. Grate the cloves on a grater. Scrape the grated garlic flesh into the bowl with the potatoes.
4) Season potatoes, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well.
5) Pour the cream over the potatoes and mix well again.
6) Place the potato slices into the gratin dish. They should come to just below the top of the dish. Press the potato down with the back of a spoon or your hands so it forms a solid layer. The cream should come to just below the top layer of potato (top up with more double cream if necessary).
7) Place the potatoes in the oven and bake for 45-60 minutes, then check it. If the cream looks like it’s splitting, your oven is too hot, so turn it down a bit. When cooked, the gratin should be golden on top and the potatoes tender. If necessary, give it another 15-20 minutes.

5. Mashed Potato Doughnuts

Serves 5
Preparation time: 20mins

Ingredients:
1/2 cup potato mashed (mashed with milk and butter)
1 egg beaten
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
cooking oil for deep frying

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, combine potatoes, sugar, egg, sour cream and vanilla.
2) Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and then stir into potato mixture. Heat oil in an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer to 375 F.
3) Drop dough by teaspoonfuls, 5 to 6 at a time, into hot oil.
4) Fry for 1 minute per side or until golden brown.
5) Drain on paper towels.
6) Roll in sugar if desired.
Serve immediately.

6. Very Basic Potato Gnocchi

Serves 4
Preparation Time 75mins

Ingredients:
1.5kg small even-sized desiree potatoes
1 tsp salt
Ground black pepper
200g (1 1/3 cups) plain flour
Extra plain flour, to dust
Melted butter, to grease

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 200°C.
2) Place the potatoes in a single layer in a large roasting pan and bake in a preheated oven for 55-65 minutes or until they are easily pierced with a skewer.
3) Set aside for 10 minutes to cool slightly, use a small knife to peel the potatoes.
4) Place the peeled potatoes in a large bowl, then add the salt and season with pepper, then use a potato masher to mash until the mixture is as smooth as possible.
5) Add the flour and use your hands to mix to a stiff, slightly sticky dough that leaves the side of the bowl. Take care not to overwork the dough or it will become too sticky. The key to light gnocchi is using just enough flour, so if you have to add more to your dough, you’ll end up with heavier gnocchi.
6) Cut the dough into 4 even portions. Roll 1 portion on a lightly floured surface into a long sausage about 2cm thick. Use a lightly floured knife to cut the dough into 2cm pieces. You can cut the dough diagonally to give the gnocchi a more attractive shape or shape the gnocchi using the traditional Italian method.
7) Place on a large tray, board or bench lined with a lightly floured tea towel, making sure the gnocchi don’t touch each other.
The gnocchi are best cooked within 2 hours of making.

7. Potato Croquettes

Produces: 15 croquettes
Preparation Time: 30mins

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons milk
Salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon chopped green onion
2 egg yolks, beaten
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups mashed potatoes
1 egg, beaten
Sifted dried bread crumbs
Peanut oil, enough to fill pan 1/2-inch

Directions:
1) Add milk, salt, pepper, chopped onion, beaten egg yolks and flour to mashed potatoes.
2) Chill and then shape using an ice cream scoop.
3) Dip in the beaten egg, then roll through bread crumbs.
4) Fry each croquette in shallow oil until brown on all sides.
Cook in small batches, giving each croquette at least 2 inches of space around it to not overcrowd the pan. This prevents the croquettes from crumbling while frying.

8. Pigs in a Pot

Serves 4
Preparation time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:
4 large baking potatoes, scrubbed
1 package precooked breakfast sausage, or about 6 to 8 ounces cooked sausage
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
1) Make two holes through each potato; stuff with sausage.
2) Sprinkle potatoes with salt and pepper; wrap each potato tightly in aluminum foil.
3) Bake at 375° for about 45 to 60 minutes, or until done.

9. Potato Bread

Serves: Makes 1 large loaf
Preparation time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
3 to 4 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 rashes of bacon
1/2 cup chopped fresh chives

Directions:
1) Fry the bacon then remove them from the heat.
2) Mix the mashed potatoes, yeast, salt, and 2 cups of the flour together in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer.
3) Add the sour cream, water, chives, and bacon and mix together until all ingredients are combined.
4) Depending on how wet and sticky the mix is, add an additional handful of flour at a time until it feels like a dough.
5) Knead the flour for 5-10 minutes then return the dough to a well oiled bowl.
6) Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise for 90 minutes at room temperature or until it has doubled in size.
7) Remove the dough from the bowl and shape the loaf
After shaping place the loaf in the tin you wish to cook it in and cover for 45 minutes.
9) After the loaf has again doubled in size, put the loaf in the oven and bake at 220 degrees C for 5 minutes then reduce the temperature to 175 degrees C and bake for 30 minutes until the loaf is golden brown on the outside and sounds hollow when tapped from the bottom.

10. Herb Potato Wedges

Serves: 4
Preparation Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients:
3 medium potatoes
3/4 cup herb-seasoned stuffing mix, finely crushed
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions:
1) Cut each potato lengthwise into 8 wedges.
2) Combine stuffing crumbs with rosemary, salt, and pepper.
3) Dip potato wedges into the melted butter then dredge in crumb mixture then place on lightly greased jelly roll pan
4) Bake at 200°C for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.