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Potatoes Potatoes are comfort food for many people. I always have many varieties of potatoes in my pantry. Starchy potatoes (baking potatoes) have a thick brown skin and white fluffy flesh. These are good for baking and mashing. Yellow Finns and Yukon Gold potatoes have a thinner skin and a creamy yellow flesh. There are also white potatoes with smooth thin skin and a creamy white flesh. These potatoes may be used for roasting, mashing, soups and salads. Red potatoes and new potatoes have smooth skin and a firm texture. These are good for salads, roasting, steaming and soups. I also like to mash these types of potatoes with the skins on for a delicious variation of mashed potatoes. Leave some chunks in the potatoes when mashing and be careful not to over-beat or they tend to become gummy. Never use a food processor when mashing potatoes. Store potatoes in a cool, dark place for best results, but not in the refrigerator. Potatoes should have smooth skin, without wrinkles. If your potatoes have been stored too long and have begun to develop sprouts, be sure to trim sprouts and eyes before using. After peeling or cutting, potatoes will discolor. Place them in cold water to cover to avoid this if you do prepare them ahead. We have mashed potatoes very often because the whole family likes them. The following recipe is a favorite way to use the leftover mashed potatoes.
SHEPHERD’S VEGETABLE PIE
3
cups vegetable broth Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place ½ cup of the broth in a large pot with the onion, celery, bell
pepper and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes.
Stir in sage, marjoram and soy sauce. Add the remaining vegetable broth
and the carrot, mushrooms, cauliflower, cabbage and green beans. Bring
to a boil, cover, reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes, stirring
occasionally. Add the cornstarch mixture and stir until thickened.
Season with pepper to taste. Transfer to a casserole dish. Cover
vegetable mixture with mashed potatoes and sprinkle with paprika. Bake
for 30 minutes until potatoes are slightly browned.
POTATO BOATS
5
large baking potatoes Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Scrub potatoes and prick all over with a fork. Place on medium oven rack. Bake for about 1 hour until tender. Thaw frozen vegetables under cool water and drain. Set aside. Remove potatoes from oven. Cut off a small portion of the top lengthwise and scrape off excess potato from the skin. Discard top. Scoop out potato center from the remaining part of the potato, leaving a small edge next to the skin. Reserve. Reduce oven heat to 350 degrees. Place the potato centers in a bowl and mash with a potato masher or electric beater, adding a small amount of soymilk at a time, until smooth. Stir in vegetables and soy cheese. Place the potato mixture back into the potato shells, mounding it as high as necessary to use all of the mixture. Place on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with paprika. Bake for 15 minutes, then broil on low for 2-3 minutes to brown slightly.
Serve plain or with a gravy or sauce. The following recipe is by Heather McDougall. It is a delicious way to use potatoes and parsnips for a creamy, earthy soup. Many people are unfamiliar with parsnips. They can be found in your produce section and they look like carrots except they are white in color.
POTATO AND PARSNIP SOUP
6
cups vegetable broth
ROASTED GARLIC BREAD
1
baguette, sliced on the diagonal
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut top of garlic head off and drizzle 2
tablespoons of broth over the top. Wrap in parchment paper, then wrap in
foil and place in oven for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.
Place bread in oven on a baking sheet and bake until light brown. Watch
carefully. Squeeze out garlic from cloves, add remaining broth and salt,
and mix until smooth. Spread on toasted bread. |
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Heather McDougall with a degree in English and a love for cooking, especially with her mother, will be a frequent contributor to the newsletter. | ||
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