Patatas / Potatoes
Potatoes are the fourth largest food crop in the world, with close to 5000 known potato varieties worldwide that are used in nearly all culinary cuisines, including
Spanish cuisine. Potatoes are often referred to as Irish Potatoes or white potatoes in order to distinguish them from the sweet potato.
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Potato varieties are identified by their main characteristics and are categorized into a few main groups, such as russets, reds, whites, yellows (referred to as Yukons or Yukon Golds) and purples. For culinary purposes, potato varieties are often described in terms of their waxiness. Floury or mealy (baking) potatoes have more starch than the waxy (boiling) potatoes.
A few potato tips . ..
Potatoes should be washed when you are ready to use them. Washing them before storing them can increase the development of decay.
Potatoes do not refrigerate or freeze well, as it changes the potatoes’ starch into sugar and alters the taste of the potatoes, which causes flesh to darken when cooked.
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Russet Potato
The russet potato was developed by Luther Burbank in Massachusetts in the early 1870s. It is the most common potato variety grown in Idaho state, and is most known for its russet colored skin, and it’s the variety most often used by fast-food restaurants for making French fries.
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Red Potato
Red potatoes are considered by many to be the perfect choice for soups and potato chips because of their firmness and texture. In addition, the natural pigmentation of red potatoes makes them a favorite among cooks everywhere who want to add a little color and pizzazz to their dishes. Red potatoes are usually available year-round in most regions.
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White Potato
While Americans are accustomed to potatoes with white flesh inside, potatoes in other parts of the world more commonly have starchy yellow flesh. In the U.S. we call potatoes with yellow insides “specialty potatoes”, but in other parts of the world they are the norm rather than the exception. And while white potatoes provide several essential vitamins and minerals, all colorful potatoes provide high levels of carotenoids and some flavonoids that white potatoes do not provide. White potatoes can range from white to creamy white skin and inside flesh.
- Yellow Potato / Yukon Gold
Yellow potatoes (often referred to as Yukon Gold) are characterized by smooth skin and yellow tinted flesh. They were developed in the 1960s by G.R. Johnston and R.G. Rowberry in Ontario, Canada at the University of Guelph. The official cross was completed in 1966, but the Yukon Gold was not released into the market until 1980. Unlike some other potato varieties, the Yukon Golds hold up equally well to both wet heat and dry heat cooking methods. The name ‘yukon’ was selected for the Yukon River and gold rush country in northern Canada, as the developers felt it was an apropos name for the gold tinted tuber.
– Purple Potato / Blue Potato
Purple potatoes are available year-round in most parts of the world, though availability peeks mid-winter into spring. Unlike white potatoes, purple potatoes are quite rich in antioxidants. Purple varieties have deep violet ink-colored skin and flesh and depending on variety, their coloring can be opaque or marble throughout the flesh. Colors vary from purple to violet to blue, and they are often small “fingerling” varieties with a dry, earthy, nutty flavor. Always boil purple or blue potatoes separately from white or yellow potatoes because the boiling water will become tinted purple which will, in turn, tint white or yellow potatoes a deep shade of purple. It won’t alter the taste of the potatoes, but many consider the white potatoes to be rather unappealing after being tinted purple.
Cooking
Potatoes are versatile in that they can be prepared in a variety of ways, such as skin-on, peeled, whole, sliced, with or without seasonings. They can be boiled (and then often mashed), baked, boiled, steamed, microwaved, fried, French-fried, deep-fried, roasted, scalloped, diced or grated and prepared as hash browns, grated and formed into dumplings, and rosti (potato pancakes).
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Potatoes are excellent as a side dish, or added to soups and stews, casseroles, omelets and frittatas, meat or vegetable casseroles, and a variety of other dishes.
Some of the most popular Spanish dishes containing potatoes include :
Papas arrugadas - wrinkly potatoes from the Canary Islands region
Tortilla de patatas - potato omelet popular in most regions throughout Spain
Patatas bravas - fried potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce popular throughout Spain
Marmitako - a Basque stew containing potatoes, onions, pimientos and tomatoes
Zarangolla - scrambled eggs with potatoes, onion zucchini, popular in the Murcian countryside
Tumbet - a Catalonian dish consisting of layers of sliced potatoes, eggplant and red bell peppers
Cocido Madrileno - chickpea-based stew from Madrid containing potatoes, meat and vegetables
In addition to cooking spuds, potatoes are also used to brew alcoholoic beverages such as vodka and akavit. Also, residents in India have long used potato skins and honey as a folk remedy for burns.
Health Benefits
Potatoes are dense in terms of nutritional benefit and are excellent sources of many vitamins and minerals. The only two vitamins not provided by potatoes are vitamins A and D.
~ In terms of nutrition, potatoes are best known for carbohydrate content, which is in the form of starch. They are broadly classified as fairly high on the glycemic index and so are often excluded from nutrition plans that follow a low GI diet.
Potatoes are often considered by the U.S. National Health Service to not count toward the recommended five portions daily of fruit and vegetable servings for average dietary needs.
………………………………….…………………….Tag Game
We have selected an array of
Spanish recipes from our database that include
potatoes as an ingredient. You are free to tag one of the recipes we found, or you are free to pick any other recipe in the database that includes any variety of
potato. And there is no limit; you can tag as many recipes as you can make before the end of the month.
Featured Recipes ~ Potatoes
Basque Style Potatoes ~ by
fraffeetee
This spicy 5-star dish is easy to prepare and can accommodate almost any schedule as it can be oven roasted or in a cooked in skillet on your stovetop.
Tortilla De Patata (Spanish Potato & Onion Omelet) ~ by
Helenic Hottie
The hallmark of this traditional Spanish dish is the fresh ingredients and flavorful spices.
Pisto (Spanish Vegetable Stir-Fry) ~ by
Nasseh
This is a classic dish served in a variety of regions in Spain, and this 5-Star version will surely delight your taste buds.
Tapas and Snacks
Potatoes Tapas in Garlic Mayonnaise (Potatoes Aioli)
Spanish Tapas Potatoes in Garlic Mayonnaise
Cod & Potato Tapas
Patatas Payesa
Patatas Bravasi
Garlic Thyme Potato Tapas
Desayuno / Breakfast Dishes
Tortilla Espa�ola (Spanish Potato Omelette)
Spanish Fried Eggs With Potatoes and Chorizo (Huevos Fritos Con
Tortilla Espanola (Traditional Spanish Potato Omelete).
Spanish Omelet
Spanish Tortilla (Lighter Version)
Spanish Spinach Omelette
Main Dishes
Baked Fish With Potatoes, Onions, Saffron and Paprika
Spanish Chicken With Chorizo and Potatoes
Pepper and Potato Tortilla
Potato and Leek Frittata
Slow Cooker Chicken With Olives
Arroz Al Horno (Baked Spanish Rice)
Side Dishes
Patatas Bravas - Potatoes for the Brave, Spanish Style!
Spanish Potatoes
Basque-Style Potatoes
Patatas Bravas - Brave Spanish Potatoes
Basque Potatoes
Spanish-Style Oven Fries
Sopas / Soups
Canary Island Cilantro Soup
Creamy Zucchini Soup
Potato and Baby Squid Stew
Sausage and Potato Stew With Saffron
Crock Pot Spanish Inspired Beef Stew
Pea Soup With Chorizo and Chipotle Peppers
Ensaladas / Salads
Ensaladilla Rusa - Spanish Potato Salad
Delicious Garlic and Tuna Potato Salad
Spanish Chicken Salad
Spanish Potato Salad
Salad "andalucia"
Spanish-Style Potato Salad
NorthwestGal
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Sharon123
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