February
2000
February
is "Potato Lovers Month". Big potato promotions
on all varieties are usually offered in the stores. Try different
varieties like the up & coming Yukon Gold or Purple potatoes.
Small baby sized red or yellow are great roasters or boilers
- whole. They are usually marketed as "creamers".
The
flavor in creamers is intense & very sweet. A
simple recipe is to brush them with olive oil, lay them
out on a baking sheet, generously sprinkle rosemary,
mildly sprinkle
some lemon pepper and bake in the oven at 350 degrees
for a half hour or until you can smoothly stick a fork
through
them. I like to let them get crispy on the outside. This
is a great snack or part of a meal. Watch out! They are
very addicting.
Internationally
there are over 400 different varieties of potatoes including
my favorite varieties of russet
potatoes that are hitting the market heavy this month.
The Norkotah & the
Norgold. These two varieties have a solid brown skin which
are a few micrometers thicker than the more common Burbank
russet also on the market, found in this area. The thicker
skin on the Norkotah & Norgold gives it that crunchy
potato skin that we like on the outside of the baked potato.
To achieve this, bake them without foil. In fact, according
to the Washington State Potato Commission "you should
never wrap potatoes in foil to speed up cooking times: it
doesn't work and creates soggy spuds." Never leave
potatoes in foil at room temperature either, botulism
sets in fast.
If you don't want crunchy skins then rub the spud with
a little oil and it will keep the skin soft. |
Baking
Tips
- Wash
to remove dirt.
- Pierce
skins with a fork to prevent bursting while baking.
- Place
in a single layer on a baking sheet. (never stack potatoes).
- Bake
at 375 F for 50-55 minutes for a convection oven: 425
F for 50 - 60
minutes for a conventional oven.
Microwave
Tips
- Wash
but don't dry the potato.
- Pierce,
then wrap in microwave-safe paper towel to control
moisture.
- If
baking several potatoes, place end to end in a circle,
one inch apart.
- See
your microwave cooking booklet for cooking times.
Cutting
Potatoes
Cutting the potato open with a knife flattens the surface,
according to the Idaho Potato Board, they recommend instead,
to pierce and open with a fork or potato popper. Here are
a few cutting techniques:
"Blossoming" Technique
Pierce the skin in the shape of a cross. Press the ends toward the center.
The "meat" of the potato will "blossom" upward, becoming
fluffier.
"Fork
Splitting" Technique
Run the fork edge horizontally down the potato's length. Then open and
fluff the "meat" with the fork.
Nutritional
Value
Potatoes are very healthy for you and have the following
nutritional value:
Calories
110
Protein 3 grams
Carbohydrate 23 grams
Fat 0 grams
Sodium 10 milligrams
Potassium 750 milligrams
Dietary fiber 2.7 grams
Cholesterol 0 grams
%
USRDA:
Protein 6%
Thiamin 8%
Niacin 10%
Folacin 8%
Magnesium 8%
Copper 8%
Vitamin C 50%
Riboflavin 2%
B6 15%
Phosphorus 8%
Zinc 2%
Pantothenic Acid 4% |
