Oh the potato, you can mash, fry, bake, roast, boil and even grill a potato. The possibilities are really endless. For me, potatoes are super amazing and yummy because I don’t eat meat and potatoes help keep me full.
I used to cook a lot before I became a mother because I love spending time in the kitchen and coming up with unique recipes. Since I gave birth to my daughter, time is something I just don’t seem to have a lot of lately. Hey, some days I hardly have time to order delivery. I’m slowly starting to get back into cooking, but I still look for recipes to save time, especially since Olive is now my top priority. Luckily I just found out that U.S. Dehydrated Potatoes (dehy for short) are now in the Philippines!
Wondering what dehy potatoes are?
Simply put, U.S. dehy potatoes are fresh potatoes that have been dehydrated (or completely dried up). They are potatoes grown and harvested in the U.S. and processed under strict standards of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to retain consistency, quality and ensure food safety. Typically, they are made from creamy white-fleshed potatoes. They can be quickly reconstituted into the best and fastest-made mashed potatoes ever, or as an ingredient in a wide array of dishes. You can use it for soups, stews and sauces, or to add texture and make breads and cakes fluffy. U.S. dehy has a great number of food applications ranging from pizza crust to our native kakanin like bibingka and kalamay.
I found out all about dehy (and other U.S. potato products that I will tell you about later) when I attended the U.S. Potato Cooking Demo that was held right here in Cebu City last month.
Potatoes USA-Philippines county representative Ms. Reji Retugal welcomed us and gave an informative overview of U.S. potatoes and she also shared their many health benefits. Then Chef Sidney Uy did a cooking demo on how we can use different U.S. potato products on a variety of dishes.
But aside from U.S. dehy (which is my current favorite), there are also U.S. Frozen Potatoes and U.S. Fresh/Table-stock Potatoes.
U.S. fresh/table stock potatoes are the pick of the crop, carefully sized and graded based on standards of the USDA. There are hundreds of different varieties of U.S. fresh potatoes, but they fit into seven different categories: russet, red, white, yellow, blue/purple, fingerling and petite. They differ in size, color, texture and flavor for a large range of applications.
Frozen U.S. potatoes are premium potatoes quick-frozen in a state-of-the-art process that locks in flavor and nutrients. Every processor must meet stringent requirements of the USDA and US Food and Drug Administration. With the U.S. being the only country in the world with mandatory USDA grading standards for frozen potatoes, the quality of the final frozen product is assured. This means that all the flavor, as well as vitamin C, potassium, iron, complex carbohydrates, vitamin B6 and fiber have all been locked into frozen U.S. potatoes.
If you’re looking to try some new dishes I promise you that you won’t be disappointed when it comes to U.S. Potatoes! You can seriously do so much with the potato. Aside from the versatility of this vegetable, it is also packed with an array of vitamins and minerals that our growing kids need.
I was inspired so much by the talk and cooking demo that I made my own U.S. Potato recipe using dehydrated potatoes. Check out my U.S. Potato Enchilada Recipe:
Potato Enchilada Recipe:
Things you’ll need:
⁃ 1 cup Dehydrated Potato Flakes
⁃ 1 cup of water
⁃ 2 tablespoons of butter
⁃ 1/2 cup of whichever milk you want ( I used soy milk)
⁃ Tortillas
⁃ Olive oil
⁃ Canned Enchilada Sauce
⁃ Cheese ( I use chedder and jack mix and a little Parmesan)
⁃ Canned corn
⁃ Sour cream
Spices used: (no exact measurements, just taste as you go)
⁃ Salt
⁃ Pepper
⁃ Garlic powder
⁃ Cumin
Directions:
First make the mash potato filling, in a pan heat water and butter, once butter is fully melted add dehydrated potato flakes and then the milk lastly add the salt (I only use a little), pepper as preferred, garlic powder and cumin (I use a lot but it’s up to you).
Potatoes only take 2-5 mins and are done.
Set mash potatoes to the side.
Next you put a tortilla on a plate add some mash potato filling, some cheese and enchilada sauce inside (about 2 spoonfuls), don’t over flow tortilla and keep everything in the middle, then take the corners and bring them in and then roll it. It will look like a lumpia haha. The recipe makes 4 enchiladas so you’ll need 4 tortillas.
After you finish rolling up the enchiladas pre heat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit or 180 celsius.
Grease a heat resistant pan with a little olive oil then pour some enchilada sauce on the bottom (the whole bottom should be covered with a thin layer, this is important because it has the enchiladas to not stick to the pan and helps keep the enchiladas moist. Then you will add the enchiladas, top with more enchilada sauce, corn and then lots of cheese. You can also top enchiladas with onions, olives or whatever you want.
Place in oven and leave them in for 15- 20 mins. When the enchiladas come of the oven, let them cool down a few minutes, then top with sour cream and salsa.
That’s all! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
U.S. potatoes are available in supermarkets and membership shopping outlets nationwide. If you’re interested in dehy, you can drop by baking supply stores or get in touch with the local Potatoes USA office.
For more information on U.S. potatoes, visit the Potato Goodness website or like and follow Potatoes USA-Philippines on Facebook.
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