Potatoes

• What are the best potatoes to cook with?

• What kind of potato dishes do you like?

Potatoes

• Most popular vegetable

• Inexpensive and versatile

• Many cooking methods– Boiling– Steaming– Baking– Sautéing– En casserole– Deep-frying– Pureeing

Types of Potatoes

• Varies in starch and moisture content, shape, and skin color

• Starch content increases with age

Sweet Potatoes

• Popular tuber with thick skin and orange, mealy flesh that is high in sugar

• Best for boiling, baking, and pureeing

• Available canned in a sweet, sugary sauce

Yams

• Similar to sweet potato; less sweet

(used interchangeably)

• Creamy white to deep red

Russet Potatoes (Idaho Potatoes)

• Standard white baking potato

• Brownish-red skin; mealy and white flesh

• Excellent for baking and frying

• Many shapes and sizes

Chef’s or All Purpose Potatoes

• Drier, less starchy, and cheaper than russet potatoes

• Irregularly shaped; best for preparation without visual importance– Mashing, pureeing, in salads, scalloped or

casserole dishes, soups, braising, and sautéing

New Potatoes

• Small, immature red potatoes

• Harvested very small (> 2 inches in diameter)

• High moisture & sugar content; low starch

• Maintains shape

• Best cooking methods: boiling & steaming

Selecting & Storing

• Selecting– Firm & relatively smooth– Avoid dark spots, green areas, mold, or large

cuts

• Storing– Cool, dry place (60*F to 70*F)– Maximum storage is 30 days (New potatoes

no longer than 1 week)– Best stored in ventilated containers

• Solanine: harmful, bitter-tasting substance in green spots and sprouts on potatoes– Cut away and discard sprouts and green

portions before using– When in doubt; throw it out

Cooking Potatoes

• Single-Stage Technique– Potatoes are taken directly from the raw state

to the finished with only one cooking method

• Multiple-Stage Technique– Potatoes are prepared using more than one

cooking method before they are a finished dish

• Example: Lyonnaise – potatoes are precooked, sliced, and fried with onions

Boiling

• Easy method

• Place washed potatoes in pot of cold water with enough liquid to cover

• Bring water to boil and simmer until done

• To test, pierce with fork; if slides easily through, potato is done

• Serve immediately or hold up to 1 hour

Steaming

• Good for new potatoes (high moisture content)

• Steam until tender

• Serve immediately or up to 1 hour

Baked

• Served in skins (Best is Idaho / Russet)

– Wrap in foil = soft skin; inside less fluffy– Rubbing with oil = soft skin; inside soft & fluffy– No foil or oil = crisp skin

• Scrub all potatoes and pierce with fork

Sautéing

• Best for Chef’s potatoes

• Crisp, evenly browned exterior with tender inside

• Sauté in oil and butter, stirring or flipping frequently until golden brown

• Serve immediately

Deep-Frying

• Best for Russet potatoes (low moisture)

• Most should be blanched and refrigerated until service; then fried in fat heated to 350*F – 375*F until golden brown

• Drain on paper towels

Pureeing

• Pureed, whipped, and mashed potatotes are first boiled, steamed, or baked before combined with other ingredients or mashed

• Whenever possible, cook potatoes in their skins to retain nutrients

• Cut and peeled potatoes should be completely covered in liquid to prevent discoloring