Spud Sunday: The Mystery Trail
It was an evening like any other.
I was meandering home down the dimly-lit side street, lost in thought, when something caught my eye and I halted. I looked down and could see, around and ahead of me, potato skins mysteriously scattered along the pavement. I glanced around furtively, a Poirot-like curiosity awakened, but could spy no shred of other vegetable matter in the vicinity.
For twenty or so yards, I followed the trail of distinctive pinky-red rooster peelings and stopped at a shabby green doorway. I imagined some unfortunate Hansel or Gretel, compelled to leave behind an identifiable trail, but were those peels leading away from that door or leading me, La Spud, to it?
I scurried on, the mystery unsolved. For days afterward, the trail remained and I wondered about it each time I passed.
Where do you go to, my lovelies?
While I will probably never know the truth about those potato peels, I did get to pondering the usual fate of a potato’s skin. Sometimes eaten but, more often than not, cast aside – if not, inexplicably, on the pavement, then onto the compost heap or into the bin it goes.
It doesn’t have to be that way, though.
So it was that the next time I found myself wielding a potato peeler, I thought about putting the newly liberated peelings to better use. While the spuds themselves morphed into mash, their peels were shredded, fried and the two reunited to give the mash a new, crispy crown. It was like they were always meant to be together, no mystery about it.
Fried Potato Peels
This is such a simple idea, it barely needs a formal recipe, beyond the instructions to shred the potato peels, fry until crispy and apply as a garnish.
It does, of course, assume that you are, at the same time, making some other potato dish (such as mash) which involves first peeling your spuds.
You’ll need:
- potato peelings (from potatoes which have first been scrubbed clean)
- olive oil or bacon fat
- pinch of salt
You’ll also need:
- A frying pan, large enough to accommodate the shredded potato peels
The Steps:
- Gather together your potato peelings and slice them very finely (to a width of 1-2mm) using a sharp knife.
- Place your frying pan over a medium heat. When hot, add olive oil to coat the pan (or use bacon fat if you prefer).
- Add the shredded potato peels and a pinch of salt – they should start sizzling straight away. Don’t crowd the pan too much, as you want the peels to fry, not steam, so if you have a large amount of peels, you might want to fry them in batches.
- Fry the potato peels, stirring occasionally, until crispy, probably around 6-8 minutes, though it will depend somewhat on how thinly the potatoes were peeled to begin with. Drain on kitchen paper and apply as a garnish at will.
The Variations:
- You can, of course, add some flavourings to the peels as you fry them, perhaps some whole cumin seeds or a little crushed garlic, or whatever else takes your fancy.
The Results:
- A crispy potato garnish for your mash where, before, there was none.
Comments
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Daily Spud and Fionners G, Sarah N. Sarah N said: Genius. RT @dailyspud When next u peeling spuds, try shredding & frying the skins. May be one of my best ideas yet http://su.pr/5EnZn2 [...]
You know you’ve read a good post when you find yourself at the end, slapping your hand against your head while saying, ‘Why didn’t I think of that?!’
You have an incredible way of making me want to devour potatoes every time I stop by. You have succeeded once again.
This is truly a profound discovery and gives new meaning to the phrase, ‘Waste not, want not.’ I love the idea of using the whole spud, skins and all. Such a great idea…
Farlo J: I was slapping my own head in a similar way when I thought of it!
Michelle: why thank you, that makes it all worthwhile :)
An American in Ireland: it feels a bit profound Clare and I definitely had the phrase ‘waste not, want not’ spinning around my head as I was writing this
OMG!!! I always save my potato and other vegetable peelings for making vegetable broth. However I never peel potatoes for baking because I love the crunchiness of oven baked spuds, so this sounds like it’s right up my alley. I would never have thought to fry the peels but you can bet I will now. Thanks so much for a great idea.
I am amazed every time I come over here! I think my mom used to do this. She always told us the vitamins were in the skins! Now that I know she was right, I feel sort of bad feeding them to Brownie…so sad…
Oooo, what a wonderful idea! I’ve had ‘potato skins’ appetizers, but they’re really a kind of baked potato. These truly make use of what I discard without another thought when making mashed, scalloped or other spud. I need to find a good scrub brush and make some crispy, crunch potato peels!
Ah yes, TN, these are different to what you might get as a potato skins appetiser (though nothing wrong with those either!) – and of course I’m always happy to provide you with yet another way to get the most out of your spuds!
I sat watching a lady peel potatoes today at a bar, and realized that the peelings would make a great low carb dish. She gave them to me, and I cooked fried them in a pan with bacon grease and sea salt. What a delicacy for a low carber!
[...] Bring back to the boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer gently, covered, for around 10-15 minutes or until just fork-tender. While they’re simmering, you can shred the potato peels and fry them in a hot pan with a little oil and a pinch of salt until crispy, as described here. [...]
I tried except I used whole slice instead of cutting it, is amazing it tastes just like French fries except better and healthier!! Amazing, I also added bacon bits! Mmmmm…!
[...] Bring back to the boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer gently, covered, for around 10-15 minutes or until just fork-tender. While they’re simmering, you can shred the potato peels and fry them in a hot pan with a little oil and a pinch of salt until crispy, as described here. [...]
You are SO CLEVER!!!
I’m trying this ASAP.