How many ways to cook a potato

[CHANDLERS WISH]

Such an interesting vegetable.... haha.

Having spent 17 years in hospitality, in Management, until 31, i learnt so many ways to cook a Potato, however, being Australian, I am curious as to how many of those ways may be used across the World.

As, such I thought maybe you can share, and then I can add..

So if you love potatoes lets hear yours, then I will add what I know...

CW

[Little]

I have been exploring this as of late (as you may have already known :P) and the only recipes I've really mastered are mashed and baked.
I tried to cut them into cubes and fry them up in a pan, but it really didn't work. It took a lot more time than I would have guessed for them to cook, so apparently I was doing something wrong. And I'm loathe to call my mother for recipes.
Anybody got a good hash brown recipe? Like the ones at Waffle House or Huddle House? I crave them sometimes.

[WildChild]

The best way I've found to do them homemade (avoid all the chemical addatives) is to par boil them and then grate the potatoes. I like to grate in some onion and a bit of garlic too. Then fry in a cast iron pan using a bit of butter and canola or safflower oil.

For mashed potatoes throw in some sliced garlic while boiling and the just mash it up along with the potatoes.

Potatoes do absorb salt (if you over salt a dish throwing in some potato slices is an old trick to save the dish) so don't salt them until after they are cooked.

I like to make a potato crust for a meat or veggie pie sometimes. Just lightly oil the baking pan, line it with thinly sliced potato, add the filling cover the top with sliced potato, spread a little oil on top and bake.

I avoid fried foods (make fried chicken once in awhile or frybread once in a while but that's about it) don't like french fries (chips?), here's a healthier substitute; Take white or sweet potatoes and cut them longways in fairly thin wedges (1/4 inch on the thick side. Lightly oil a cookie sheet (I use olive oil on an air bake sheet) place the wedges on the sheet, they can be close together, bake at 350, turning over once, to get nicely browned. If want sprinkle with a little herb mix or something like Old Bay. I especially love sweet potatoes done this way.

For twice baked potatoes, wash them cut them in half longways, bake face down on baking sheet. Cool to handlable temp, scoop out the insides and mash. Return inside to potato skins along with any additional fillings you like. Cheese, onion, broccoli are good. Place face up on baking sheet (they will be mounded up on top) bake to heat fillings and melt cheese.

We also do scalloped potatoes and cornflake potatoes occcasionally.

[In-Need]

I love scalloped potatoes but can't never seem to fix them right they never turn out good!

[WildChild]

I'll look up the recipe and post it. Mine always turn out fine.

[In-Need]

Thx, you got it done yet?

[CHANDLERS WISH]

Haha In-need... give a girl a chance, to find the receipe. hehe.

Well, WC you are right on there, I also boil the "cubes" of potatoes, then drain the water, and if that's how you like them Little, then yeah, fry them in a pan.

But, if you like curry? You can also only 3/4 cook the cubes, add butter and curry powder and swirl them around in the pan on low heat until they are all warm and the powder attached to each one...

Baking potatoes?

Well if you cut them in half, then cut thin slices nearly all the way down, just missing the bottom, pour cream in the cracks and then cheese (I use parmesan) on top, and as they are cooking add a bit more cream and cheese, you will have simular to mashed potatoes inside, but crisp cheesy top on well, the friggen top...

Also nice, is to boil them in halves, then scoop the middle out of them, add cooked mince and tomato puree/oil, in the centre, and put them in the oven on top of some tomato puree and oil for like 20 minutes, then scoop the oil and tomato puree and pour over the top and then eat them off course.

CW

[WildChild]

Scalloped Potatoes

8 to 10 average sized potatoes
1/2 cup grated onion
1/3 cup unbleached flour
teaspoon or so of salt
pepper
2 cups milk
10 or 12 buttered saltine crackers crumbled up

Oil a 2 quart casserole or a 9x11 glass dish.
You can peel the potatoes or not, if they aren't organic I'd peel them. Slice them THIN. Spread half the potatoes in the pan with half of the onion, sprinkle half the flour over it. Salt and pepper. Repeat to make a second layer.
Pour milk over the whole thing.
Sprinkle cracker crumbs over (you can use dried bread crumbs too or nothing)
Cover wilt foil or lid and bake at 250 for 1 1/2 hours. Uncover and bake until potatoes are tender and the top a little browned (probably 20 -30 mins)

[WildChild]

Too make a meal of this we used to add sliced up veggie dogs.

[In-Need]

Thx Wc, sounds good, I'll try it and let you know!