Last time you went to the grocery, you couldn't resist buying the 15-lb bag of potatoes, sale priced at $1.99. Now you've got them home and wonder what got into you. How can you use up so many potatoes before they start sprouting? Here are enough ideas to make use of your bargain before any waste occurs. So let's get right to emptying that bag.
There are ways to prepare potato recipes as partial do-aheads. Freezing cooked potatoes can be accomplished without any problems with a mushy texture in your finished dish. You just need the right technique, as noted below.
Au gratins are a great side for a special dinner. You can prepare this potato recipe to the point of ready-to-serve before popping it in the freezer for future use. There will be a slight degradation of texture in the potatoes and cheese, but not enough to fuss over. Just be sure the potaoes are completely covered with the cheese sauce. This helps to maintain the desired bite in your potatoes. Alternatively, you can slice your potatoes and freeze in gallon size bags with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in enough water to encase the potatoes. When you're ready, defrost and drain the potatoes and proceed with your au gratin potato recipe.
Baked potatoes do not freeze satisfactorily, but take just minutes in the microwave. There are so many add-ons for the gourmet baked potato, this dish never runs the risk of boring your palate. Add cheese, chives, green onions, bacon, sauteed mushrooms or sour cream and you've got a meal in a single dish.
Mashed potatoes are time-consuming for a busy weekday cook's schedule. Here's a way to get the bulk of the work done ahead of time. Cook and mash your potatoes, but don't add the milk. Melt enough butter to coat the bottom and sides of your freezer container. Fill with the mashed potatoes and flatten with a fork to squeeze out air. Top off with enough melted butter to seal out air on the top, then freeze. For a quick dish of mashed potatoes, simply defrost, heat and whip in your milk.
Roasted potato recipes require little time and effort to prepare on the spot. You needn't even peel them. Cut in wedges, season and cook. If cooking with a roast, just toss them around the meat.
Fried potato recipes can be do-aheads, using the lemon-water freezing technique. The peeling and slicing tasks constitute the majority of time. Freezing preserves your bounty and saves prep time later.
Potato recipes for soup, stew and potato salad dishes provide yet another use for the potato. Again, use the lemon-water freezing technique to save yourself some prep time and make use of all those potatoes.
Now you can brag to the family about your smart purchase!
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