Equipment: Re: potato ricer-help!

Subject: Re: potato ricer-help!
Newsgroups: rec.food.cooking
From: Jill McQuown
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 01:20:46 -0600
--------
elaine wrote:
> My daughter just reminded me of last year's kitchen christmas
> present- a must have - a potato ricer. I haven't used it once. Is
> there something else I can do with it other than sieve cooked
> potatoes, or make baby food - don't have a baby, and cannot see the
> point in transferring the potatoes for mashing when it's so much
> quicker just to whip them up - especially if I'm cooking for a crowd.
> But I won't get this year's gadget - a microplane - if I cannot
> explain what I propose to do with last year's present. Help!
> E.

So why not just use the ricer on the cooked potatoes to mash them? It won't hurt, I promise.
From: Wayne Boatwright (WayneBoatWright at SMN.worldnet.att.net)
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 07:31:08 GMT
--------
Jill wrote:
> So why not just use the ricer on the cooked potatoes to mash them? It
> won't hurt, I promise.

It's also great for pressing the liquid out of chopped spinach or other chopped, cooked greens.

I often use the ricer for pressing liquid from the cooked vegetables used to flavor stock.
From: Jill McQuown
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 05:58:58 -0600
--------
Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> It's also great for pressing the liquid out of chopped spinach or
> other chopped, cooked greens.

I just use a collapsible veggie steamer for that; no muss, no fuss. Just squeeze the steamer with said veggies over the sink and voila!
From: Wayne Boatwright (WayneBoatWright at SMN.worldnet.att.net)
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 16:06:01 GMT
--------
Jill McQuown wrote:
> I just use a collapsible veggie steamer for that; no muss, no fuss.
> Just squeeze the steamer with said veggies over the sink and voila!

Great idea, but my steamer is a pan insert and not a basket.
From: Jill McQuown
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 12:09:08 -0600
--------
Wayne Boatwright wrote:
> Great idea, but my steamer is a pan insert and not a basket.

Heh, a buck at any local dollar store, Wayne. Turns any pan into a steamer. Also into a strainer :)
From: Denise~* (denise at nexuscomputing.com)
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 00:09:13 -0800
--------
elaine wrote:
>My daughter just reminded me of last year's kitchen christmas present- a
>must have - a potato ricer. I haven't used it once. Is there something
>else I can do with it other than sieve cooked potatoes, or make baby food -
>don't have a baby, and cannot see the point in transferring the potatoes for
>mashing when it's so much quicker just to whip them up - especially if I'm
>cooking for a crowd.

You apparantly haven't had good riced potatoes
From: Gar ()
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 02:15:55 -0600
--------
elaine wrote:
> Is there something
>else I can do with it other than sieve cooked potatoes, or make baby food -

The easy answer is to use it for squeezing the water out of thawed frozen spinach. I have one that's a virgin also. My CIA book says to use it, or a food mill for Duchesse potatoes. I'm under the impression it might keep the spuds from turning into glue. Maybe someone else with more experience cam chime in here. Frogleg and I talked about this a few months ago but I was using another machine so I don't have the post. I was/am looking for the very light and fluffy filling for twice backed potatoes. I won't have time to try it for at least a month. Please tell your daughter you need to help me!

Forget what I just wrote. Snot and I are helping her mom do Festivus. I suggested we go early and try the ricer thingie. It's a go. See how easy this stuff is?

Enjoy your microplane.
From: Christine Dabney (artisan2 at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 13:22:11 GMT
--------
elaine wrote:
> Is there something
>else I can do with it other than sieve cooked potatoes, or make baby food -

It is also great for pressing out the roasted garlic puree, from roasted garlic cloves. I saw Joanne Weir do that on one of her shows: made it look so easy.
From: Christine Dabney (artisan2 at ix.netcom.com)
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 13:56:09 GMT
--------
elaine wrote:
>Wish I'd thought of that last night as I was pressing the hot roasted garlic
>puree through my fingers! What a good idea.

She just puts in the whole roasted head of garlic, and squeezes away.
From: Peter Aitken (paitken at CRAPnc.rr.com)
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2003 15:26:03 GMT
--------
elaine wrote:
> Is there something
>else I can do with it other than sieve cooked potatoes, or make baby food -

A ricer makes the best mashed potatoes - give it a try! With a hand masher it is hard to get rid of all the lumps, and with whipping in a mixer you get a gummier result.
From: Karen (sickofspam at nospam.com)
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2003 01:10:59 GMT
--------
elaine wrote:
> Is there something
>else I can do with it other than sieve cooked potatoes, or make baby food -

I've riced potatoes for at least 20 years, and there's a huge difference in the texture when compared to whipped potatoes. To me, whipped potatoes are really "gluey". Give riced potatoes a try - they're really good!

I've also used my ricer on bananas when I make banana bread, and also for boiled turnips/rutabagas. It's a pretty handy gadget to have around!