Published: February 29, 2008 02:49 pm            

Do something different with your potatoes — dress them up

Irish potatoes are the most usable and versatile vegetable in the pantry. Most family members love potatoes any way you fix them.

Potatoes roast, fry, boil, steam with herbs, butter, cream, onions, leeks, bacon, any number of things, or not. However prepared, potatoes are always a favorite side dish.

The following information you may or may not know. It will help you decide what kind of potatoes you need for different dishes.

Russet potatoes, used in both these recipes, also produce mashed potatoes that are light and fluffy.

Waxy red, white "new" potatoes stay firm when cooked making better boiled whole or cubed potatoes served with butter and parsley. Waxy potatoes are best in soup, salad and fries. They don't get mushy from over cooking.

Yukon gold potatoes are considered good for mashing. I find Yukon gold potatoes to be more waxy than starchy and not great creamed or mashed.

In Pommes Anna, Russet or baking potatoes are best because starch helps hold the potato cake together.



• • •

Ultimate Potato Skins

8 large Irish baking (Russets) potatoes

1/2 cup canola or peanut oil

Kosher salt

Pepper

1/2 stick butter

Cheddar, Colby, American, Fontina or processed cheese (oh, my family just booed the Velveeta solution) grated on the largest side of a box grater (extra sharp cheddar tends to lump.)

1/2 cup green onions, sliced thinly

8 strips fried bacon, crisp and coarse crumbled

Sour cream

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Scrub potatoes with a stiff brush. Rinse, and scrub again. Grit on skins ruins this treat. Spending extra time cleaning potatoes is worth it.

Dry potatoes well. Prick potato skins with tines of a fork, 8-10 times, randomly scattered.

Rub potatoes with oil.

Place potatoes, at least 2 inches apart, on middle rack of preheated oven. Do not use a baking pan or cookie sheet. Potatoes need air surrounding them to roast evenly.

Fry bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towels. When cool, break into bite sized pieces. Set aside.

Slice green onions, white part only, in paper thin slices.

Roast potatoes until tender ( with a fork), about an hour.

At this point you have perfect baked potatoes for anything you choose.

Cool potatoes until you can pick them up, 15-20 minutes at the most. Use a pot holder if necessary to handle potatoes. For best results they should not be allowed to cool much before dressing them.

Slice potatoes in half lengthwise with a very sharp knife. Do not allow ragged edges.

Carefully, with a small spoon, scoop out white potato meat leaving about a quarter inch with skin. Set aside potato insides to use as thickener for soup, gravy or yeast bread filler.

Slice potato skins in 2, lengthwise and then again. You should have 8 canoe shaped potato skins firm enough to pick up. (Slice each half in 3 pieces instead of 4 if you prefer).

Quickly, before they cool, brush skins in melted butter (or oil) on both sides. Scatter salt and pepper over all.

Place skins on a cookie sheet and roast in 400 degree oven until slightly brown on the edges. Takes maybe 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, shred cheese.

Remove skins from oven. Top with shredded cheese and return to oven until cheese is almost melted.

Remove from oven. Cheese will continue to melt. Top cheese with thin slices of green onion, bacon chunks and sour cream. Serve immediately.



• • •

Pommes Anna

The French make a slightly complicated half fried, half baked potato concoction called Pommes Anna.

It is an interesting substitute for home fries, hashed browns or potato cakes. Pommes Anna isn't difficult except for preparation which is simplified with a mandoline or other tool capable of slicing potatoes 1/8 inch thick or less, crosswise.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

10 large Russet (baking) potatoes

6 tablespoons butter

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Scrub potatoes well. Peel. Slice potatoes crosswise as thinly as possible. Drop in a bowl of cold water.

Melt butter in a 12 or 14 inch-high-sided oven proof skillet. Cast iron is perfect.

Remove skillet from heat. Arrange potato slices to overlap about 3/4 over each potato slice on bottom of pan. Press down slices as you go.

This will be on top of Pommes Anna when completed. It should make an attractive pattern.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Continue layering until pan is full or potatoes are used.

Set pan over medium heat. Cook potatoes until underside is browned. About 15-20 minutes.

Transfer skillet to 350 oven. Cook potatoes until top is golden brown. About an hour. Potatoes should be tender when pierced with fork.

Remove skillet from oven.

Loosen edges of potato cake with a knife.

Invert a 14 inch serving platter over skillet.

With heavy duty pot holders or mitts carefully turn skillet and platter upside down. Potato cake should come out with carefully arranged potato slices in a golden brown pattern on top.

If cake doesn't come out leave it upside down over platter until it cools some. Shake gently. It ought to come right out.

If at first you don't succeed with a gorgeous Pommes Anna, try again. It is good eating, perfect or not.

Slice in wedges and serve.

        

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