Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Pumpkin Dutchess Potatoes: A twist on traditional mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving

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Looking for a new twist on your traditional mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner? Try these Pumpkin Dutchess potatoes. They come out of the oven all crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside, with a smoky overtone from the smoked paprika. And the beautiful orange color is pure autumn.

They look very fancy, but trust me - they're easy. Even for dopes like me who can't get the hang of the piping bag. Notice the variation in the swirls above. And then notice that even the imperfect ones look pretty darn good.

A side benefit: automatic portion control. Unless you're like me and you eat a half-dozen with your fingers before they make it to the serving platter. Then...not so much.

P.S. Yes, Mommy, I am planning to make these for our Thanksgiving dinner.

I developed this recipe for the Idaho® Potato Commission. Need other potato ideas? They've got a million and a half fantastic recipes. Click here to see their massive collection of potato recipes.



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Pumpkin Dutchess Potatoes
Beautiful swirls of mashed potato mixed with pumpkin puree, then bathed in butter and baked in the oven until crisp along the edges. A beautiful addition to your table for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any elegant dinner.
Ingredients
  • 2 pounds Idaho® Russet potatoes
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
  • 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
  • 6 Tablespoons butter, melted, divided
  • 1/3 cup heavy cream
  • 1 egg
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • freshly ground pepper
  • Equipment: potato ricer, piping bag with large star tip, pastry brush
Instructions
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, then spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 425° F.Wash and peel the Idaho® Russet potatoes, then cut into 2-inch chunks. Place the potato chunks into a medium-sized pot and cover with water by 1 inch. Add 1 teaspoon salt to the water.Bring the pot to a boil, turn down the heat, and simmer 20-25 minutes, or until the potato chunks are tender when pierced with a small knife or the tines of a fork. Drain the cooked potatoes in a colander, then return them to the hot pot. Shake gently for a minute or two; you will see steam rising as the potatoes dry out.While the potatoes are cooking, into a large bowl add the pumpkin puree, 4 tablespoons of the melted butter, heavy cream, egg, egg yolks, and smoked paprika. Whisk thoroughly, until the mixture is slightly puffy and aerated.For the lightest texture, use a potato ricer. Hold the ricer over the bowl of pumpkin mixture and press the cooked potatoes into the bowl. This eliminates all lumps, making it easier to pipe the swirls onto the baking sheet. (Alternatively, mash the potatoes thoroughly in the pot with a potato masher, then add the mashed potatoes to the pumpkin mixture.) Blend thoroughly with a large spoon until the mixture is uniform. Add the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.Spoon the potato-pumpkin mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe swirls of the potato-pumpkin mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. You can place them fairly close together, as they will not spread during baking. You should get about two dozen swirls.Using a pastry brush, gently dab the potato-pumpkin swirls with the remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter. Be careful not to flatten the piped ridges too much.Bake the potato-pumpkin swirls about 25 minutes, until they are hot and the ridges are starting to crisp. Serve immediately, allowing two swirls per person.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 12 servings

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