As a direct descendant of potato farmers I find I am duty bound to stick up for the good old spud! Now all you weight watchers go pick on someone else! To me if you don’t have potato’s with a meal well you’re obviously having rice. That is the only exception!
Now if your name is Jenny with the last name Craig… Look away now! I am known for having left over mash potato loaded up with cheese and spring onions, and fried in a fry pan with a load of butter, sort of like a fritter, the edges go crispy. I love to serve it on toast with a fried egg over top. Oh did I say that is for breakfast?? The breakfast of champions 🙂 So I thought I would do a few good old potato recipes to share the spud love! Oh and a bit of nutrition info to stick up for my buddies and a bit of a who’s who of the spud world!
Did you know that the humble potato is one of the most nutrient dense vegetables available? AND fat free?? I guess it’s just all that beautiful cream, oil, butter and milk that gives the spud a bad name. In one medium potato you can find vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium, and also trace amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, folate, niacin, magnesim, phosphorus, iron and zinc. If you ever wondered why you crave ‘comfort foods’ such as potato’s they actually release serotonin in the brain. See mum science potato’s really do make me happy!
So the important stuff… what sort I love! If you ask me the perfect potato is Organic and covered in dirt! Unless you go somewhere specialised then they are hard to find. I always go for the spuds with dirt, it could be in my head but I seem to think they taste better, maybe it’s flashbacks to the farm days! They will definitely last longer when they are not washed.
I love a good little Kipfler potato to roast and it’s great for salads (Great one to leave the skin on.) The best I find for the thermo are the Desiree, Ruby Lou or Royal Blue. Go for the purple or blue skinned spuds. The best all round potato is the Sebago. Always be really picky about your spuds when you buy them. If you purchase pre-packaged check the packed on date which is usually on the little white tag. My other top tips are store your spuds in a cool dark space. They love a good hessian sack if you can get one 🙂 Also keep your spuds away from your onions as it will make them go bad quicker. And my final tip is when your buying look out for green patches or wrinkly patches and leave them behind! And be gentle, love your spuds and they will love you back 🙂
So here is a TOP recipe. It’s taken straight from the ‘Meat on the Menu’ Thermomix Recipe Book.
Ingredients
250g Strong Cheddar Cheese, Cubed (I use the mild when cooking for the little kids.)
50g Parmesan Cheese Cubed
250g Bacon
1 Large Brown Onion
500g Potatoes cubed
35g Flour
600g Clear Chicken Stock or Water
50g White Wine
3 Spring Onions / sliced for garnish.
Method:
- Place cheeses into the TM bowl and mill for 15 seconds speed 10. Set aside
- Place bacon into TM bowl and saute for 8 minutes at Varoma temp on reverse + speed soft with MC off and set aside.
- Place onion into TM and chop for 3 seconds on speed 5
- Place all remaining ingredients into TM bowl and cook for 14 minutes at 100c speed 2. Check that potatoes are tender after this time and add more time if needed.
- Add Cheeses and blend for 20 seconds bringing the dial slowly up to speed 9 – be careful of the hot liquid.
- Add bacon and spring onions and stir through for 5 seconds on reverse + speed 3.
- Serve with fresh crusty bread or facaccia wedges.
Page 59 of the Meat on the Menu Thermomix Recipe book. www.thermomix.com.au
I honestly love this recipe book so if you are on the hunt for a good new book I would recommend this one 🙂
