European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 13, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                By Irene Kraft the Allentown morning Call As Couch potatoes across the nation begin to stir from the deep cushions of their favorite Winter cocooning spots they May find themselves craving the very food from which their less than flattering nickname was coined. Their reasons Are about As Basic As the vegetable itself potatoes Are among the most comforting foods. They re tasty filling go Down easy and often take our minds Back to dishes we enjoyed during the less complicated Days of our youth. In a time when americans Are placing a greater emphasis on enjoying the comforts of Home the Humble potato has become trendy taking Center stage on Home dinner plates and restaurant menus. In fact to lure patrons off their sofas and into gourmet Magazine. They be become so trendy new York s famous four seasons restaurant offers a Quot perfectly baked Quot potato grilled and simply brushed with Oil for a not so easy to digest Price a $8. Clark Wolf a new York based food consultant and trend spotter predicts the popularity of the potato will continue through the 90s."people will be eating meat loaf roasts and potatoes potatoes potatoes a from mashed to baked Quot he said. Potato peels away its bad reputation restaurants eating establishments Are serving potatoes not Only As traditional Side dishes people love but also As innovative main courses. They Are being Quot wrapped Quot around fish and poultry mashed with garlic and stuffed with sirloin and Goat cheese by chefs in some of the Best known restaurants. Among those restaurateurs is Charlie Trotter who owns a Chicago restaurant that bears his name. Recently Trotter offered a menu composed entirely of potatoes with selections from appetizers to entrees to desserts. So innovative were his creations that he was invited to prepare the same menu at the James Beard House in new York often referred to As Quot the Carnegie Hall of the food  Trotters reason for experimenting with potato dishes was simple he likes them. And he is not alone. Potato consumption in the United states is the highest in 20 years according to the . Department of agriculture. The potato is the second most consumed food in the nation after milk products. The average american eats about 124 pounds of potatoes a year enjoying them at one in every three meals. On average each of us eats 50 pounds of fresh potatoes 44 pounds of Frozen potatoes 18 pounds of potato chips and 12 pounds of canned and dehydrated potatoes annually. Potatoes have become so fashionable that they were featured on the cover of contributing to the popularity of the potato now deemed America s favorite vegetable is the peeling away of an erroneously unfavourable image. Once viewed As starchy fattening food potatoes now Are recognized for their nutritional value. Packed with vitamins and minerals they Are Low in fat 0 Grams and calories 110 per medium sized Spud and Are Good sources of fiber and Complex carbohydrates the body s Best source of Energy. The National potato Board offers the following recipes it Hopes will tempt Couch potatoes to venture into their kitchens to whip up dishes that May provide More deep seated Comfort than their sofas. Perfect garlic mashed potatoes 1 Pound 4 medium potatoes 1 cup milk 2 Tablespoons butter or Margarine 3 cloves garlic minced Salt and Pepper to taste chopped Parsley for Garnish in microwave oven Cook potatoes on High for 13 minutes. Halve Lengthwise scoop out pulp into medium microwave Safe bowl. Mash potatoes with potato Masher or beat with electric hand mixer Reserve. Place milk butter and garlic in Small microwave Safe bowl. Microwave on High for 2 minutes. Thoroughly mix into potato pulp. Mix in additional milk to reach desired consistency. Season with Salt and Pepper. Heat in microwave on High for 1 minute. Sprinkle with Parsley serve immediately. Makes 4 Servings. Note cooking times Are based on 700-Watt by Joan Drake the los Angeles times when it comes to mashed potatoes there is Little consensus about what is Correct. The answers to questions such As the Best utensil to use for mashing the spuds and whether they should or should not have lumps Are strictly a matter of personal preference what does make a difference however is the variety used for mashing. Of the two Basic types of potatoes a waxy and mealy sometimes termed non waxy a the latter is Best suited for mashing because of its Low sugar and High starch Content. If placed in a solution of 1 Pound of Salt in 1 gallon of water waxy potatoes will float while denser mealy potatoes will sink to the Bottom. Unfortunately this is a rot a very practical test to conduct while shopping so generally speaking rely on the thick skinned potatoes such As russet to be mealy. Select potatoes that Are firm free from Large cuts growth cracks and sprouting eyes. Avoid any with Green tinged skins. According to the whole potato Catalon a publication of the potato Board potatoes to be mashed May first be either boiled or steamed. To boil. In a heavy Saucepan with tight fitting lid Cook potatoes in about 1 Inch of boiling salted water until Fork tender. Whole 30-40 minutes Cut up 20-25 minutes. If lid does t fit tightly water May boil away so Check occasionally and add More water if necessary to steam place wire rack on Bottom of a Kettle or Large Saucepan and add water to just below the level of the rack. Bring the water to a boil add potatoes and Cook tightly covered until Fork tender. Whole 30-45 minutes Cut up 20-30 minutes. Check occasionally to see if water should be a added if lid is not tight fitting most people prefer to Peel potatoes before cooking however this step can be done afterwards or when using a Ricer May be eliminated to save time. During boiling chunks of mealy varieties tend to Slough off and the potatoes lose their shape. Once cooked boiled potatoes should be drained Well before mashing. Milk evaporated milk half and half or Cream May be used when mashing potatoes. Whatever the Choice it should be heated adding cold liquid cools the potatoes and tends to make them Gummy. The More liquid used the creamier and thinner the end product. The amount needed also varies depending on the potatoes soil climate and fertilizer used during growth All have their effects. Softened butter or Margarine Salt and Pepper Are optional additions. Use a potato Masher electric mixer or Ricer to Mash the potatoes. Following Are techniques for using each device. Potato Masher press the tool into the potatoes in a downward motion forcing them through the cutting Grid. Gradually add milk butter and Salt and Pepper to taste  with the potato Masher microwave oven. Conventional stove top method Peel and cube potatoes. In a heavy Saucepan with tight fitting lid Cook potatoes in a few inches of boiling salted water until Fork tender about 20 minutes. Then Drain potatoes Mash potatoes with potato Masher or beat with electric hand mixer. Mix in milk butter and garlic. Mix in additional milk to reach desired consistency. Season with Salt and Pepper. Sprinkle with Parsley serve immediately. Makes 4 Servings. Potato and Ham microwave Scallop a Pound 2 medium potatoes thinly sliced 6 Ops. Ham or Canadian Bacon thinly sliced 3 Tablespoons chopped onion 1 Tablespoon flour 1a Teaspoon Pepper vib to a Teaspoon Salt 3 Tablespoons shredded Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup skim milk line Bottom of greased 5 to 6-cup shallow round microwave Ovenproof dish with one third of the onion. Mix flour Pepper and Salt Sprinkle one third Over ingredients in dish. Repeat layers two More times. Top with cheese pour milk Over All. Cover with plastic wrap venting one Side. Microwave on High 4 minutes. Rotate a Quarter turn microwave on High 2 minutes. Remove plastic wrap microwave on High 2 to 4 minutes longer until potatoes Are tender. Place under broiler about 2 minutes to Brown lightly. Makes 2 main dish Servings. Note cooking times Are based on 700-Watt microwave oven. Three was potato soup 11/4 Pound about 4 medium potatoes 1 Tablespoon butter or Margarine 1 cup chopped onion 2v2 cups Boling water 2 Chicken Bouillon cubes 2 Tablespoons chopped Parsley Pepper to taste Peel potatoes and Cut into Inch cubes set aside. In 2 to 3-quart Saucepan melt butter. Add onion saute for 5 minutes. Add potatoes water and Bouillon. Cover bring to boil reduce heat to medium and Cook just until potatoes Arp tender about 15 minutes. Remove 1 cup of the potato cubes with a slotted spoon set aside. Pour contents of Saucepan into Container of electric blender. Holding lid on securely blend until smooth return to Saucepan Lynix in reserved potatoes and the Parsley. Season with Salt and Pepper. Heat through. Makes 4 Servings about 41/> cups. Fork or wire whisk until Light and Fluffy. Electric mixer begin by mashing the potatoes slightly with the stationary beaters. Turn the mixer on Low Speed and whip to the desired consistency gradually adding milk butter and Salt and Pepper to taste. Ricer place the boiled potatoes in the perforated Cylinder then squeeze the Long handles together to Force the contents through the Ricer holes. Let the Rice like pieces Mound in the serving dish. Gradually add milk butter and Salt and Pepper to taste and beat the potatoes with a Fork spoon or wire whisk until Light and Fluffy. Most sources agree that mashed potatoes Are Best served immediately. If they must be held spoon into a buttered casserole and smooth a Light film of Cream Over the top. Keep warm in an oven heated to 250 degrees. Another technique is to set the pan of finished potatoes in a larger one of hot water. Cover with a Towel to absorb the steam. Seeking a spicy dish this Spud s for you by Sherrie Ruhl the Baltimore evening Sun potatoes Are the Star in this one dish meal with South american overtones the potato Board is offering a free brochure with six recipes from around the world. Send a stamped self addressed business size envelope to the celebrated potato 1385 South Colorado Boulevard suite 512, Denver Colo. 80222. South american potato Platter 6 cups Chicken Broth 2 pounds potatoes Cut into 1-Inch chunks 2 Lemons halved 3 fresh or canned Jalapeno peppers quartered Lengthwise 1 Tablespoon ground cumin. 1/2 Pound Boneless skinless Chicken breasts 1 Small Bunch Cilantro Salsa 2 cups diced tomatoes a cup fresh or canned diced mild Green Chiles 1 Tablespoon chopped Cilantro. 1 Tablespoon White wine vinegar a Teaspoon each Salt and Pepper to prepare potatoes and Chicken in Largo Saucepan or dutch oven Combine Broth potatoes Lemons Jalapeno peppers and cumin. Bring to boil reduce heat and simmer 8 minutes. Add Chicken simmer about 7 minutes until potatoes Are tender and Chicken is cooked. Remove from heat Odd Cilantro Bunch to Saucepan. Cool potatoes and Chicken in Broth 30 minutes. Meanwhile make Salsa. In Small bowl Combine remaining ingredients. Drain potatoes and Chicken reserving 1 cup Broth. To assemble Mound potatoes in Center of Large Platter shred Chicken and arrange on Platter. Pour  cup Broth Over potatoes serve remaining sauce on the Side arrange accompaniments on Platter. Accompaniments can include any of the following three hard cooked eggs quartered one red Bell Pepper Julienne 1 cup pimiento stuffed Green olives six whole Green onions crumbled feta cheese raisins peanuts sour Cream and Tortilla chips. Serve immediately with Salsa on the Side. Serves 4 to 6. Cheddar potato Broccoli soup 1 Tablespoon butter 1 cup chopped onion a pounds potatoes peeled and Cut into a Inch cubes 2vi cups boiling water 2 Chicken Bouillon cubes 10 ounces Frozen Broccoli cuts thawed and drained 6 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese Salt and Pepper to taste in 2 to 3-quart Saucepan melt butter add onion saute 5 minutes. Add potatoes water and Bouillon cover bring to boil reduce heat to medium and Cook just until potatoes Are tender about 15 minutes. Remove 1 cup of potato cubes with a slotted spoon set aside. Pour contents of Saucepan into Container of electric blender blend until smooth return to Saucepan. Mix in incurred potatoes and Broccoli. Over medium Low he. It gradually add cheese stirring until heated through and cheese is completely melted. Season serves 4 with a potato mashing tool push Down forcing pulp through the cutting Grid. If using a Ricer add boiled potatoes and then squeeze handles until Rice sized pieces Are formed. The lot Angelot Timet Mash with the stationary beaters then turn on Low Speed and beat to desired consistency. Page 14 the stars and stripes Friday March 13, 1992 the stars and stripes Page 15