July 12, 2001

Prairie Fare: Spuds, Anyone?

By Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

My cousins always won prizes for their potatoes at the county fair. They’d dig up half the potato plants in their garden to find the prize-winning spuds. We didn’t enter our produce in the fair contests. But once in a while, Mom would let us sneak a few potatoes from the sides of the potato hills. We liked them cooked with their tender red skins on, and of course we liked a little salt, pepper and butter on them, too. The first potatoes of summer are a special treat.

Potatoes have had a long and interesting history beginning with the ancient Peruvians’ cultivation of potatoes at least 4,500 years ago. Early Europeans were suspicious of potatoes, probably because potatoes belong to the nightshade family of plants and some members are known to be poisonous. The nightshade family also includes tomatoes and chili peppers.

There’s also a bit of folklore attached to potato history. Some civilizations thought potatoes caused diseases like leprosy. On at least one occasion, the potato was tried in court and burned at the stake.

Later, spuds became a mainstay in European diets, and the nicknames became quite positive. German and French words for it translate to mean "apple of the earth." Spaniards carried potatoes in their ships for food. The vitamin C content of the potatoes helped prevent scurvy – similar to the role of limes among English sailors. In the 1700s potatoes started sprouting up in the American colonies. Potatoes were the diet mainstay in Ireland until the devastating famine of 1845, when about 1 million people were victims of starvation as a result of the potato blight.

North Dakota producers raised nearly 2.7 billion pounds of potatoes last year. The state is ranked sixth in the nation for potato production with its farmers digging 5 percent of the nation’s potato crop. Minnesota is ranked seventh with production last year of nearly 2.1 billion pounds.

Comprised of about 80 percent water, potatoes are an excellent source of complex carbohydrates. Potatoes contain vitamin C, potassium and vitamin B6. They also provide protein and fiber—and no cholesterol or fat. Potatoes are often accused of being "fattening" but it’s the butter, cheese , sour cream, bacon or deep-frying that send calorie and fat levels soaring. A 4-ounce portion of cooked new potatoes contains only about 70 calories and no fat.

Bake or boil potatoes in their skins and you'll preserve 8 percent more potassium, 20 percent more vitamin C and 5 percent more B6 compared to the peeled version.

Also remember portion size if you’re watching your waistline. Spuds come in a variety of sizes. A medium potato or 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes is considered a serving. Or, size up a potato the high-tech way: a computer mouse is about the size of potato serving.

When choosing potatoes, look for firm, smooth potatoes with no spouts, bruises or dark spots. Green spots on potatoes indicate the potato has been exposed to the sun. The green compound solanine is a natural pesticide but it can have toxic effects in humans at certain levels.

Store raw potatoes in a cool, dark place, but don’t wash them before storing. Keep raw potatoes out of the refrigerator because the starch will convert to sugar. This can lead to an excessively sweet taste or browning in certain dishes. Red potatoes are great for boiling in water because of the type of starch they contain. Long brown-skinned potatoes are ideal for baking because of their mealy texture.

Always pierce potatoes before baking to allow moisture to escape for a fluffy texture – and to avoid explosions in the oven. And if you wrap potatoes in foil prior to baking, always unwrap leftovers and immediately refrigerate. Outbreaks of botulism, a foodborne illness that can be deadly, have been linked with improperly cooled foil-wrapped baked potatoes.

Here’s a summer salad that includes potatoes and tomatoes in a tangy sauce. Enjoy this salad with grilled burgers and fresh fruit.

Potato, Tomato and Bacon Salad

Ingredients:
1 pound small red potatoes, scrubbed and unpeeled
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/2 cup green pepper, diced
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/3 c. bacon, fried crisp and crumbled
1 tomato, diced

Dressing:
1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper, if desired

Procedure:
Scrub potatoes and cook until done; cool and cut into bite-size pieces. In small bowl, combine dressing ingredients. Combine potatoes, celery, green pepper, onion and bacon in large bowl. Mix vegetables and dressing together. Gently add tomatoes. Chill. Makes about 8 servings. A serving contains about 140 calories, 7 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of fiber and about 40 percent of the daily recommendation for vitamin C. To lower the fat content, used reduced-fat salad dressing.

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Source: Julie Garden-Robinson, (701) 231-7187, jgardenr@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu