11 Potatoes & Grains

11.1 Potatoes

Objectives

• Outline methods to select receive, and store potatoes

• Describe physical properties of potatoes

• Distinguish between various forms of potatoes

• Using a variety of recipes and cooking techniques, prepare potatoes

Terms

All-purpose potato Russet potato

Chef’s potato Single-stage technique

En casserole Solanine (SOLE-ah-neen)

Idaho potato Sweet potato

Lyonnaise Tuber

Mealy Waxy

Multiple-stage technique

Yam

New potato

Potatoes

• Native to North and South America

• 15th century, Francisco Pizarro

• Staple in many countries: inexpensive, nourishing and easy to grow

• Average American eats nearly 50# annually

Potatoes

• Tuber: fleshy portion of certain plants that usually grows underground

Potatoes, Types

• Mealy: high starch/low moisture, includes russets, Burbank, Idaho. Tend toward dry and granular after cooking, use for baking pureeing, mashing and frying

Potatoes

• Waxy: low starch/high moisture, includes red skinned, yellow, [all-purpose, chef’s are slightly drier], boiling, and heirloom such as purple. Tend to hold shape after cooking, use for boiling, steaming, sautéing, oven roasting, braise, stew, soup, salad– New potatoes < 1 ½-2 inches in diameter are

high in moisture

Potatoes, Types

• Yams: starchier, less sweet, rougher skin, blocky in shape, pale to deep yellow flesh

• Sweet potatoes: lower starch, smoother skin, tapered ends, deep orange flesh

• Like russets, yams and sweet potatoes tend toward higher starch, lower moisture

Potatoes

• Starch test– Prepare brine, 11 parts water to 1 part salt (by

weight). Floaters contain less starch

Potatoes, Select/Store

• Choose potatoes that are firm and relatively smooth

• Potatoes exposed to light develop a greenish color indicating solanine, a bitter tasting, harmful substance. Sprouts contain solanine.

Potatoes, Select/Store

• Store potatoes cool, dry, out of sun, good ventilation. (45-55 degrees F.)

• Russet and all-purpose: 30 days

• New/immature: 1 week

• As potatoes age, the starch content increases

Potatoes, Cook

• Single-stage technique: taken from raw state to finished state using 1 cooking method– Boiled, baked, steamed

• Multiple-stage technique: using more than 1 method– Lyonnaise potatoes: precooked, sliced, then

fried with onions

Potatoes, Cook

• Boiling– One of the easiest methods– Often first step for other preparations

• Puréed potatoes– Mashed/whipped– Duchesse– Croquettes

Potatoes, Cook

• Boiling– Place washed potatoes in a pot of cold water,

enough liquid to cover. Bring water to boil and simmer until done

– Done when fork pierces, then then slides easily through potato

– Serve immediately or hold up to one hour

Potatoes, Cook

• Steaming– Good for new potatoes because of high

moisture content

Potatoes, Cook

• Baked– Served and skins– Idaho/russet – oil to keep skin soft– wrapping in foil makes inside less fluffy, and

steams potato– Baked potatoes should be scrubbed clean

and pierced with fork

Potatoes, Cook

• En casserole: potato dishes combine peeled and sliced raw potatoes with heavy cream, sauce, or uncooked custard and are then slowly baked in a buttered pan– Often topped with bread crumbs, butter,

grated cheese and then broiled briefly– Hold well on serving line

Potatoes, Cook

• Chef’s potatoes are the best for sautéing– Irregularly shaped, less expensive

Potatoes, Cook

• Deep-fried– Russet/low moisture– Often blanched (325°F.), refrigerated, then

finished (375°F.) at time of service – Do not hold well

Potatoes, Cook

• Potato pancakes are made with grated potatoes and other ingredients, and their pan-fried to a crispy brown– Latkes are American-Jewish version and

traditionally served with applesauce and sour cream

Potatoes, Cook

• Puréed– Include mashed, whipped, Duchesse,

croquettes– Whenever possible, Cook potatoes in their

skins to retain their nutrients– Peeled potatoes should be completely

covered in a liquid to prevent discoloring