Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 1, Episode 2 - This Spud's for You - full transcript

THE STORY OF THE POTATO IS
A TALE OF EPIC PROPORTION.
THE MOST IMPORTANT
FOOD CROP ON EARTH,
POTATO IS ADORED NOWHERE
MORE THAN IT IS IN AMERICA.
EVEN HERE AT THIS DINER,
THEY SERVE IT MAYBE EIGHT,
NINE DIFFERENT WAYS.
THEY LIKE TO BE SHREDDED,
SAUTéED, SCALLOPED,
BAKED AND BOILED,
MASHED AND WHIPPED,
GRILLED, ROASTED AND FRIED...
SOUNDS KIND OF LIKE THE LAST
FIVE MINUTES OF "BRAVEHEART."
AS FOR THESE LITTLE GUYS,
I'M WILLING TO BET YOU
THAT THERE IS AT LEAST ONE
UNDER YOUR CAR SEAT RIGHT NOW.
DON'T BELIEVE ME? TAKE A LOOK.
THIS IS "GOOD EATS,"
AND TODAY WE'RE GOING TO BE
TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT A FOOD
THAT MOST OF US TAKE, AT
LEAST A LITTLE, FOR GRANTED--
THE HUMBLE POTATO.
♪
NOW IF YOU WERE GOING
TO MAKE A POTATO MOVIE,
IT WOULD HAVE TO
BE A ROAD PICTURE,
BECAUSE THAT HUMBLE TUBER'S
CROSSED A LOT OF TIME AND SPACE
TO GET UNDER YOUR CAR SEAT.
THE SPANISH CONQUISTADORS FIRST
SCOOPED IT FROM ITS NATIVE SOIL
BACK WHEN THEY WERE PLUNDERING
CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA.
NOW THEY TOOK IT HOME TO A
VERY COOL RECEPTION IN EUROPE,
EXCEPT FOR THE IRISH.
THE IRISH KNEW A GOOD
THING WHEN THEY SAW IT,
AND BY THE 17th CENTURY
HAD PLANTED THEIR ISLAND
WALL TO FENCE WITH POTATOES.
NOW THE REST OF EUROPE WAS
ABOUT 100 YEARS BEHIND,
BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON
THE FRENCH AND THE ITALIANS
THOUGHT IT WAS POISON.
NOW I DON'T QUITE
UNDERSTAND ALL OF THIS,
BUT THEN I'M NOT A
NUTRITIONAL ANTHROPOLOGIST,
BUT YOU ARE.
YES, I AM.
OKAY, WHY DID THE
FRENCH AND ITALIANS
THINK THE POTATO
WAS POISON?
BECAUSE IT IS.
OH!
THE POTATO PLANT IS
A POISONOUS PLANT,
ALL PARTS OF THE PLANT--
THE LEAVES, THE STEMS,
THE FLOWERS, THE ROOTS,
AND EVEN THE POTATO, IN
THE WILD, ARE POISONOUS.
AND IT'S TO THE
CREDIT OF THE INCAS, WHO DOMESTICATED IT,
THAT THEY WERE
BRILLIANT BIOCHEMISTS,
BECAUSE THEY WERE
ABLE TO FIGURE OUT
HOW TO GROW A POTATO
WITHOUT POISON IN IT. WOW!
SO WHAT'S THE CONNECTION
TO THE EUROPEANS?
WELL, ONCE IT
GOT TO EUROPE,
THE EUROPEANS RECOGNIZED
IT AS BEING SIMILAR TO DEADLY NIGHTSHADES
THAT THEY HAD BEEN
GROWING FOR YEARS,
AND USING TO POISON
KINGS, NOBLES,
FAMILY MEMBERS AND
OTHER UNDESIRABLES.
GET OUT!
IT'S TRUE.
NOW WHAT PLANT WOULD
WE KNOW THAT'S IN THAT SAME FAMILY?
BELL PEPPERS, EGGPLANT,
TOBACCO, TOMATOES...
THEY'RE ALL OTHER MEMBERS
OF THE NIGHTSHADE FAMILY. ANYTHING THAT GROWS AROUND HERE?
ACTUALLY THE FIELD THAT
WE'RE WALKING NEXT TO IS FULL OF NIGHTSHADES--
THE POISON VARIETIES.
WOW!
SO YOU EAT POTATOES?
SURE, I LOVE POTATOES.
HOW DO YOU LIKE 'EM?
I LIKE 'EM BOILED WITH A LITTLE BUTTER AND A LOT OF PARSLEY.
ALWAYS A FAVORITE.
UNFORTUNATELY, THE IRISH
DIDN'T COVER THEIR BETS,
AND A MID-19th-CENTURY BLIGHT
WIPED OUT FOUR YEARS OF CROP,
LEAVING ABOUT A MILLION
DEAD AND ANOTHER MILLION SAILING FOR AMERICA
WHERE THE POTATO HAD ALREADY
PROVEN ITS ROADWORTHINESS.
IT WAS THE PERFECT
PIONEER CHOW--
TRANSPORTABLE,
STORABLE, NUTRITIOUS,
AND IT WOULD GROW OUT
OF JUST ABOUT ANY HOLE YOU DROPPED IT IN.
NOW EVEN TODAY WE
STILL ASSOCIATE OUR FAVORITE POTATO DISHES
WITH ROADSIDE STANDS, JUKE
JOINTS AND TRUCK STOPS.
I MEAN, THINK
ABOUT IT...
MASHED POTATOES, HOME
FRIES, HASH BROWNS...
ROAD FOOD!
NOW IT USED TO BE
EASY TO BUY POTATOES.
I MEAN AFTER ALL,
THERE ARE ONLY THREE VARIETIES.
I MEAN, THERE WERE THE
ONES THAT LOOKED LIKE MR. POTATO HEAD,
THE RED ONES AND SOME
KIND OF WHITE ONES.
BUT NOW A FEW YEARS AGO
FARMERS AND GROCERS STARTED TO UP THE ANTE
BY BRINGING AN EVER-
WIDENING ARRAY OF NEW POTATOES TO THE BINS.
AND THEN WE WERE FACED
WITH A QUANDARY...
HOW DO YOU COOK ALL
THOSE POTATOES?
HOW DO YOU LIKE 'EM?
YEAH... THOSE ARE TASTY!
I THINK IT WAS SHAKESPEARE
WHO POSED THE QUESTION...
"WHAT'S IN A NAME?"
WELL, IF HE WAS TALKING
ABOUT AMERICAN POTATOES,
THE ANSWER IS "NOT A LOT."
BECAUSE IN THE U.S.
POTATOES ARE MARKETED,
NOT BY VARIETY, WHICH
WOULD HAVE BEEN HELPFUL,
BUT BY EITHER LOCATION
OF ORIGIN OR BY COLOR--
EITHER OF WHICH I FIND
PRETTY CONFUSING.
NOW LUCKILY, POTATOES CAN ALL
BE FITTED INTO THREE CATEGORIES,
DEPENDING ON THEIR
STARCH CONTENT--
EITHER HIGH, MEDIUM OR LOW.
SO THE SECRET TO HAPPY
POTATO COOKING IS KNOWING,
WELL, WHICH POTATO FITS
INTO WHICH CATEGORY.
NOW NOMENCLATURE MAY NOT
BE MUCH OF A HELP TO US,
BUT LOOKING FOR A FEW
SIMPLE PHYSICAL TRAITS IS.
LET'S TAKE A TOUR.
AND NOW REPRESENTING THE
HIGH STARCH OR MEALY POTATO,
AND WEIGHING IN AT ANYWHERE
FROM A FEW OUNCES TO,
WELL, OVER A POUND,
THE BAKER, A.K.A. THE RUSSET,
A.K.A. THE BURBANK RUSSET--
NAMED AFTER A HORTICULTURIST,
LUTHER BURBANK,
WHO INVENTED THE SPUD... WELL,
DEVELOPED IT BACK IN 1872.
RUSSETS AND ALL HIGH-
STARCH POTATOES
ARE GREAT FOR WHIPPING,
MASHING, FRYING AND BAKING.
AH, BAKED POTATOES--
SO SIMPLE, SO PERFECT,
AND YET SO MISUNDERSTOOD.
THE WORLD'S BEST BAKED
POTATO GOES LIKE THIS...
FIRST PREHEAT YOUR
OVEN TO 350 DEGREES,
THEN CAREFULLY
APPROACH THE SPUDS.
HERE'S THE SECRET--RUSSETS.
I LIKE WASHINGTON STATE,
BUT IDAHO'S FINE, TOO.
NOW THE FIRST THING YOU WANT TO
DO IS GO PSYCHO ON THE POTATO.
YOU WANT TO POKE HOLES
ALL OVER IT WITH A FORK.
NOW THAT'LL LET STEAM
OUT OF IT AS IT FORMS,
WHICH'LL HELP YOU GET
THAT NICE FLUFFY TEXTURE
THAT WE ALL SO DESIRE.
NOW INTO A BOWL, AND GIVE IT
JUST A LITTLE BIT OF OIL.
NOW WHAT THIS IS GONNA DO IS
GIVE US KIND OF A CRUNCHY SKIN,
BUT ALSO BECAUSE THE OIL
CAN GET SO MUCH HOTTER
THAN THE WATER
INSIDE THE POTATO,
IT'S GONNA REGULATE
THE MOISTURE IN THERE,
AND IT'LL ACTUALLY HELP GIVE
US THAT TEXTURE THAT WE WANT.
NOW BECAUSE I LIKE
TO EAT THE SKINS,
I GIVE IT A BIT OF KOSHER
SALT--JUST TO UP THE ANTE.
NOW INTO THE OVEN...
NO BAKING SHEET, NO
PANS, NOTHING FANCY,
JUST STRAIGHT INTO THE MIDDLE
OF THE OVEN, LIKE THAT.
NOW YOUR AVERAGE RUSSET'S GOING
TO BE DONE IN ABOUT AN HOUR,
AND THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY
TO TELL IF IT'S FINISHED--
YOU GOTTA GIVE IT A SQUEEZE.
IF THE SKIN FEELS
KIND OF CRUNCHY,
BUT THE MEAT INSIDE IS SOFT,
IT'S DINNERTIME!
AND UNLESS YOU LIKE LIMP,
SOGGY, GUMMY BAKED POTATOES,
PLEASE STAY AWAY FROM THE FOIL.
IF YOU'RE IN A HURRY, YOU CAN
START A POTATO IN THE MICROWAVE.
JUST PUT IT ON HIGH FOR
A COUPLE OF MINUTES...
BUT DO YOURSELF A FAVOR,
FINISH IT IN THE OVEN.
REPRESENTING THE LOW-STARCH OR
WAXY POTATO IS THE NORLAND,
WHICH IS SOMETIMES JUST CALLED
A RED OR A BOILING POTATO.
NOW ALTHOUGH THE GREAT
MAJORITY OF LOW-STARCH POTATOES ARE ROUND AND RED,
THERE ARE ALSO FINGERLING
POTATOES THAT LOOK LIKE...
WELL, YOU GUESSED IT.
NOW THESE SPUDS GET THE
SHORT END OF THE NAME STICK,
BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH THERE
ARE DOZENS OF VARIETIES,
FROM PONTIACS TO
LASODAS TO NORLANDS,
THEY'RE OFTEN JUST CALLED RED.
SOME PEOPLE EVEN CALL
THEM NEW POTATOES,
WHICH IS KIND OF FUNNY,
SINCE NEW POTATOES
ARE JUST LITTLE BABY VERSIONS OF ANY POTATO.
REMEMBER WHAT RICHARD DREYFUSS
MADE A MOUNTAIN OUT OF
IN "CLOSE ENCOUNTERS"?
HMM?... MASHED POTATOES.
THAT'S RIGHT--THE GRAND
POOH BAH OF COMFORT FOOD.
WHEN I'M MAKING MASHERS,
I LIKE TO USE TWO DIFFERENT
KINDS OF POTATOES.
I USE PEELED RUSSETS, AND I
USE UNPEELED RED POTATOES.
NOW IF WE WERE JUST
GOING TO MAKE REAL SUPER- VELVETY CONSISTENCY,
KIND OF FLUFFY, WHIPPED
POTATOES, WE WOULD JUST USE THE RUSSETS,
BECAUSE THEY BREAK DOWN
SO NICE WHEN THEY COOK.
THEY GET NICE AND FLUFFY.
BUT YOU KNOW...
WHEN I MAKE MASHERS,
I REALLY DO WANT SOME CHUNKS.
I WANT A LITTLE CONTRAST
FOR MY MOUTH TO GET INTO,
AND THAT'S WHERE THESE
LITTLE RED GUYS COME IN.
BECAUSE THESE ARE LOW-
STARCH, WAXY POTATOES,
THEY'LL STAY CHUNKY EVEN
AFTER THEY'RE COOKED,
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M AFTER.
SO EVERYTHING GOES
IN THE POT TOGETHER.
BY THE WAY, I'M USING, I
GUESS, ABOUT A TWO-TO-ONE RATIO OF RUSSETS TO REDS,
BUT YOU CAN CHANGE IT
AROUND TO YOUR TASTE.
NOW WE'RE GONNA FILL
THIS POT WITH HOT WATER,
ONLY TO THE TOP OF THE POTATOES.
WE JUST BARELY WANT
TO COVER THEM.
MORE WATER WILL ONLY
SLOW DOWN THE COOKING,
AND YOU GOT A CHANCE OF
WATERLOGGING THE POTATOES.
OKAY, THAT'S PLENTY.
NOW POTATOES, LIKE
PASTA AND EGGS,
REALLY DO NEED SOME SALT
TO TASTE LIKE THEMSELVES,
AND NOW'S REALLY
THE TIME TO DO IT.
IF YOU DO IT LATER, YOU'RE NEVER
GONNA GET THE FLAVOR THE SAME.
NOW I LIKE TO GET THE WATER TO
TASTE KIND OF LIKE SEAWATER,
SO I'M GONNA HEAT THIS UP,
AND I'LL TASTE IT
AFTER IT DISSOLVES.
NOW HIGH HEAT, AND PUT
A COVER ON THE POT,
BECAUSE A COVERED POT
ALWAYS BOILS FASTER.
MASHED POTATOES REALLY
DO NEED TWO THINGS...
THEY NEED SOME DAIRY,
AND THEY NEED AT LEAST
A LITTLE BIT OF FAT.
NOW THERE ARE SOME HEALTH
PUNDITS OUT THERE WHO WOULD SAY,
"WELL, YOU CAN MAKE PERFECTLY
GOOD MASHED POTATOES
"JUST WITH SOME VEGETABLE
STOCK OR SOME TOFU JUICE."
I DON'T KNOW... THAT SOUNDS
LIKE A CHARLES DICKENS NOVEL
IN A BOWL, TO ME.
I LIKE TO USE LOW-FAT
BUTTERMILK, NOT SKIM BUTTERMILK.
THAT'S GONNA ADD SOME
TANGINESS AND A NICE TEXTURE.
... ALSO USE JUST A LITTLE
BIT OF WHIPPING CREAM.
WHAT THAT'S GOING TO DO IS
CARRY THE FLAVOR OF THE GARLIC,
AND IT'S ALSO GOING
TO STABILIZE THIS,
SO THAT THIS SAUCE
DOESN'T BREAK AS IT COOKS.
NOW BREAKING HAS TO DO WITH
ACID AND DAIRY AND HEAT--
THE STUFF WE'LL GET INTO LATER.
NOW I JUST EYEBALL THIS.
I NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH I'M
REALLY GOING TO NEED,
BUT IF YOU TWISTED MY ARM,
I'D SAY THAT YOU'LL BE FINE
WITH A TOTAL OF ABOUT 1/4 CUP
OF DAIRY PER POUND OF POTATO.
NOW WE'RE GONNA PUT THIS ON TO
SIMMER FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES,
OR UNTIL THAT GARLIC
IS NICE AND SOFT.
WHATEVER YOU DO, YOU DON'T
WANT TO LET THIS BOIL, THOUGH,
'CAUSE IT WILL
REALLY MAKE A MESS.
ONCE YOUR POTATOES
COME TO A BOIL,
PROBABLY BE DONE IN JUST
A COUPLE OF MINUTES.
IF THEY'RE NOT, GO AHEAD
AND BACK OFF OF THE HEAT JUST A LITTLE BIT,
BECAUSE IF THESE COME
TO A ROLLING BOIL,
THEY'RE GONNA WATERLOG.
THEY'RE GONNA FALL APART AND
GET SOGGY AND DISGUSTING.
THAT YOU DON'T WANT.
WE'RE JUST GONNA GIVE THESE
A COUPLE MORE MINUTES.
WE'VE BEEN DOING A LOT
OF TALKING ABOUT STARCH.
AND WHAT IS IT, EXACTLY?
AND WHY SHOULD WE CARE?
WELL, THERE ARE A LOT
OF DIFFERENT STARCHES
IN THE VEGETABLE WORLD,
BUT YOU CAN THINK OF POTATO
STARCH AS TINY LITTLE GRANULES
MADE UP OF LONG STRANDS
OF A SUGAR CALLED GLUCOSE--
KIND OF LIKE FUEL
CELLS FOR THE POTATO.
NOW THESE LITTLE
GRANULES ARE VERY STABLE
UNTIL THEY COME IN CONTACT
WITH HEAT AND MOISTURE.
NOW THERE'S ALREADY PLENTY
OF MOISTURE IN A POTATO,
SO ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS
GET A TEMPERATURE UP TO ABOUT--OH!--160 DEGREES,
AND THESE LITTLE
GRANULES CHANGE.
THEY START TAKING IN
THE WATER AROUND THEM,
AND THEY BLOW UP TO...
WELL, HUNDREDS OF TIMES THEIR NORMAL SIZE.
THE RESULT...
A LIGHT AND FLUFFY POTATO.
NOW THE REASON WE POKE
HOLES IN BAKING POTATOES,
AND WHY WE WOULD NEVER, SAY,
LET A POT OF RED NORLANDS
JUST BOIL AND BOIL AND BOIL,
THERE IS SUCH A THING AS TOO
MUCH HEAT AND TOO MUCH WATER,
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS...
WELL, IT'S NOT SO FLUFFY.
WE'VE GIVEN THESE A
COUPLE MORE MINUTES,
AND I THINK THEY'RE DONE.
JUST PICK 'EM UP WITH SOME
TONGS AND GIVE 'EM A SQUEEZE.
IF THEY CRUMBLE LIKE
THAT, YOU'RE GOOD TO GO.
WE ARE GOING TO DUMP
THESE INTO A COLANDER
AND THEN PUT THEM RIGHT BACK
INTO THE POT FOR MASHING.
A ONE-DOLLAR, FLEA MARKET
POTATO MASHER IS ALL YOU NEED.
NOW OUR MIXTURE'S READY--
GOT SOME NICE SOFTENED
GARLIC IN THERE.
SO WE'RE GONNA START
MASHING BY ADDING JUST A LITTLE BIT OF THE MIXTURE.
YOU DON'T WANT TO GO
OVERBOARD ON THIS STUFF,
BECAUSE BEFORE YOU KNOW IT,
YOU COULD HAVE POTATO SOUP,
WHICH IS NICE, BUT IT'S NOT
REALLY WHAT WE'RE AFTER.
SO WE MASH.
NOW WE DON'T WANT TO
OVERDO THE MASHING, EITHER,
BECAUSE POTATOES CAN KIND
OF GET GLUEY ON YOU,
AND WE DON'T WANT TO
LOSE THAT CHUNKY TEXTURE
THAT WE PUT THE RED
POTATOES IN HERE TO GET.
I'M GONNA GO WITH JUST A
LITTLE MORE OF THE MIXTURE.
THAT IS PROBABLY
GOING TO BE ENOUGH.
EVERY TIME YOU MAKE THIS, IT'S
GONNA BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT,
SO IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE
A LITTLE MORE OF THE MIXTURE
THAN YOU THINK YOU MIGHT NEED.
I LIKE THE WAY THAT LOOKS.
I'M GONNA GIVE THAT A TASTE.
YOU CAN SEE THE
RED SKIN IN THERE,
AND YOU STILL SEE THE CHUNKS
ALONG WITH THE CREAMY.
MM!
BEFORE YOU LAY THEM OUT IN FRONT
OF YOUR PAVLOVIAN TABLE GUESTS,
YOU MIGHT WANT TO TAKE A LOOK
AROUND YOUR REFRIGERATOR.
REMEMBER WHAT WE SAID...
POTATOES ARE GREAT
REFRIGERATOR VELCRO,
AND YOU CAN MAKE SOME
PRETTY NICE, SPECIAL DISHES OUT OF LEFTOVERS.
THERE WE GO.
NOW WE'VE GOT SOME
SAUTéED ONIONS OVER HERE,
SOME SUN-DRIED
TOMATOES, SOME PESTO...
OH, AND MY FAVORITE,
BACON--LOVE BACON.
NOW JUST BY ADDING ONE
OR TWO OF THESE THINGS--
MAYBE SOME HORSERADISH,
WHICH IS MY FAVORITE--
ALL OF A SUDDEN WE'VE
TURNED, YOU KNOW,
A PERFECTLY ACCEPTABLE
PILE OF MASHED POTATOES
INTO SOMETHING A
LITTLE BIT SPECIAL.
NOW IF YOU WANTED TO,
YOU COULD SPLIT THIS MOTHER
LODE INTO THREE DIFFERENT BOWLS
AND KIND OF LAY THESE OUT AND
HAVE A MASHED-POTATO PARTY.
AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S
KIND OF NICE,
BECAUSE THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN
A BASICALLY RUSTIC DISH
BECOMES A CORNUCOPIA OF SPLENDOR
AND, HEY! YOU'RE A HERO.
NOW STEPPING UP FOR THE
MEDIUM-STARCH POTATO CATEGORY
IS THE YUKON GOLD, A RELATIVE
NEWCOMER IN THE POTATO FIELD--
HUH--DEVELOPED BY THE
CANADIANS ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO.
NOW MEDIUM-STARCH POTATOES DO
LOOK KIND OF LIKE RUSSETS,
BUT THEY ALWAYS HAVE LIGHTER,
KIND OF THINNER SKIN.
NOW VARIETIES LIKE THIS YUKON
GOLD, KENNEBECS, SUPERIORS,
OR, SAY, THESE CALIFORNIA LONGS,
ARE FOR SOME REASON ALWAYS
MARKETED AS JUST WHITE.
RACISM--IT'S UGLY,
EVEN IN TUBERS.
NOW FOR SOME REASON THESE
HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CONSIDERED
ALL-PURPOSE POTATOES,
WHICH IS KIND OF FUNNY.
I MEAN, THEY DO HOLD TOGETHER
KIND OF LIKE A WAXY,
AND THEY GET KIND OF
FLUFFY LIKE A MEALY,
BUT WHERE THESE REALLY EXCEL
IS IN SCALLOPED DISHES--
PANCAKES AND GRATINS.
EVERYBODY'S TALKING THESE
DAYS ABOUT FRESH INGREDIENTS...
EVERYTHING MUST BE FRESH!
WELL, WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO
WITH ALL THE STUFF I'VE GOT
THAT'S NOT SO FRESH?
I MEAN, AM I SUPPOSED TO
BURY THIS STUFF IN THE YARD
WHEN THE NEIGHBORS
AREN'T LOOKING?
I DON'T THINK SO.
LUCKILY, POTATOES ARE A
LOT LIKE EGGS AND PASTA.
THEY CAN HELP YOU GET
RID OF THINGS THAT ARE KIND OF HANGING AROUND,
GETTING READY TO GROW FUR.
NOW LET ME SEE... MY
RECONNAISSANCE IS FLUSHED--
AN OLD BLOCK OF ASIAGO CHEESE,
SOME PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS
FROM LAST NIGHT'S SALAD,
AND SOME PRETTY MIDDLE-
AGED-LOOKING PARSLEY.
CLEARLY, IT'S TIME
TO MAKE A GRATIN.
NOW A GRATIN IS BASICALLY
JUST A CASSEROLE
CONSTRUCTED OUT OF THIN SLICES
OF POTATO, LAYERED WITH...
WELL, WHATEVER YOU SALVAGED
FROM YOUR REFRIGERATOR.
NOW THESE THINGS CAN LOOK
KIND OF INTIMIDATING,
BUT THEY'RE IMPRESSIVE
AT THE SAME TIME.
I'VE SEEN RECIPES CALL FOR
SIX POUNDS OF POTATOES,
ALL SLICED ONE-SIXTEENTH
OF AN INCH THICK.
I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT
I LEAVE MY CALIPERS DOWN AT THE LAB WHEN I COME HOME.
NOW THE TRICK IS... NOBODY
SAID YOU HAD TO USE A KNIFE.
ANYBODY WHO WOULD WANT TO
NEEDS SOME PROFESSIONAL HELP.
NOW A MANDOLIN IS PERFECT
FOR EXECUTING A LOT OF UNIFORM CUTS, QUICKLY.
IT CAN SLICE, IT CAN SHRED,
MAKE SHOESTRINGS,
WAFFLE CUTS, WHATEVER.
NOW I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING
CAN REPLACE GOOD KNIFE SKILLS,
BUT COME ON!--YOU HAVE TO
BE A CIRCUS KNIFE THROWER
TO OUTPACE THIS PUPPY.
NOW THIS PROFESSIONAL
MODEL'S SWEET,
BUILT LIKE A TANK,
FULL OF FEATURES...
AND WELL OVER $100.
WE'VE GOT A WHOLE
VARIETY OF DIFFERENT KINDS OF SLICERS
AND GRATERS AND
THINGS HERE. WE'RE JUST DOING SOME BASIC SLICING,
GONNA MAKE A GRATIN.
V-SLICER IS GREAT FOR THAT.
IT HAS ADJUSTABLE
WIDTHS, SO YOU CAN ADJUST THE THICKNESS
OF WHATEVER IT IS
YOU'RE SLICING.
AND OF COURSE, IT
HAS A HAND GUARD,
WHICH I HAVE A
FEELING YOU'RE GOING TO BE NEEDING.
OKAY, THANKS.
HEY... DO YOU
LIKE POTATOES?
OH, I'M PASSIONATE
ABOUT THEM. OKAY.
NOW MEDIUM-STARCH POTATOES
LIKE THESE YUKON GOLDS
ARE REALLY PERFECT
GRATIN FODDER,
BECAUSE THEY'LL BIND
TOGETHER WHEN THEY COOK,
WITHOUT LOSING
THEIR CONSISTENCY.
I MUST WARN YOU TO
USE THE HAND GUARD!
BECAUSE THE LAST THING YOU WANT
IS TO FIND FINGERNAIL
PIECES IN YOUR GRATIN.
BUTTER YOUR CASSEROLE
FIRST, BECAUSE BELIEVE ME,
THIS WILL SET UP LIKE CONCRETE
IF YOU DON'T--I'VE BEEN THERE.
SO IT'S A LOT LIKE
BUILDING A SKYSCRAPER.
WE'RE JUST GOING TO PUT
DOWN A LAYER OF POTATOES.
CASINO DEALERS ARE
REALLY GOOD AT THIS,
AND A LOT FASTER THAN I AM.
AND THEN WE'RE JUST GONNA PUT
THE OTHER INGREDIENTS ON TOP
AND THEN REPEAT IT UNTIL WE'VE
GOT ABOUT FOUR LAYERS DOWN.
NOW SOME MUSHROOMS...
YOU WANT TO GO KIND OF
LIGHT ON THE MUSHROOMS,
BECAUSE THEY'LL FORM A BARRIER
IN-BETWEEN THE LOWER
AND UPPER POTATO LAYER,
AND THAT'LL KEEP THE
GRATIN FROM SETTING.
YOU'LL END UP WITH CHOWDER
INSTEAD OF A GRATIN.
SO THAT'S ENOUGH.
... A LITTLE BIT OF
PARSLEY, NOT MUCH.
SOME SALT--MORE THAN
YOU THINK YOU NEED,
'CAUSE POTATOES
ALWAYS NEED SALT.
... A FEW GRINDS OF PEPPER,
AND A LITTLE BIT OF
THAT ASIAGO CHEESE.
AGAIN, THAT'S GONNA GO ON
EVERY LAYER, SO GO EASY.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT A
LOAD ON EVERY SINGLE LAYER.
SO WE'RE JUST FINISHING UP THE
FOURTH LAYER OF THE GRATIN.
NOW BEFORE WE PUT ON
ANY OTHER INGREDIENTS,
WE'RE GONNA ADD SOME DAIRY,
AND THAT'S GONNA
ENRICH THE FLAVOR.
IT'S ALSO GONNA AID
THE CONSISTENCY--
HELP THE WHOLE THING
TO BIND TOGETHER.
NOW I LIKE USING HALF AND HALF.
IF YOU CAN AFFORD THE CALORIES,
YOU CAN USE CREAM...
THAT'S WHAT THE FRENCH DO.
AND IF YOU WANT, YOU CAN USE
CREAM COMBINED WITH MILK,
WHICH IS... HOMEMADE
HALF AND HALF.
ANYWAY... I ADD
ABOUT HALF A CUP,
THEN WE'RE GONNA SQUEEZE
THE WHOLE THING.
NOW THAT'S TO GET THE HALF
AND HALF REALLY DISTRIBUTED,
AND ALSO TO GET ALL OF
THE AIR BUBBLES OUT.
NOW I KNOW I'VE GOT
ENOUGH IN THERE,
BECAUSE IT'S COMING
UP AROUND THE EDGES,
SO THAT'S GREAT.
NOW I'VE GOT A 400 DEGREE OVEN.
ANYWHERE BETWEEN
400 OR 450 IS FINE.
NOW FOR ABOUT THE FIRST
45 MINUTES OF COOKING,
I LIKE TO COVER THIS WITH
FOIL... VERY LOOSELY.
I DON'T WANT TO TRAP
THE STEAM IN THERE,
BUT I DO WANT IT TO STICK
AROUND A LITTLE BIT
AND HELP THE POTATOES COOK.
DOING THIS ALSO HELPS US
TO NOT OVERBROWN THE TOP,
WHICH IS, OF COURSE, JUST
ANOTHER WORD FOR BURNING.
NOW EXCEPT FOR THESE
LITTLE NEW POTATOES,
WHICH DON'T STORE REAL
WELL BECAUSE OF THEIR HIGH SUGAR CONTENT,
MOST POTATOES WILL LAST
10, 20 DAYS, EASY,
IF YOU HANDLE THEM RIGHT...
EVEN LONGER IF YOU BUY THEM
FRESH AT A FARM STAND.
NOW YOUR ROOT CELLAR IS THE
PERFECT PLACE TO STORE POTATOES.
OH... OH, YOU DON'T
HAVE A ROOT CELLAR.
YEAH, WELL, NEITHER
DO I... THAT'S OKAY.
ANYPLACE DARK, DRY AND COOL
IS FINE FOR POTATO STORAGE.
FOR INSTANCE, A
KITCHEN DRAWER'S FINE,
AS LONG AS IT'S NOT NEXT TO
THE DISHWASHER OR THE OVEN.
NOW AN OPEN BASKET'S OKAY,
TOO, DOWN INSIDE A CABINET,
BUT YOU WANNA MAKE SURE
THAT IT'S NOT THE CABINET UNDERNEATH YOUR SINK.
IT'S HUMID IN THERE, AND IT'S
PROBABLY ALREADY LOADED UP
WITH CHEMICALS AND THINGS
THAT ARE YUCKY WITH FOOD.
NOW FOR THE TRULY
SPACIALLY CHALLENGED,
A PAPER BAG, ON THE COUNTER,
FOLDED UP, IN A DRY PLACE.
IT'S FINE.
NOW LIKE ALL COOKING SHOWS,
WE CAN FOLD SPACE AND TIME--
FIFTY MINUTES HAS
JUST DISAPPEARED.
SO WE PULLED THE FOIL OFF
ABOUT TEN MINUTES AGO
TO LET THE TOP BROWN...
LOOKS PRETTY GOOD.
NOW THE ONLY WAY TO REALLY
TELL IF THIS IS DONE
IS TO GIVE IT A FEW POKES
WITH A SHARP KNIFE OR A FORK.
IF THE BLADE REALLY
GOES IN EASILY,
BUT YOU CAN STILL KIND OF FEEL
A DELINEATION BETWEEN THE LAYERS,
IT'S DINNERTIME!
WELL, IT'S ALMOST DINNERTIME,
BECAUSE THIS REALLY
WILL BE A LOT BETTER
IF IT'S ALLOWED JUST TO SIT
FOR, SAY, 15 TO 30 MINUTES.
THAT WAY THE LAYERS'LL
BIND UP REALLY NICE,
AND YOU'LL BE ABLE TO CUT
IT INTO WEDGES EASILY.
BELIEVE ME, IN HALF AN HOUR
IT'LL STILL BE PLENTY HOT.
AH, NOW THAT IS HEARTY FARE.
LUCKY FOR ME, IT'S
ABOUT AS COMPLICATED AS SITTING ON A SOFA.
YOU KNOW, WE WORK HARD
TO KEEP RECIPES AT BAY,
HERE AT "GOOD EATS."
WE'D RATHER YOU EXPERIMENT
WITH YOUR FOOD,
NOT GO BY LISTS OF
INSTRUCTIONS AND INGREDIENTS.
NOW THESE DISHES ARE
A PERFECT EXAMPLE.
GO AHEAD... BUILD A
COUPLE OF GRATINS,
MASH UP SOME MASHERS.
IN NO TIME, FRIENDS AND FAMILY
ARE GOING TO BE BEGGING YOU
FOR RECIPES THAT YOU CAN
HAPPILY ADMIT DON'T EXIST.
THEY'LL BE IN AWE.
NOW I HOPE YOU APPRECIATE THAT
FRENCH FRY UNDER YOUR CAR SEAT
MORE THAN YOU DID
A HALF-HOUR AGO.
JOIN US AGAIN FOR "GOOD EATS,"
AND IN THE MEANTIME,
LISTEN TO YOUR APPETITE,
AND PLAY WITH YOUR FOOD.