Potato Potatoe (Simple Recipe)
Nutrition behind the French Fry
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Not sure if I had mentioned this already in a previous post, but on many of an occasion I have been very underwhelmed by meals I have eaten in NYC. During nights like this for instance. Lots of people see New York City as a place where there's tons of great food served out of great restaurants. And I beg to differ.
Have I had a great meal in this most amazing city I have lived near most of my life…? Yes. But, those meals have been somewhere between $150 and $250 per person. In today's money that is. These were at some very famous restaurants mind you. Celebrity chef owned and all.
Having said this, I have been to other bar/restaurant hot spots with celebrity chef owners, and celebrity clientele, that could not manage to get my order correct. And I'm not one of those people that sends meals back if it is not 100% spot on, I just grin and bear it. These spots I speak of can be filled with beautiful people, and the food seems like an afterthought.
To further burst the bubble of those with a positive culinary vision of Manhattan, the pizza is not the best in this borough. Rather, it is the surrounding ones, and adjacent counties in the tri-state (NY-NJ-CT), that do it better. The best steak house I have been too was in northern NJ. The best bang for buck meal I have eaten was in Harlem (less than $20 at the time).
Most restaurants I would order a balanced meal at would skimp on the proteins. Think a chicken and rice dish costing $25 that would actually be specs of chicken added to a heap of rice and salad. Which would leave me hungry for the rest of the evening. Or, eating a meal that I could absolutely make myself for a fraction of the cost.
So to avoid losing my mind over such egregious acts. To circumvent the thoughts of vengeful retribution towards the purveyors of such establishments, I would stick to a cheeseburger and fries. This is something I can do myself as well, but not like a restaurant can. Particularly in the french fry department.
My logic was this. For $25 (in today's money) I knew I would be served up a cheeseburger with a good protein to bun ratio. That is, nearly half a pound of meat with one to two slices of American cheese. Solid…! The fries at this point were a bonus. But beware…!
Many people shall understand this by now, but it needs to be mentioned over and over again. Restaurants that serve up fries are not cutting potatoes from fresh. They are frozen and most likely have a preserving agent to them. A preserving agent that keeps them from spoiling over extended periods of time from the moment they are processed in some food factory. A preserving agent that might not necessarily be good for your health.
Then, these are likely fried up in a hydrogenated oil that once heated has some or all of its fats converted into a trans-fat, which is nasty for a human's heart health. Like really nasty. Not to mention the saturated fats that may exist in those very same oils they use.
However, don’t fret. The potato, from fresh, is an amazing option to any dinner. Here is why. Overall, they are very filling due to the density of their flesh. When you consume them with the skin, they offer a whole host of micronutrients such as: B vitamins, vitamin C, iron, and magnesium. Potatoes are also a huge source of potassium, carbohydrates, and fiber.
I try to get them in every other week. This is how I prepare an Idaho potato.
Step 1:
Acquire one of medium size and cut in half.
Step 2:
Stab one half of the potato with a fork all over to create a uniform array of punctures. Wrap the unused half in plastic foil and keep in the fridge for another day.
Step 3:
Put the pierced potato half on a microwavable plate and cook in said microwave on high for 2-3 minutes.
Step 4:
Remove from the microwave and immediately cover with aluminum foil. Make sure to wrap it around the bottom of the plate. The idea is to seal in the heat. Allow the potato to further cook for another 5 minutes.
Step 5:
Uncover, cut up into large bite sized pieces, lightly dress with extra virgin olive oil. Add salt, pepper, dried basil (or another herb of choice). Enjoy.
Note: All the above works for yams, sweet potatoes, or anything else in the potato family. This will also work for multiple halves to serve multiple people. However, you must cook for longer. So to make three servings, three halves shall be cooked for nine minutes in the microwave and covered in foil for 15 minutes afterwards.
One half of an Idaho potato is considered one serving in my book. It is certainly enough for me. The cook time, and power setting, will vary slightly with different microwaves. But, what I gave you is certainly a good starting point. You may have to experiment a little to get it the way you like it.
This is such an amazing way to get in a quality vegetable full of nutrition. It is WAY easy. In fact, I am writing this because someone told me in response to my tomato sauce recipe post that they are not handy in the kitchen. Well, I am sure this easy go-to can change their minds.
So maybe forgo that order of fries, and just do it yourself to stay on the safer side of life.
And don't forget to eat them with the skin…!
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This is very informative. I definitely enjoyed reading all the places you have been in New York City. The recipe was extremely helpful. Thank you looking forward to reading more.