Since I doubt the author was talking about philosophic vegetables, it must be that the potato has been around—and it really has. It is a globetrotting tuber which had its origin in Peru, washed up on the shores of Ireland from wrecks of the Spanish Armada in 1565 and became the mainstay of the Irish cuisine. Most of us know that the Irish loved it and cultivated it so widely that when the crop failed, the country was thrust into famine.
The potato came to North America in 1719. It was planted in Londonderry, New Hampshire by Scotch-Irish immigrants and from there spread around the country. The potato loves a sandy soil and therefore grows in poor soil where many other crops will not. They have become a staple in the kitchens of almost every country of the world. Only the Asian world has not embraced them.
Potatoes have long been maligned by the diet-conscious as being low in nutrition and high in calories. Actually, quite the opposite is true. Potatoes have approximately 80-100 calories each, about the same as an apple. They are full of fiber (particularly if you leave the skins on), contain 0 grams of fat and are high in vitamin C and potassium. As a matter of fact, one medium potato has more potassium than a banana.
What’s not to love about potatoes? They are the ultimate comfort food; soft, mealy, white—and, of course, they love butter, sour cream and cheese—comfort foods in their own rights. They are so versatile that you could come up with a different potato dish every night for a year. They go with everything (just about).
Different varieties lend themselves to different preparations; for instance, the waxy, moist varieties such as red creamers and Yukon Gold are best for boiling, and mashed potatoes, whereas the mealy, dryer russet potato is perfect for baking. It’s hard to mess up a potato dish no matter what variety you use, though, so go for what’s plentiful and cheap.
And cheap they are. I actually bought a 10 pound bag of russets for $1.89 last week. That is unusual, but potatoes are one food that has not gone up a lot in recent weeks, so I am making lots of potato dishes. Potatoes are good at all three meals—a natural at breakfast, good as a side (French fries?) at lunch and a necessity along side a meat entrée at dinner.
Everyone’s favorite, mashed potatoes, is easy if you follow a few rules: peel and boil potatoes. Drain, and cover with a clean dry cloth to absorb the steam. If the potatoes begin to disintegrate during cooking, drain immediately, cover with a clean cloth and allow them to finish cooking over low heat. Mash with a potato masher, or put into a potato ricer (works best). Add about one tablespoon of butter, 1/3 cup hot half and half and ½ tsp. salt per potato and beat until fluffy and light. Egg yolks may be added for richness and taste—about one for every two potatoes. (These are known as Duchesse potatoes.) A dash of sugar instead of salt in the cooking water adds flavor and helps to retain the Vitamin C.
Try this delicious potato bake that I love to take to every event.
Two Plus Two Potato Bake
1 30-oz pkg frozen hash browns
½ cup green pepper, diced small
½ cup red pepper, diced small
1 10-oz can cream of celery soup
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
2 cups sour cream
½ cup chopped green onion
½ cup melted butter
1 tsp. salt
Dash pepper
2 cups crushed potato chips
¼ cup melted butter
Paprika
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small mixing bowl, mix sour cream, soup, salt, pepper and onion. In large bowl mix hash browns, peppers, ½ cup melted butter and cheese. Add sauce to potato mixture. Put in buttered 9 x 13” baking dish. Top with crushed potato chips and drizzle with ¼ cup melted butter. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake 1 hour. If you make the casserole a day ahead and refrigerate it, bake it 15 minutes longer.
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