Subject: Mashed Blue Potatoes, skin on or off?
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: Adam Schwartz (swordams at NOSPAMmchsi.com)
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 2003 15:55:08 GMT
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Shoud i leave the skin on when making mashed blue potatoes, or peel them? I know it's a matter of preferance, but I want some opinions.
Thanks,
Adam
From: stan at temple.edu
Date: 2 Oct 2003 16:34:14 GMT
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My opinion is you should prepare the potatoes in a way you think you will enjoy the most. If you're not sure which way to go, try making a batch with the potato skins peeled and one with the potato skins left on.
From: Gar
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 2003 12:00:32 -0500
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Adam Schwartz wrote:
>Shoud i leave the skin on when making mashed blue potatoes, or peel them? I
>know it's a matter of preferance, but I want some opinions.
What are "blue" potatoes?
From: Nancy Young (qwerty at mail.monmouth.com)
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 2003 14:20:54 -0400
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Gar wrote:
> What are "blue" potatoes?
(laugh) They're blue potatoes. For some reason I think they might be like Yukons ... waxy and thin skinned. If that's the case I'd leave the skins on, but I like lumpy mashed potatoes.
From: Gar
Date: Sun, 05 Oct 2003 11:30:59 -0500
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Nancy Young wrote:
>(laugh) They're blue potatoes. For some reason I think they might
>be like Yukons ... waxy and thin skinned. If that's the case I'd
>leave the skins on, but I like lumpy mashed potatoes.
Thanks nancy. It looks like I'm the only one who's never seen or heard of them. I've led a sheltered life I guess.
From: Jeff Bienstadt (jeff at seattlefare.com)
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 2003 15:05:30 -0700
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Gar wrote:
> What are "blue" potatoes?
Um, potatoes in the hue of blue.
http://www.foodreference.com/html/fallbluepotato.html [archive.org]
From: louanne_lewis at hotmail.com (Louise Lewis)
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2003 17:38:48 -0500 (CDT)
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might get some colorful mashed taters....
but I don't think that can beat my purple gravy...
which came to be the first time I tried to use the juice of smoked meat in making a cream gravy...what a show stopper that was...
I was raised in a german household and I had never made cream gravy we had always used the water from the potatoes...
then I married a country boy....
From: Gar
Date: Sun, 05 Oct 2003 11:31:57 -0500
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Jeff Bienstadt wrote:
>Um, potatoes in the hue of blue.
Thanks for the link. They look pretty gross.
From: Jeff Bienstadt (jeff at seattlefare.com)
Date: Mon, 06 Oct 2003 10:11:47 -0700
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Gar wrote:
> Thanks for the link. They look pretty gross.
Actually, they're very good. I've only had them once --- steamed, with (IIRC) a squeeze of lemon. I'm not sure they'd be visually appealing if they were mashed, but I expect they would taste fine.
From: Terrel (xyzowlhorse at xyznetzero.netxyz.invalid)
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 2003 17:07:18 -0400
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Adam Schwartz wrote:
>Shoud i leave the skin on when making mashed blue potatoes, or peel them? I
>know it's a matter of preferance, but I want some opinions.
My husband prefers mashed potatoes without the skins. I prefer mashed potatoes with the skins.
Reason my husband prefers mashed potatoes without the skins: he likes very creamy, very smooth mashed potatoes.
Reasons I prefer mashed potatoes with the skins: they're quicker to make (no peeling), I like the texture, and -- from what I've read -- they have more nutrients when the skins are left on.
Since I use organically-grown potatoes, I don't worry about pesticide residue on the skins.
Generally I make mashed potatoes the way my husband prefers them. But if I'm in a real rush, I just leave the skins on.
From: Alan Zelt (alzelFINNFAN at tworldnet.att.net)
Date: Fri, 03 Oct 2003 02:28:18 GMT
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Adam Schwartz wrote:
> Shoud i leave the skin on when making mashed blue potatoes, or peel them? I
> know it's a matter of preferance, but I want some opinions.
A better thought might be to avoid blue mashies. I tried it once, with no takers. Yes, you would probably be advised to take off the skins, after boiling.
From: Carnivore269 at hotmail.com (Carnivore269)
Date: 3 Oct 2003 01:01:31 -0700
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alzelt wrote:
> A better thought might be to avoid blue mashies. I tried it once, with
> no takers. Yes, you would probably be advised to take off the skins,
> after boiling.
Sorry, but to me, blue 'taters tasted like dirt... I will avoid them. Yukon golds and even baby red spuds prove to be far more worthy of my efforts.
From: louanne_lewis at hotmail.com (Louise Lewis)
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 2003 07:31:30 -0500 (CDT)
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I adore yukons....anyway..any where...and you know...I once cut they eyes out of some that had sprouted and threw then in my garden and actually got some really nice small yukons that I used like new potatoes....know your not supposed to do that..but it worked that time
From: Carnivore269 at hotmail.com (Carnivore269)
Date: 3 Oct 2003 09:46:31 -0700
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Louise Lewis wrote:
> I adore yukons....anyway..any where...and you know...I once cut they
> eyes out of some that had sprouted and threw then in my garden and
> actually got some really nice small yukons that I used like new
> potatoes....know your not supposed to do that..but it worked that time
Spuds are spuds... when it comes to gardening. ;-)
If they have eyes and sprout, there is no reason that you can't get them to grow.
Anyone here ever tried tire layering for increasing potatoe harvests? I have not, but am considering it.
From: westie97 at yahoo.com (Sandi Dunlap)
Date: 3 Oct 2003 12:41:17 -0700
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Carnivore269 wrote:
> Sorry, but to me, blue 'taters tasted like dirt...
> I will avoid them. Yukon golds and even baby red
> spuds prove to be far more worthy of my efforts.
I've never had that experience with them...but then I don't use them as the primary potato. They are always one of several in a casserole or salad - as a color accent. The ones I've bought also have been harvested shorltly beofre I've purchased them, on occasion, they were harvested with 24 hours of purchase.
From: Carnivore269 at hotmail.com (Carnivore269)
Date: 3 Oct 2003 22:28:25 -0700
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Sandi Dunlap wrote:
> I've never had that experience with them...but then I don't use them
> as the primary potato. They are always one of several in a casserole
> or salad - as a color accent. The ones I've bought also have been
> harvested shorltly beofre I've purchased them, on occasion, they were
> harvested with 24 hours of purchase.
Ok, thanks. :-)
Then according to you and a couple of other folks, I may have had a bad experience... I got them as very small blue potatoes from Central Market in Austin. They are usually reliable, but I just may try again.
Any hints on "picking" good ones from the bin?
From: westie97 at yahoo.com (Sandi Dunlap)
Date: 4 Oct 2003 08:49:24 -0700
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Carnivore269 wrote:
> Ok, thanks. :-)
> Then according to you and a couple of other folks, I may have had a bad
> experience... I got them as very small blue potatoes from Central Market
> in Austin. They are usually reliable, but I just may try again.
I preferred the smaller potatoes. Where I live now, there is only one variety available - white. Other wise use the same criteria as for other varieties like Yellow Finns or Yukon Golds or red skinned. I also scrubbed the blue potatoes well at home. Sometimes dirt is a little less obvious on those dark taters then on the white, gold or red taters. The ones you got sound like they were stored too long.
From: penmart01 at aol.como (Sheldon)
Date: 04 Oct 2003 16:29:28 GMT
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Carnivore269 wrote:
>Sorry, but to me, blue 'taters tasted like dirt...
>I will avoid them. Yukon golds and even baby red
>spuds prove to be far more worthy of my efforts.
All potatoes are supposed to taste of earthyness... you're simply used to spuds that taste of old and sick... because your taste is in your ass, meatus boy.
From: Arri London (biotech at ic.ac.uk)
Date: Sat, 04 Oct 2003 17:06:30 -0600
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Carnivore269 wrote:
> Any hints on "picking" good ones from the bin?
Same as for any potato: avoid soft ones or bruised ones, no sprouts in the eyes, relatively smooth tight skin, no mouldy odour, should seem heavy for the size.
From: Alan Zelt (alzelFINNFAN at tworldnet.att.net)
Date: Fri, 03 Oct 2003 23:21:44 GMT
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Carnivore269 wrote:
> Sorry, but to me, blue 'taters tasted like dirt...
> I will avoid them. Yukon golds and even baby red
> spuds prove to be far more worthy of my efforts.
Funny thing is that they really do taste good. If they are fresh. And if you have a blindfold on when you taste them. Washington is a real potato state, so we get great ones, organic too. Hmmmm. The fall is the start of fresh potato season here now.
From: Erika (erko at hotmail.com)
Date: Sat, 04 Oct 2003 16:41:38 GMT
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alzelt wrote:
>A better thought might be to avoid blue mashies. I tried it once, with
>no takers. Yes, you would probably be advised to take off the skins,
>after boiling.
Maybe there are more than one type of blue potatoes. We have a sort that is called Blue congo. They are very tasty and blue on the purple scale.
From: HacJec at webtv.net (Helen C.)
Date: Thu, 2 Oct 2003 19:48:26 -0700 (PDT)
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Adam Schwartz wrote:
> Shoud i leave the skin on when making mashed blue potatoes, or peel them? I
> know it's a matter of preferance, but I want some opinions.
I've seen these blue potatoes in the seed catalogs but have never grown or eaten them. I am probably the exception, but just can't handle eating something that isn't the color that my brain say is the "norm". I'll bet they are real good too but my eyes just can't get past that.
When I was a young girl, my older sister put green food coloring in apple sauce for Saint Patricks Day.... forest green + apple sauce + yummy = not! I must need some serious therapy and don't know it.
Saw white peaches at the fruit stand and watermellon that I heard was not red in the middle... oh my, I'm sure it's good but no can do. Tunnel vision, I guess.
From: Carnivore269 at hotmail.com (Carnivore269)
Date: 3 Oct 2003 01:46:01 -0700
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Helen C. wrote:
> I've seen these blue potatoes in the seed catalogs but have never grown
> or eaten them.
I can buy them at Central Market in Austin.
I tried them once as a novelty.
Never again.
I'll stick with Yukon golds....
From: westie97 at yahoo.com (Sandi Dunlap)
Date: 3 Oct 2003 12:38:06 -0700
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Helen C. wrote:
> Saw white peaches at the fruit stand and watermellon that I heard was
> not red in the middle... oh my, I'm sure it's good but no can do. Tunnel
> vision, I guess.
I like to use the yellow watermelon along with standard red plus honeydew and canteloupe for fruit salads.
White peaches are pretty good also. I use those with raspberries or blueberries (or both) for fruit salads
Blue potatoes - I use a few cooked along with Yukon Golds or Yellow Finns and Red skined potates in potato salad. Just enough to add a little difference. I don't really do much in the way of potatoes - our favorite has always been baked or garlic butter new potatoes, neither or which are a suitable use for the blue ones, IMHO.
From: Bob Pastorio (pastorio at rica.net)
Date: Fri, 03 Oct 2003 01:57:22 -0400
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Adam Schwartz wrote:
> Shoud i leave the skin on when making mashed blue potatoes, or peel them? I
> know it's a matter of preferance, but I want some opinions.
The skins are thin, so if you're making a chunky or lumpy mashed potato, leave the skins on for some textural interest.
If you want a smooth potato puree, peel.
They won't be blue after they're cooked. And they'll be less blue still after adding cream and butter. But they'll taste just like mashed potatoes and that's good.
From: Carnivore269 at hotmail.com (Carnivore269)
Date: 3 Oct 2003 01:49:06 -0700
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Bob Pastorio wrote:
> They won't be blue after they're cooked. And they'll be less blue
> still after adding cream and butter. But they'll taste just like
> mashed potatoes and that's good.
Only if you like cooking whipped dirt! Sorry Bob, but I have actually tried these. They are gross.
While I agree about the color, if you are going to go to this much trouble, stick with baby reds or golds.
BTW, thanks for the hint on frozen crab. :-) It helped. Helped with pre-cooked shrimps too.
From: Adam Schwartz (swordams at NOSPAMmchsi.com)
Date: Fri, 03 Oct 2003 15:20:56 GMT
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Thanks to everyone who replied!
I noticed that many of you have had bad experiences with blue potatoes in the past. The potatoes I used were award winning organic All-Blue potatoes from my local farmer's market. I found that they made a delicious mashed potato! I mashed them skin on, and they looked great with the little speckles (I made sure to break up the skin pretty well). They came out a beautiful lavendar-blue color. For those who are interested, this is how I prepared them:
Cubed 6 potatoes to about 1/2 inch.
Boiled in water with a boquet garni of spanish roja garlic and black and white peppercorns, until tender.
mashed with about 1 tbs butter, 1/4 cup milk blended with about 2 tbs local chevré (for creaminess and flavor), salt (quite a bit), white and black pepper, a touch of fresh grated nutmeg, and about 2 tsp. red wine vinegar.
Sliced a hard swiss cheede real thin and cut with a bunny shaped cookie cutter (my fiance and I are nuts about bunies).
Piped potatoes into cookie cutter and levelled with a knife.
This made neat little mashed potatoe bunnies. I know the recipe is not that creative and there are probably a million better ways to make it (sour cream or creme frache instead of milk with cheese, better seasonings etc.) but I used what I had and they came out pretty nice!
From: penmart01 at aol.como (Sheldon)
Date: 03 Oct 2003 15:33:00 GMT
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Adam Schwartz writes:
>this is how I
>prepared them:
>Cubed 6 potatoes to about 1/2 inch.
>Boiled in water with a boquet garni of spanish roja garlic and black and
>white peppercorns, until tender.
>mashed with about 1 tbs butter, 1/4 cup milk blended with about 2 tbs local
>chevré (for creaminess and flavor), salt (quite a bit), white and black
>pepper, a touch of fresh grated nutmeg, and about 2 tsp. red wine vinegar.
>Sliced a hard swiss cheede real thin and cut with a bunny shaped cookie
>cutter (my fiance and I are nuts about bunies).
>Piped potatoes into cookie cutter and levelled with a knife.
>
>This made neat little mashed potatoe bunnies.
It's "potato".
And with all that crap it didn't matter which potatoes, even dehys... that ain't any kind of cooking, what you prepared is called compost.
From: Gregory Morrow (gregorymorrow at earthlink.net)
Date: Sat, 04 Oct 2003 11:05:02 GMT
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Sheldon wrote:
> And with all that crap it didn't matter which potatoes, even dehys... that
> ain't any kind of cooking, what you prepared is called compost.
Lol...and "nuts about bunies"...????
From: Carnivore269 at hotmail.com (Carnivore269)
Date: 4 Oct 2003 11:11:38 -0700
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Gregory Morrow wrote:
> Lol...and "nuts about bunies"...????
That was rude... ;-(
Sounds more to me like they have toddlers.
From: Adam Schwartz (swordams at NOSPAMmchsi.com)
Date: Sun, 05 Oct 2003 06:42:55 GMT
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Carnivore269 wrote:
> That was rude... ;-(
> Sounds more to me like they have toddlers.
Actually, we have bunnies! If you want to see them, check
www.cloud-9.net/bunny [archive.org]
From: penmart01 at aol.como (Sheldon)
Date: 05 Oct 2003 16:18:09 GMT
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Adam Schwartz writes:
>Actually, we have bunnies! If you want to see them, check
RABBIT CACCIATORE
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 3 1/4-pound frozen rabbit, thawed, cut into 8 pieces
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound tomatoes, chopped, with seeds and juices (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 1/3 cups dry white wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Sprinkle rabbit with salt and pepper. Add rabbit to pot and sauté until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add tomatoes and wine. Bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until rabbit is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
Using tongs, transfer rabbit pieces to plate. Add herbs to sauce in pot. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Return rabbit to pot. Stir until heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Bon Appétit
May 2002
---
BRAISED RABBIT WITH OLIVES
1 2 1/2-pound rabbit, cut into 8 pieces
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 pound white-skinned potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
3 bell peppers, sliced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 1/4 cups sliced pitted brine-cured Sicilian green olives
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
1/3 cup drained capers
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup (or more) water
Fresh Italian parsley sprigs
Rinse rabbit and pat dry; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 4 tablespoons oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add rabbit to pot and brown, turning often, about 8 minutes per batch. Transfer rabbit to bowl. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to pot. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Mix in potatoes, bell peppers, tomatoes, olives, celery, capers, garlic, and thyme; cook 5 minutes. Mix in vinegar and 1/4 cup water. Add rabbit. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes. Spoon some of vegetable mixture over rabbit. Cover and simmer until rabbit is tender, stirring occasionally and adding more water by 1/4 cupfuls if mixture is dry, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon vegetables into large dish. Top with rabbit. Garnish with parsley and serve warm.
Bon Appétit
May 2002
From: Carnivore269 at hotmail.com (Carnivore269)
Date: 5 Oct 2003 12:43:23 -0700
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Adam Schwartz wrote:
> Actually, we have bunnies! If you want to see them, check
>
www.cloud-9.net/bunny [archive.org]
Oh that's neat! You have house bunnies... ;-)
I used to have a lop named "dusty". He litter box trained himself and was a great pet! I gave him to a freind tho' that was breeding them as he had a bad habit of chewing any power cord he could get his teeth into. :-P
He was much happier tho' with some lady bunnies......
We would like to start breeding bunnies again one of these days, but not as pets. No offense, but bunny is tasty.
From: mary1313 at aol.com (MARY1313)
Date: 07 Oct 2003 14:27:10 GMT
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Adam Schwartz wrote:
>Shoud i leave the skin on when making mashed blue potatoes, or peel them? I
>know it's a matter of preferance, but I want some opinions.
I tried these a few months ago and photographed it for our family web page (I'm Italian. My family frequently photographs the meals we've made and e-mail them!)
Anyway, here's the link to my family webpage with the photo of the dish--and you'll see photos of the kitchen of our new home, too.
http://hometown.aol.com/mary1313/marysnews.html [archive.org, but pictures not showing]
From: mary1313 at aol.com (MARY1313)
Date: 07 Oct 2003 14:29:12 GMT
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By the way, to answer your question, I peeled them first, then boiled them. Mashed them with some white truffle oil, salt and pepper.