POTATOES FOR INSPIRATION

The World's Favourite Root Vegetable 

The Perennial nightshade Solanum tuberosum is a starchy root vegetable, commonly known as the potato.

Potatoes were brought to Europe, from South America, by the Spanish, during the second half of the 16^th century.  Since then, they have become a staple food in many parts of the world and, according to Wikipedia, they "still remain an essential crop in Europe where the per capita production is the highest in the world”.

I must mention, that in 1845 -1849, when the potato crop in Ireland was infected by blight (phyto phora infectants), a million people died of starvation and a million more immigrated to the USA seeking protection and a better life.   This period is known as the Great Famine.  Apparently, this food crisis also influenced the unrest, that led to the widespread European revolutions of 1848.

In 1877, the potato blight returned, and the Irish began the "Land War", one of the largest and toughest agrarian crusades, in nineteenth-century Europe.   It was not actually a war but a long period of social unrest, aimed at improving the position of the tenant farmers and the final redistribution of land to tenants, from the landlords. 

When John Kapodistrias, Greece’s first Head of State arrived in Greece, after the revolution,  he found a bankrupt country with disheartened and hungry citizens.   Following the example of other European leaders, he saw potatoes as the answer.   So, piles of potatoes were left for farmers to take and plant in their barren fields.   This did not happen, however, because the peasants were sceptical and suspicious of this new, mysterious, peculiar vegetable.   So, piles of potatoes were placed under armed guard.  This did the trick, as the potatoes were stolen, cooked, tasted, enjoyed and finally planted!

Apparently, after centuries of selective breeding and cultivation, there are now 1000 different types of potatoes.   Their shapes and sizes vary from the small finger potatoes like Anya to the large round King Edward.   They, usually, have beige skins and either a whitish or yellow flesh, but some special varieties have surprising colours like the Purple Peruvian.

Purple Peruvian Potato

Potatoes are fat-free, cholesterol free and low in sodium.   Moreover, they are an excellent source of vitamins C and B6, and they, also, contain potassium and magnesium.  So, naturally, they are considered very healthy edibles.

According to the BBC, waxy potatoes, like the Charlotte are ideal for salads, while floury potatoes, like Maris Piper, are excellent for mashed and baked potatoes.  Maris Piper and King Edwards are fabulous when roasted.

Potatoes are cultivated by small farmers and large cooperatives all over Greece.   The most famous Greek potatoes are from the island of Naxos, which are guarded under the “Protected Geographical Indication Status”  and are sold throughout Greece, in 3 kg packages.   Also, the potatoes from the region of the town of Nevrokopi, known as the potato growing capital of Greece, are very well known and sought after.

A few words about the Potato Movement.

 In 2012, the Greek economy continued being in a deep crisis and had shrunk at an enormous rate.   Unemployment was double the Eurozone average, young people being the most vulnerable victims.   Also, more than one-quarter of the Greek population was living in poverty, taxes were rising, and the social welfare system was collapsing.  The combination of all these led to explosive conditions. 

It was not the politicians but grass root activists who came to partially improve this serious problem.  In April 2012, the Hellenic Statistical Authority reported a 24.6% deflation in potato prices, “the largest ever one year drop, in any commodity”.

  

The reason for this tremendous drop was due to the so-called Potato Movement, which started in February 2012, by members of the Pieria Prefecture Volunteer Action Group.   They were going to Thessaloniki, when they met farmers who were offering their potatoes for free, thus protesting against the disastrous prices they were being offered by middlemen.

The first to invite the farmers of Nevrokopi to sell their potatoes at wholesale prices was the above mentioned voluntary action group, based in Katerini.   The Pieria group was established in 2007 and was busy creating a free supermarket for the poor when they heard of the potato handout in Thessaloniki.   So in February 2008, it organised a sale of potatoes at Katerini, at 25 cents per kilo, one-third of the market price.

The movement spread to the Aristotelian University of Thessaloniki, where Mr Christos Kamenides, professor of Agricultural Marketing, “organised a potato sale on campus with student volunteers”, which was a great success.

The movement for cheap potatoes spread southward to Athens and throughout Greece. The Potato Movement had, apparently, changed the food market, competition increased and potatoes that once sold for 75 cents per kilo, were then offered for 45 cents or even less.   Not much later, it was not only restricted to potatoes but also to other edible goods. 

The Potato Movement, also, changed Greek consumer values: as, independence from middlemen and other special interests, and dedication to solidarity and public benefit.   

(I wish to thank the BBC, Alexandra Saliba of the New Internationalist, John Psaropoulos of Al Jazeera and Wikipedia for the valuable information for this post)

Here are several recipes with potatoes, which I hope you will enjoy, Dear  Reader.

                                                    POTATO SOUP

8 medium-sized potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 large carrot, scraped and thinly sliced

2 tender celery stalks, trimmed

1 tbsp butter

1 ½ litre (6 cups) hot tasty chicken stock 

2 ½ x 2 ½ cm (1 x 1 inch) fresh ginger, peeled

½ litre (2 cups) milk

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

A good pinch of nutmeg

90 ml (3 fl oz) thick cream

2 tbsp finely chopped dill

Sauté the potatoes, carrot and celery stalks in butter for 15 minutes, stirring constantly.  Pour in the hot chicken stock, add the ginger and simmer gently for about 30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. 

Discard the ginger and celery stalks and purée the potatoes with a hand blender and then press them through a sieve back into the saucepan.   Pour in the milk and reheat slowly but do not boil.  Season with salt, freshly ground white pepper and a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg to taste. 

Serve in soup plates with a spoonful of cream and finely chopped dill.

                                      SCORDALIA - GARLIC SAUCE

In the Ionian Islands, garlic sauce is prepared with boiled potatoes.

6 garlic cloves, peeled

4 large, mealy potatoes, boiled in salted water, peeled and quartered

The juice of 1 lemon, strained

125 ml water

Salt

2 tbsp olive oil

Traditionally, scordalia was made with a mortar and pestle.  Evidently, it is easier and much quicker to prepare it in a food processor or a blender.

First, blend the garlic for a few seconds.  Add the warm potatoes, water and half the lemon juice and blend until smooth and velvety.  Taste and add more salt and lemon juice, if preferred.

Spoon into a bowl and sprinkle with olive oil.  

                                                  POTATO CHIPS

 A universal favourite, despite their unwholesome notoriety!    

800 g (1 lb 10 oz) Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and cut into finger-sized chips

Sunflower oil or corn oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Allow the chips to soak in a bowl of cold water for ½ an hour or more to release as much starch as possible.   Then place them in a saucepan with cold water and boil for 5-6 minutes, until they just start to soften, strain and pat thoroughly dry.

Pour corn oil or sunflower oil, 2 cm deep (less than an inch), in a frying pan, over medium heat.   Add the potatoes, in batches, and cook for 6-8 minutes until crisp and golden.  Drain on kitchen paper and season to taste.  

                                              JACKET POTATOES

The Perfect Jacket Potatoe

Here is the recipe for the very popular jacket potatoes.


4 large Desiree potatoes

Olive oil

Coarse salt

Butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wash and pat the potatoes thoroughly dry.  Prick the potatoes all over with a fork, then rub them with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Place on a tin and bake in an oven preheated to 190 C (375 F) for 1¾ - 2 hours.  

Cut a deep cross on top of each potato and squeeze with your fingers until the fluffy flesh oozes out.  The classical way to serve is to place a heaped teaspoon of butter on each potato and season with salt and pepper.   But you could also offer them with sour cream, thickly grated sharp Cheddar, and chopped crispy bacon. 

                                              MASHED POTATOES

When I was a child, one of my favourite suppers was a plate of comforting mashed potatoes with a poached egg.

600 g (2 oz) unpeeled potatoes

2 tbsp butter

A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

312.5 ml (1¼ cups) hot milk

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

Boil the unpeeled potatoes in salted water, strain and when cold enough to handle, peel and mash them smooth.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the mashed potatoes, sprinkle with grated nutmeg and stir with a wooden spoon, until very well combined.

Pour in the hot milk and cook and stir vigorously until the mashed potatoes are smooth and velvety.  Taste and season with more salt and nutmeg if necessary, and freshly ground white pepper to taste.  Serve in a hot bowl.

                           SMASHED POTATOES WITH CREAM AND SAGE

This is a lovely variation of mashed potatoes.

1 kg or more (2 lbs) mealy potatoes, peeled and sliced

Enough tasty vegetable stock to just cover

1 garlic clove or more if preferred, peeled

A sprig of sage

Salt

1 tbsp mild-tasting olive oil

250 ml (1 cup) or more cream

1 tbsp snipped chives

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Boil the potatoes, until tender, with all the ingredients except the cream, chives and black pepper.   This stage of the cooking can be done at an earlier stage.

Return the potatoes to the saucepan and heat, in order to remove any possible remaining moisture and discard the garlic and sage.   Pour in the cream, stir gently but thoroughly to combine and simmer for two minutes more.   Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.   Serve sprinkled with chives and freshly ground black pepper.

                                                POTATO SOUFFLE

 A different version of the usual dish.
   

3 large potatoes, boiled  in salted water, peeled and thickly sliced

150 g (5 oz) Gruyere or more, sliced

90 g (3 oz) Parmesan, finely grated, divided

 Béchamel Sauce:

4 tbsp butter

1 bay leaf

4 tbsp plain flour

A pinch of nutmeg

625 ml (2½ cups) hot milk

3 eggs, separated, yolks beaten, whites whipped to soft peaks with a pinch of salt

½ the grated Parmesan

Salt and white pepper to taste

A knob of butter

First, prepare the béchamel sauce.  Melt the butter, add the bay leaf, and sift in the flour and nutmeg, stirring for 3-4 minutes.  Then, add the hot milk in portions, stirring well after each addition, until the sauce bubbles and thickens.  Discard the bay leaf, stir in the grated Parmesan, then taste and season with salt, if necessary, and freshly grated white pepper.  Remove the saucepan from the stove to cool a little, and stir in the beaten egg yolks first, and then gently fold in the whipped egg whites, until no streaks are evident.

To assemble, arrange half the potato slices in a generously buttered Pyrex dish, place a slice of Gruyere over each potato slice and cover with half the béchamel.  Repeat the same procedure for the second layer, with the remaining ingredients.

Sprinkle evenly with the remaining Parmesan, dot with butter and bake in an oven preheated to180 C (350 F) for 35-40 minutes or until puffed and golden.   Serve immediately.

                                                 POTATO MOUSSAKA

2 kg (4 lb) potatoes, boiled in salted water, peeled and thickly sliced

2 tbsp melted butter

Minced meat sauce:

1 kg (2 lb) minced veal

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, peeled and grated

1 carrot, scraped and finely grated
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

250 ml (1 cup) white wine

375 ml (1½ cups) tomato juice

5 eggs, whipped with a tiny pinch of salt

1 cup grated Parmesan
A knob of butter

  

For the minced meat sauce, sauté the onion and carrot, in olive oil, until soft.   Add the minced meat, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and cook, stirring until it changes colour and becomes crumbly.

Pour in the wine and cook, over high heat, for 3-4 minutes until the alcohol evaporates.   Then add enough hot water to cover, and simmer gently until the meat is cooked and dry.  Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).

Arrange half the potato slices in a buttered Pyrex dish, spoon the minced meat evenly over and cover with the remaining potato slices.   Drizzle with tomato juice and the whipped eggs, sprinkle with Parmesan, dot with butter and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.  Serve cut into portions with a green salad.

                                                 POTATO TIMBALE

A delicious main or side dish.

2 kg (4 lb) potatoes, boiled in salted water, peeled and mashed

5 eggs, whipped

375 ml (1 1/2  cup) milk or more

150 g (5 oz) finely grated Parmesan

2 tbsp. butter
Freshly ground white pepper
A little salt
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Filling:

1 kg (2 lb) champignon mushrooms, trimmed and finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 

1 tbsp olive oil

250 ml (1 cup) white wine

½ cup chopped parsley

Egg wash
Grated Parmesan for the top

Mix the mashed potatoes with the whipped eggs, milk, grated Parmesan, butter, freshly ground white pepper, a pinch of nutmeg and a little salt, if necessary, until very well combined.

Sauté the chopped mushroom and garlic in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.   Drizzle with wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cooking liquid is absorbed and the mushrooms are tender.   Taste and season accordingly and stir in the parsley.

Place half the mashed potato mixture in a buttered mould, spoon in the chopped mushrooms evenly over, cover with the remaining potatoes, brush with egg wash and sprinkle with cheese.  Bake in an oven, preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 25-30 minutes until puffed and golden.

                            POTATOES AND MUSHROOMS AU GRATIN

A side dish that will delight your family and friends.

62½ (¼ cup) olive oil

3 large leeks, white parts only, finely chopped

1½ kg (3 lb) mushrooms, finely sliced

3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1½ kg (3 lb) potatoes, peeled and sliced and soaked in cold water

500 ml (2 cups) thick cream

1 tsp salt and

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 cup Gruyere cheese, thickly grated

Sauté the leeks in olive oil, over medium heat, until soft and dry.  Add the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and pepper and sauté for 7-8 minutes until soft and dry.   Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more.  Taste and season with more salt and pepper, if necessary, and set aside.  This part of the cooking could be prepared hours ahead.

Preheat oven to 190 C (375 F).  Pat the potatoes slices dry with a kitchen towel.   Combine cream, salt and pepper in a large saucepan, add the potatoes and bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Lower the heat and continue cooking very gently until the cream has been reduced by half and the potatoes are partially cooked. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place half the potato mixture in a buttered pyrex dish and even the surface.   Spoon the mushrooms evenly over, cover with the remaining potatoes and sprinkle with cheese.   Cover loosely with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes.   Uncover the dish and bake for 10-12 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden brown.

                             SWEET POTATO CAKE WITH COCOA  AND RUM

Sweet Potato Cake with Cream Cheese Icing

1 ¼ kg (2 ½ lb) sweet potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed

312 g (10.4 oz) sugar

2 tbsp butter

Vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon powder

2 tbsp cocoa powder

4 eggs, separated, whites whipped to soft peaks with a pinch of salt

125 ml (½ cup) milk

1 liqueur glass rum

1 tsp baking powder

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).    Line the base of a shallow, round cake tin with buttered baking parchment and, also, butter the sides of the tin.

Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.   Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Then stir in the milk, cinnamon, rum and baking powder.  Add the mashed potatoes and mix very well together.   Stir in ¼ of the whipped egg whites to soften the batter a little, then very, very gently fold in the remaining egg whites.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Serve with whipped cream or with any icing of your choice.  

Bouquet of Sunflowers by Claude Monet