Some people look down their noses at the humble potato.
But when the chips are down, what other vegetable will always be there for you? Others stay rooted where they are, half-baked. Potatoes will leap out of the frying pan and into the fire for you, leaving their tots behind.
When you say spud, you’ve said it all. The common taters agree: the eyes have it. Potatoes are the root that made Idaho famous. How famous? You can watch all their videos on YouTuber.
The time has come to elevate the potato to its rightful place in the American pantry, to honor its nobility and grace. Potatoes, this spud’s for you.
OK, that’s enough of that. But the point is pertinent. Though it is often overlooked, the hard-working potato is the most popular vegetable in the United States. And when prepared properly, they can be the absolute highlight of a meal.
I made five different kinds of potatoes, and I am here to tell you that each one was amazing. I can’t even pick a favorite; they were simply all that good.
I started with the easiest and most familiar, French fries. It seemed like the American thing to do.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
As a food writer, I am required by law to state that homemade fries are better than any you can get at a restaurant. But here’s the thing: Homemade fries are better than any you can get at a restaurant.
They are better because you can do the same trick restaurants do to make them breathtakingly crisp on the outside and creamy and soft and lovely on the inside.
Simply fry the potatoes for a few minutes at a relatively low temperature, which cooks them all the way through. Then, when you are ready to serve them, cook them again for a shorter time at a higher temperature.
This second frying leaves the exterior nicely browned and crisp, while keeping the inside tender and sweet. It’s French fry perfection.
Next, I made what I'm calling Potato Puffs (their real name, Cream Puff Potato Fritters, strikes me as a little excessive). If you try them, you may find yourself wanting to throw a party just so you can serve them.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Unfortunately, they are a little hard to make, or at least time-consuming. I wouldn’t recommend the recipe to beginners. So if you are not at least a moderately experienced cook, it might be time to become friends with someone who is, and then ask them to make Potato Puffs.
The dish is actually two recipes in one. The first is for mashed potatoes, which are straightforward enough. The second is for pâte à choux, the dough that makes pastries with a big air hole in the middle — eclairs, cream puffs, profiteroles and the like (more on that next week).
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
You mix the mashed potato into the pâte à choux dough, and then fry it in hot oil. The result are puffy little doughnut holes that taste a bit like mashed potatoes, and they are undeniably addictive. Apparently, they are a regular feature at some small restaurants in France. I want to go to those restaurants.
Just as impressive at a dinner party as the Potato Puffs was the next dish I made, Pommes Anna. This is one of those side dishes that I pull out when I want to show off without having to do too much work.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Pommes Anna is made by cooking a few layers of sliced potatoes and butter. The butter helps the layers of sliced potatoes to adhere to each other so that, when the whole thing is removed from the skillet, you have something that resembles a crustless potato pie. And because it is prepared like an upside-down cake, with the gorgeously browned bottom layer served on top, the presentation is stunning.
Still, the best part of Pommes Anna is the taste. It is potatoes swimming in butter, with salt. The only thing that could make it better is if the butter is browned first, which creates a deliciously nutty flavor that puts the dish over the top.
I wanted to put potatoes to everyday use, too, so I cooked them in one of my favorite ways, Rosemary-Roasted Potatoes. It’s one of my weeknight potato preparations.
What makes this simple method stand out is the roasting. In the dry, hot heat of the oven, the chunks of potato puff out a little. They become ethereally soft in the middle, with a golden-brown crust on the outside.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Actually, that wouldn’t be bad as is, but these potatoes are extra-wonderful because of a few simple ingredients that add so much to the overall dish. With olive oil, chopped rosemary, a few crushed red pepper flakes and the all-important salt, you can make it on Wednesday but it tastes like Sunday.
As much as we love potatoes in this country, they may like them even more in Spain. So I decided to make a Spanish dish, Patatas a la Riojana. This classic dish from the north of the country is a potato stew with a delectable, spicy sauce —but you can make it mild if you prefer.
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Several factors go into making this stew so hearty and satisfying. First of all, of course, are the potatoes, which are the textbook definition of hearty and satisfying in any language. A substantial amount of paprika is also important, providing the right Spanish piquancy to the mélange of flavors.
If you’re not making a vegetarian version, sausage also comes into play — either a Spanish-style chorizo or a garlicky kielbasa will do. And surprisingly, the starch from the potatoes themselves adds immensely to the texture. It mixes with water that you add to the pot to create a thick and fragrant sauce that coats the potatoes and makes you feel good about life in general.
Each of these dishes is better than the last. Once again, they prove that when you say spud, you’ve said it all.
March 17, 2021 at 07:00PM
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