Potatoes!!

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

My mom's done a similar recipie, but with a bit of mustard thrown in, and potato chunks, not hash brown.

Gratting raw potatoe could work, but judging by Nigel's warning, I'd say cook them a bit first.
(microwave 1/2 way, bake, or shred and boild in a bit of water first maybe?)

Yes, you'd have to do something like partially-cook the potatoes before grating or something, otherwise they come out black and gummy.

[Richter]

Black? 
Damn.

I apologize for ever taking your warnings lightly.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

 

Yeah, it was kind of a surprise for me, and added a truly funereal effect to the potatoes. My friends weren't all that into it though.

[Richter]

Must've been a cremation.

[BADGE OF HONOR]

nuke em.

scrub them well, to get the mud off, cut a cross in them, and nuke them for a couple of minutes (remember that nuking time is linearly proportional to the volume of stuff in the microwave, so two potatoes take twice as long).

now comes the important bit, potatoes never cook evenly in the microwave (i tried at all different settings before i figured this out--trust me it's impossible), so you gotta let them post-cook for a while. i got best results when wrapping them in alu foil and waiting 10 minutes or so. but a friend told me recently that if you don't want to be wasteful, you can just let them rest folded up in a dishcloth as well.

use this extra time to create a nice cream of sour cream, chives, garlic, salt and pepper. and possibly yoghurt. or olive oil. or whatever.

--

also, mashing: peel the potatoes, cut them up into little pieces, put in a bowl with half a cup of water, cover the bowl and nuke it. drain the water, add garlic, milk, chives, butter, salt and pepper, possibly grated cheese too, and stir it with a fork until it's completely smooth.

You can cook potatoes in the microwave by wrapping them in plastic wrap (but don't forget to punch a few holes or it will explode!)

[Jenne]

One shortcut I learned a while back is just to pour salad dressing on sliced potatoes (skins ON) laid out on a cookie sheet and bake them.  Make sure you toss them pretty good in the dressing.

They turn out nums that way, too.

[AFK]

btw, for you American spags, don't waste your time with low-grade Idaho potatoes.  Maine potatoes are much, much better quality. 

RWHN,
-former potato picker

[BADGE OF HONOR]

Picker?  Don't you dig up potatoes?

[AFK]

Well, when I was a kid, it was still done by hand on some farms.  I also worked on a Potato Harvester where they are dug up. 

[Iason Ouabache]

Taters!!!  http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/taters

[silentaether]

potatoes, cut into discs
aubergine or cougettes or both, cut into strips
some cream
a dollop of passata di pomodoro, or make your own (garlic, small onion, tomatoes, red wine, basil, lick of chili)- it's good if you burn it a little
a good elbow of cheese (provolone, fontina, gruyere, etc. whatever you have) cubed
a load of parmesan
olive oil
salt and pepper
pinch of mace

peel potatoes them and chop into discs, parboil in water
slice courgettes/aubergines and grill them coat them in olive oil while the potatoes boil
put in an oven proof dish with potatoes
loosely mix warmed passata and cream, and mix in lots of the cheese.
salt and pepper
coat with a load of parmesan
oven cook for a while

you can add meat if you like, leftover chicken, bacon, whatever. i make it with not much passata but some people make it with loads. i like it with cream in. maybe burnt mushrooms. it's kind of a parmigiana/gratin hybrid.


also, if you have lots of garlic and some facepunch red wine i suggest you make garlic mash by roasting some bulbs and squeezing garlic, cheddar, cream or milk and butter, cabbage into the mash. also if you fry some loosely cut onions cooked in oil and smoked paprika and throw them in too it is nice.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

That sounds fucking fantastic, I will try it!

[Cramulus]

[AFK]

suddenly....must.....eat......po.....ta......toes.........

[Cramulus]

fry 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew?