Please give me all your potato recipes
July 24, 2020 9:47 AM   Subscribe

I currently have 20+ pounds of russet potatoes. Please give me all your favorite potato recipes. I would especially like a really good potato salad recipe.
posted by toastyk to Food & Drink (38 answers total) 25 users marked this as a favorite
 
Russets aren't great for potato salad, but my favorite potato salad is a simple honey/olive oil/vinegar/fresh parsley/garlic/s&p vinaigrette tossed with roasted potatoes.
posted by cooker girl at 9:54 AM on July 24, 2020


I'm actually partial to a potato salad recipe that uses equal amounts of Dijon and stone-ground mustard as the dressing, mixed with a little oil and vinegar. It uses smaller new potatoes, but there's no reason it can't use chopped-up russets, in my opinion. And potatoes, the two mustards, and the oil and vinegar are all you need.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:55 AM on July 24, 2020


This one is fabulous-and vegan, if that matters. https://www.mastercook.com/app/recipe/WebRecipeDetails?recipeId=6899493

However, russets aren’t optimal for potato salad-don’t hold together really well. I use them most for loaded baked potato soup and twice baked potatoes.
posted by purenitrous at 9:55 AM on July 24, 2020


I love Hasselback potatoes. A bit tedious but easy to make, and looks quite fancy when done.
posted by rpn at 9:56 AM on July 24, 2020 [4 favorites]


This is the best potato salad I’ve ever eaten. It calls for fingerling potatoes but you could try it with your russets cut down to size. As mentioned above, russets aren’t particularly suited to potato salad I don’t think, but it’s still worth a try.
posted by obfuscation at 10:02 AM on July 24, 2020


Dauphinoise Potatoes are ridiculously rich and delicious. It generally uses Yukon Gold potatoes, but I've done with Russet before and the result was pretty darned good.
posted by cooker girl at 10:03 AM on July 24, 2020 [3 favorites]


Response by poster: Oh weird, I thought I read somewhere that russets were best for potato salads. Thanks for that tip and the recipes! If they're not best for potato salads, then please give me all the other potato recipes!
posted by toastyk at 10:10 AM on July 24, 2020


Probably the potato recipe I use the most is this one, because it's so simple and the results are delicious:

Peel 1 1/2 lbs of potatoes and cut into chunks (smaller chunks if you like more crispy surface area, larger if you're in a hurry or want more inside and less crispy outside.)

Mix 1/4 cup olive oil and 1/3 cup mustard in a bowl large enough to hold all the potatoes. (I like Grey Poupon Country Dijon mustard.) Add potatoes and stir to coat.

Spread potatoes out in a pan and roast at 400 F for about an hour, until they're cooked through and as browned as you want. I usually turn them at least a couple of times while they're roasting.
posted by Redstart at 10:12 AM on July 24, 2020 [1 favorite]


These Serious Eats roast potatoes are... indescribable. If they weren't so much work I would eat these things EVERY DAY. Honestly. So good. You owe it to yourself.
posted by showbiz_liz at 10:12 AM on July 24, 2020 [3 favorites]


Oh weird, I thought I read somewhere that russets were best for potato salads. Thanks for that tip and the recipes! If they're not best for potato salads, then please give me all the other potato recipes!

I think the reason people say this is just that russets are crumblier and so they don't hold together in the salad mix, but I personally like that! There's no reason beyond texture preference not to use them for potato salad.
posted by showbiz_liz at 10:14 AM on July 24, 2020 [1 favorite]


America's Test Kitchen's recipe for all-American potato salad uses Russets, and I can vouch for it being very good.
posted by General Malaise at 10:25 AM on July 24, 2020


You can use russets in potato salad but it helps to boil them whole and peel and dice them while they're still hot. Martha Stewart's recipe for this is the one I've seen recommended and it calls for 4 lbs of russet potatoes!
posted by stellaluna at 10:25 AM on July 24, 2020


Here is a recipe for Lemon Potato Salad with Mint that I tried recently.

A few notes:
* The quantity is closer to six servings than eight.
* I would use a little less oil and salt.
* Marinating overnight made it taste even better.
* It calls for small potatoes. But I think cut-up Russets would be just as good.
posted by NotLost at 10:26 AM on July 24, 2020


We made this last night without the ground beef and half the cheese. Everyone loved it! https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-southwestern-twice-baked-potatoes-recipes-from-the-kitchn-215554
posted by gryphonlover at 10:34 AM on July 24, 2020


We really love this potato salad, which is similar to the Martha Stewart, but stripped back.

We make it with russets and real mayo and it’s still great. I think part of it is that, unlike many blog recipes that are 20 paragraphs of fluff then a recipe, this actually gives useful tips on how to handle the ingredients for success!
posted by Rube R. Nekker at 10:39 AM on July 24, 2020


For what it's worth, twice-baked potatoes freeze super well. Bake them the first round, scoop out the innards and mix with whatever is in the recipe, stuff back into the potato skins, and then wrap and freeze.
posted by juniperesque at 10:42 AM on July 24, 2020 [2 favorites]


These oven fries are excellent.

Also, I like to put these creamy mushrooms over a baked potato.
posted by JanetLand at 10:43 AM on July 24, 2020


I make potato gatto about once a month. We're not big fans of peas so I usually use arugula or kale for the nominally healthy ingredient.
posted by dfan at 11:38 AM on July 24, 2020


I make a mashed potatoes (russets, boiled, mashed with butter and milk till combined but not whipped or smooth). Any leftovers go in the fridge, and then I melt an equal combo of butter/veg oil in a fry pan and then fry the mash. So dump mash in, they will be very solid and annoying. As it heats, they will get smoother and easier to spread. Spread into a flat layer, and let them brown until they have a nice crispy outside. Flip to do the other side (I just flip in spatula sizes, no need to by fancy). Serve with ketchup and HP mixed.
posted by Ftsqg at 11:52 AM on July 24, 2020 [1 favorite]


Oh and we also use russets on the bbq. Wash well. Cube (no need to peel, but you can if you want) and throw in a bowl. Add some oil, and spices (we like a Cajun mixed spice) and toss. Dump onto doubled over tin foil, and then make a parcel out of it. Drop on a bbq over mediumish heat for about an hour. We open the packs a bit around 1/2 hour mark just to keep an eye, but close them up after.

It works well with Kraft Italian dressing too or just about any bottled or homemade oil based dressing.
posted by Ftsqg at 12:00 PM on July 24, 2020


This smitten kitchen crispy potato roast is most impressive and delicious. And if you have a mandolin, really not very tedious at all. I never peel them because too lazy and usually use onions, not shallots, because I tend to make them on a whim. Also, I also garlic very thin and add it in with the onions. (Shhhh....I also use more butter/olive oil mixture.)
posted by atomicstone at 12:29 PM on July 24, 2020


I generally do this with reds, but it can easily be adapted to russets. Microwave them (one or two) for long enough to soften them up. I'd guess around 6-7 minutes for russets. Cut them up into chunks (eighths for reds), slather them with ghee, sprinkle seasoning of your choice, and then grill them about ten minutes, turning as needed.

If you have duck fat: cut the potatoes into chunks, boil them until they're soft, then cover them in duck fat (just like you'd cover them in butter) and roast for 15 minutes or so.

Russets make great mashed potatoes. Just boil them for about a half hour, then dump them in a mixing bowl along with some cream, butter, salt, and pepper, and mash the hell out of them. You can add other flavors too; I like garlic, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and bacon bits.
posted by kevinbelt at 12:54 PM on July 24, 2020


i'm a big fan of onion-and-potato soup (modified from the leek-and-potato soup in "how to cook everything"). it's sorta peasant food but it's quick and very warm and comforting. this recipe makes about four bowls.

2 Tbsp butter
2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" chunks
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb smoked sausage like kielbasa or andouille, halved lengthwise and sliced into 1/2" pieces (optional)
4 c beef or vegetable stock
2 bay leaves

melt butter in a dutch oven over medium heat until bubbly. add potatoes, onion, garlic, sausage if using, and a little salt and pepper. fry, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and the potatoes are browned a little. add stock and bay leaves. bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are done, about 20 minutes. remove bay leaves and adjust seasoning. serve with crusty bread.
posted by pmdboi at 1:11 PM on July 24, 2020


Irish potato bread is simple but good.
posted by misteraitch at 1:43 PM on July 24, 2020


My internet connection here is very bad, but you may want to explore all the many ways Indian cuisine uses potatoes. Samosas are made with potatoes and peas. You can fry potatoes with sesame and mustard seeds. there are countless Indian stews where potatoes are the base.
posted by mumimor at 2:38 PM on July 24, 2020


Leftover potatoes go really well with salsa verde, corn and yogurt mixed; great chilled for hot weather.
posted by effluvia at 2:48 PM on July 24, 2020


I'm not going to throw another potato recipe at you... I'm going to recommend a whole book of them: One Potato, Two Potato by Roy Finamore and Molly Stevens. Fantastic cookbook.
posted by niicholas at 3:31 PM on July 24, 2020


Mashed potatoes with kale or cabbage are great (colcannon).
posted by bluebird at 4:06 PM on July 24, 2020


I love Armenian potatoes
posted by smoke at 6:26 PM on July 24, 2020


Response by poster: Thanks everyone for all the suggestions. I've got a lot of experimenting to do. :)
posted by toastyk at 8:41 PM on July 24, 2020


You can make "too much mashed potatoes" (as if that was a thing) and then turn leftovers into bubble and squeak the next day.
posted by never.was.and.never.will.be. at 9:42 PM on July 24, 2020


Just seconding the folks who have said don't worry too much about The Right Kind Of Potato a recipe calls for. Russets and red potatoes are different, and they'll make different potato salad, but it's all cool. How much you cook them matter more, really.

The one line I draw personally is with freezing, that I would rather not freeze whole chunks of potato at the russet end of the starch spectrum, I would rather put red potato chunks in soups I'm going to freeze. The starchy spongy thing just doesn't do it for me, YMMV. I mean, I've eaten it anyway, but.
posted by away for regrooving at 1:26 AM on July 25, 2020




Gnocchi is really easy once you get the hang of it, ie. try two or three times...and clearly you have a margin for error. Two or three times isn't a big price to pay for the payoff.

You don't need a ricer or food mill. You can get the baked potato out of its skin with a spoon and then you can either rub it against a cheese grater or use the gentle motions of a fork to crumble it up as you would a pie crust (what I do). Little crumbly bits is what you aim for. Smaller than peas--half peas?

Then a dusting of salt, white pepper, and roughly a cup of flour per pound of potato. You can't take it out, so start with less. Mush with your hands until you have a dough like consistency while at the same time, taking care not to develop gluten as you would with bread, which is what would make it tough and gross. Still though, it's a dough so you can't be too timid about squishing it together.

It's one of those kitchen things like pancakes, pie crust, pizza dough...you get a feel for when mixing is the right amount and then you just feel it and feel confidence (and also, flour and potatoes aren't going to be the worst thing, no matter what you do).

Roll into a snake, cut into bits, then in salted, gently boiling water until they rise to the surface and then let them ride a minute or two more. Then you can take them out, douse them with olive oil, and decide what to do with them--they can rest as long as you want.

You can run tests with different amounts of flour -- if they come out, and they're structurally unsound, like they couldn't make an existential decision, they need more flour or more mixing. If they come out like hockey pucks, less flour & less mixing. I would err on the side of structural unsoundness, personally -- because I'm going to fry them in butter and if they're a little feathery, that's ok.

I treat them like pierogis (fried with caramelized onions and sour cream) if I do it stovetop and a gratin (grated cheddar) if I do it in the oven. Some people like them with pesto or with tomato sauce. I bet they'd be great with alfredo sauce but probably best if you can take a nap after.
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:52 PM on July 25, 2020 [1 favorite]


Potato salad - boiled potatoes, in chunks. Cold for summer with a creamy dressing of yoghurt / sour cream / a little aioli, salt, pepper, fresh lemon zest, smoked salmon, chives, mint, maybe dill. For winter warm boiled potatoes, more sour cream, add mustard, chopped boiled egg, fried bacon / ham, spring onions or onions fried with the bacon.
posted by quercus23 at 10:49 PM on July 25, 2020


1. Peel the potatoes.
2. Grate the potatoes, medium-fine.
3. Shape the gratings into pancakes, flatten them a bit.
4. Fry with olive oil on low heat for a long time (20 mins at least; they need to be cooked through).
5. Add whatever spices you like during step three if you want. Or don't.
6. Eat.
posted by chavenet at 4:00 AM on July 26, 2020


Agreeing with dancing leaves - I just caught the episode of Midnight Diner where the featured dish is potato salad, and that taught me that Japanese potato salad goes for more of a broken up / partially mashed texture, which would seem to fit well with russets.

I haven't tried any recipes myself yet, but here is one that explicitly tries to mimic what was shown on the show, and here is one from Just One Cookbook - I've had good luck with their other recipes.
posted by sigmagalator at 5:17 PM on July 26, 2020


If you want to rotate through variants on potato salad for a little variety, I can attest that fresh basil in potato salad is very good.
posted by kristi at 7:24 PM on July 29, 2020


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