Ah yes, the humble potato. Originally from the Andes of south America, this Nightshade has become a staple of cooking pretty much everywhere. Here are five easy recipes to prove the versatility of these powerful tubers.
1. Breakfast Burritos.
The first of our easy recipes is a breakfast dish. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, a lesson i’ve had to relearn many times. However, these easy and delicious burritos will help you get your day started right, and have decent room for modification.
Ingredients:
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and grated
1 lb breakfast sausage, ground (not links)
6 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1 bunch green onions, white and green parts, chopped
6 large flour tortillas
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
2 avocados, sliced
salsa
fresh cilantro
Directions:
Using a cheesecloth remove as much water from grated potatoes as possible. You may have to twist the cloth very hard. (This step is crucial to achieving extra crispy potatoes.)
In a large skillet brown breakfast sausage over medium heat until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove meat from the skillet and set aside. In the same skillet add in the eggs and season with ½ tsp salt and pepper. Using a rubber spatula stir the eggs slowly but frequently until cooked through. Once cooked remove from skillet and set aside along with sausage.
In the same pan add olive oil and bring heat to medium/high. Add in potatoes spreading out evenly on the surface of the skillet. Season with remaining salt and pepper. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes before stirring/flipping potatoes. Continue doing this every 2-3 minutes until potatoes are slightly crispy and cooked through. Add in green onions along with sausage and eggs and stir until mixture is combine. Remove from heat.
Preheat oven to a low broil.
Working with one tortilla at a time place ½-¾ cup sausage mixture in the middle of the tortilla. Top with ⅓ cup cheese, avocado slices, salsa and cilantro. Carefully roll up the burritos, tucking in the corners. Repeat with remaining tortillas. Line burritos on a baking sheet and place in oven. Remove once tortillas are just golden and serve hot!
2. No-Noodle Pad Thai.
For the second of our easy recipes, I’m going to admit that I’m cheating a little, because this one calls for sweet potatoes, which are not actually potatoes. But when it comes to easy recipes like this one, it’s close enough. If you don’t have a spiralizer, you might want to skip this one.
Ingredients (Pad Thai):
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 small sweet potato, peeled and spiralized
1 cup shredded carrots
2 eggs
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
2 scallion, thinly sliced
2 lime wedges
1 cup Pad Thai Dressing
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 cups shredded chicken breast
Ingredients (Sauce):
3/4 cup almond butter
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 tbsp raw honey
1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp coconut aminos or tamari
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp grated ginger
1 tbsp white vinegar
1/2 lime, juiced
1 tsp red curry paste
1/2 tsp salt
Directions:
Blend All Sauce ingredients in a food processor until smooth to make sauce.
In a large skillet, warm the sesame oil over medium heat. Add the sweet potato and carrot and toss until coated. Continue cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring often.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg. Using a spoon move the noodles to the side to create a “hole” in the center of the sweet potatoes. Gently pour the whisked egg into the hole. Allow to set for 30 seconds, then gently stir the egg until cooked through, about one minute. Combine the egg, with the vegetable noodles.
Add chicken and Pad Thai Dressing to the vegetable noodle mixture. Serve hot topped with cilantro, scallions, slivered almonds and lime wedge.
3. Twice-Baked Potatoes.
Number 3 on our list of easy recipes is a novel concept, at least to me. You bake a potato and just… bake it again. It’s genius, as far as easy recipes go. The idea’s been around for a while, but I guess I was just never exposed to it until somewhat recently.
Ingredients:
8 baking potatoes, washed
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 sticks salted butter
1 cup bacon bits (fry your own!)
1 cup sour cream
1 cup Cheddar or Jack cheese (or a mix of both), plus more for topping
1 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons seasoned salt
3 green onions, sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the potatoes on a baking sheet. Rub them with the canola oil and bake for 1 hour, making sure they’re sufficiently cooked through.
Slice the butter into pats. Place in a large mixing bowl and add the bacon bits and sour cream. Remove the potatoes from the oven. Lower the heat to 350 degrees F.
With a sharp knife, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Scrape out the insides into the mixing bowl, being careful not to tear the shell. Leave a small rim of potato intact for support. Lay the hollowed out potato shells on a baking sheet.
Smash the potatoes into the butter, bacon and sour cream. Add the cheese, milk, seasoned salt, green onions and black pepper to taste and mix together well. (IMPORTANT: If you plan to freeze the twice-baked potatoes, do NOT add the green onions.)
Fill the potato shells with the filling. I like to fill the shells so they look abundant and heaping. Top each potato with a little more grated cheese and pop ’em in the oven until the potato is warmed through, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Beef Empanadas.
The second to last of our easy recipes is a classic, perfect for all ages. Empanadas. For the sake of keeping these easy recipes easy, this one uses store-bought empanada dough. If you can make your own dough, so much the better.
1 large russet potato, peeled, diced into 1/4 inch cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 lb ground beef
1/2 medium onion, grated
1 small carrot, grated
1 rib of celery, finely minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup beef broth
1/2 cup peas
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Directions:
Fill a medium size pot ¾ full with water and bring to a boil. Add the cubed potato to the pot and boil until tender, about 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet set over medium, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the ground beef along with the onions, celery and carrots. Cook until the beef is browned and vegetables are softened, about 8 minutes. Once potatoes are cooked, drain and add them to the ground beef mixture.
Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and beef broth, cook 1 minute longer until spices are fragrant. Add and peas and simmer over medium heat until everything is fully incorporated and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Season with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 375°F and place rack into the center of the oven.
Remove dough from refrigerator and divide it into 10 equal part—roughly 2.2 oz each. Roll each piece of dough very thin on a lightly floured surface until you have a circle roughly 7” wide. Working with one at a time add a heaping ⅓ cup of filling onto one side of the dough.
In a small bowl, mix together the beaten egg with 1 tablespoon of water. Wet a pastry brush with egg wash and dampen the inside ¼ inch edge of the dough. Fold the dough in half over the filling. Using a fork, firmly press the edges together. Repeat this process with remaining dough and filling and arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Brush the tops of each empanada with the egg wash until coated. Bake for 35 min or until golden brown.
5. Steak Bites and Sweet Potatoes.
While it may seem cheaty, the last of our easy recipes is another Sweet potato one. This is one of the easy recipes that i’ve actually made, and I would probably make it even more often if meat wasn’t so expensive. Feel free to halve the recipe if you’re only cooking for one, or are on a tight budget.
Ingredients:
¾ cup mayonnaise
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon curry powder
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 pounds sirloin steak, cut into 2-inch cubes
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Minced fresh cilantro, optional
Directions:
In a small bowl mix together mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon minced garlic, and curry powder until smooth.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the sweet potatoes to the pan in a single layer. Cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Cook, stirring, another 10-12 minutes, or until fork tender. Transfer to a plate.
Meanwhile, season the steak all over with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same pan over high heat. Working in batches as needed, add the steak in a single layer, making sure they aren’t touching, and cook, undisturbed, until browned and cooked to desired doneness, about 1-2 minutes per side.
Return the sweet potatoes to the pan with the steak. Add the remaining garlic and cook, stirring, 1-2 minutes, or until garlic is fragrant.
Divide between plates, garnish with cilantro if using and serve with curry aioli on the side.
Did you enjoy these spud-filled foodstuffs? Let us know!
Featured Image Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/potatoes-beside-stainless-steel-cooking-pot-45247/
