Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Ode to the Potato

Oh Potato, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways: You are creamy yet firm. Soft but crisp. Brilliantly accompanied by both butter and garlic. Can be mashed or roasted. Oh how you fill my dreams and dazzle my tastebuds. May there never be a day without you dearest, oh dearest, potato.

Holy jeez do I love potatoes! I never grew up eating potatoes, as they were a dreaded white starch that supposedly provided no nutritional value along with unwanted weight gain. I remember a visit to my cousins' house where I stood in shock as they lovingly whipped together mashed potatoes. "Mashed potatoes?", I thought. "They must really have no care for their health at all!" What a little judgemental snit I was. I was completely misinformed and always looking for the newest "health danger" to avoid. From a very early age I was obsessed with food and its consequences, both good and bad. I was also terribly impressionable so whatever I heard I took as fact. Years later, while working my first receptionist job at the local Fantastic Sams (yes, I know!) I stopped eating carrots because I overheard a stylist say, "You know, carrots are totally loaded with sugar. And sugar makes you fat!" I should have questioned the information, knowing this was the same woman who downed diet coke and a Slim Fast bar every day for lunch. But no. She had said the dreaded F-A-T word and that's all I needed to hear.

Fast forward 13 years to find myself eating my own potato-bashing words. So let's just clear the air once and for all. Potatoes are a healthy food. That's right, I said it! They are a great source of vitamin C and also contain beneficial amounts of vitamin b6, potassium and fiber. So what about the information that potatoes are a high glycemic index food and can raise insulin levels? As it turns out, if potatoes are eating along side other foods that are high in fiber and contain a bit of protein and good fat, insulin levels stay calm. AMAZING! We must also remember that not all potato dishes are created equal. There is quite a difference between potatoes au gratin and a baked or roasted potato with a bit of organic butter. Some dishes are certainly a better choice than others so we must consider how the potatoes are prepared.



So here is my favorite roasted potato recipe. I've also recently discovered heirloom potatoes that are seriously, directly from heaven. Just like the divine nature of an heirloom tomato, these potatoes provide the quintessential potato experience; starchy, flaky, and just a tad sweet. So where can you can get these potatoes? From Little Farm that comes to the Berkeley Tuesday Farmer's Market, the Ferry Building Saturday Market, and the Temescal Sunday Market. Can you tell I'm their new stalker?




Perfectly Roasted Potatoes
Serves 2-3

2 pounds heirloom or organic roasting potatoes, washed and quartered
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbs. fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. sea salt

Place a cast iron skillet into the oven and preheat it to 415 degrees. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Transfer the quartered potato into the pot with a pinch a slat and allow to cooking for 5-7 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them cook for a few minutes.

Toss the potatoes with garlic, rosemary, olive oil and sea salt and transfer to the hot pan in the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes, making sure to turn the potatoes every 10 minutes or so. Potaotes are down when they have a nice crisp exterior. Enjoy!

9 comments:

  1. I love potatoes as well and your blog in general. Will you post more episodes of FIX MY FOOD? I learned so much watching it.
    All the best to you
    Rosy

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  2. I love potatoes and your blog in general. Will you post more episodes of FIX MY FOOD ? I learned so much watching it.
    All the best to you
    Susan

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh how I love Jamie 2.0! When I made roasted potatoes at your bachelorette party, I never thought I would see the day when you would be singing the praise of the potato, but I am so happy that I was wrong!
    See you soon!
    Kate

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  4. yum! i love potatoes too -they're just so perfect :)

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  5. Great post. Thanks for sharing.

    I must admit that I, too, love potatoes and despite what Walter Willett, MD says about them I think that they're good-for-you food. I have spoken with one of the foremost experts on the glycemic index who assures me that eating potatoes with other foods makes them fine to eat. I love my potatoes many different ways.

    So sad to find out that there are no more purple Peruvian potatoes at my farmer's market for the year. I would have stocked up a bit more. As it was I was out of potatoes last Friday so had to thicken a soup with brown rice instead. Boo hoo.

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  6. Veggie Queen, I completely agree! I think all whole vegetables need to be on the eat list. People have been eating potatoes for centuries without negative health effects. And yes, eating potatoes with other fibrous foods and good fats is the best way to enjoy them.

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  7. I'm with Suzanne, I loved 'Fix My Food' and would like to see more episodes. Love the blog also!

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  8. Well, you two are in luck! The latest episode of Fix My Food is now at www.jamieliving.com. Scroll down to the bottom of the home page and you will see episode 3. Enjoy!

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