Potatoes are the most popular vegetable on our table. He cooks first and second dishes, side dishes, salads, snacks. But rare housewives use different spices for them. Usually it is salt and pepper, sometimes a seasoning from a bag, designed specifically for potatoes. In fact, this vegetable can be given a variety of tastes, if you fill the right.
By the way! The most delicious spices are those that were crushed immediately before use and not a grinder. It is better to do it with a pestle in a mortar.
What spices to add to boiled potatoes
By itself, boiled potatoes are not very tasty and rich. And if you forget about the salt, then the dish is completely upset. Therefore, even the most modest side dish must be properly filled. Usually boiled potatoes sprinkled with dill. In fact, there are many other spices that are suitable for it. When cooking in water, you can add the onion in the husk, it will improve the color. To taste throw a slice of garlic, bay leaf. But what spices to add to the finished dish?
What fits boiled potatoes:
- dry and fresh garlic;
- dried sweet paprika;
- white pepper;
- rosemary;
- marjoram;
- coriander;
- basil.
All this can be simply chopped together and added to the potatoes as soon as they have drained the water. Or enter at the end of cooking, for about three minutes, let it boil, drain.
In addition to spices, it is customary to add butter to boiled potatoes. If the dish is for lean or vegetarian fasting, then vegetable fats can be used. It is not necessary to take sunflower oil or olive. There are other interesting options. Sesame, peanut, mustard, camelina oil is good for health and goes well with potatoes.
By the way, potatoes are not very high in calories, as many people believe. In the boiled form without oil, it definitely does not hit the figure. If you add the right spices, you get quite a decent dish.
Spices for fried potatoes
The fried potato itself is very fragrant, thanks to the butter and the crust that forms during cooking. But even such a simple dish can be turned into a masterpiece, if you fill it with suitable spices. They are not added immediately, but only at the very end. Otherwise, the dish just burns and spoils the taste. What to add to the fried potatoes:
- pepper of any kind, including black, paprika;
- basil, rosemary;
- Italian, Provence blends of dried herbs;
- coriander;
- dry garlic;
- dry dill, parsley.
You can season the fried potatoes with fresh garlic. Even better, it combines with chopped dill. But it is important to add correctly. These ingredients are mixed and sent to the pan at the very end. Sprinkle potatoes on top, cover and turn off the stove. Leave for ten minutes, let stand, soaked with aroma.
By the way, professional chefs say that more than two kinds of fresh greens are not added to one dish. And in no case can not combine dill with parsley. As for dried herbs, you can fill up to five different species at the same time.
Spices for french fries
Unlike ordinary fried potatoes in a frying pan in a small amount of oil, the vegetable in deep fat does not need spices. More precisely, they are not added during cooking. Small pieces of herbs and vegetables will burn, smoke, give off an unpleasant aroma, form burns.
But the finished french fries can be safely seasoned with something. Dill is great, but it should be chopped very finely. Sweet paprika or turmeric will give a beautiful color, you can mix them and slightly rub through a strainer over a dish. Sometimes potatoes sprinkled with fried sesame. It is better not to do this, since it will still crumble to the bottom of the plate.
The taste of French fries depends not on the spices, but on the vegetable variety and the oil used. It is not necessary to take unrefined species for frying, they not only spoil the taste, but also form dangerous carcinogens when reaching the smoke point.
Spices for country-style potatoes
Crispy and ruddy potato slices from the oven are a favorite dish of many. Now it is popular not only at home, but also in catering establishments. To make it happen, we need spices. Unlike french fries, they add quite a lot. You can buy dry seasoning. In stores there are bags marked that they are just for this dish. But it's better to mix everything by yourself.
What spices to use for country-style potatoes:
- 0.5 tsp. dried garlic;
- 1.5 tsp. paprika;
- 0.5-1 tsp. Pepper mixes (white, black, optionally red);
- 1.5 tsp. salts;
- 3 slices of fresh garlic;
- a little thyme, rosemary.
This amount of spices is enough to make a kilo of potatoes. The amount of hot spices, in this case pepper, can be independently controlled. Usually, in addition to spices, vegetable oil is added. About 45-50 ml per kilogram of potatoes. Can be mixed with spices.
Good advice! You can boil the sliced potatoes for 3-4 minutes in salted water, then mix with spices and butter. Then it will turn out very juicy and tender inside.
What can not be added to potatoes
It seems that the potato is combined with all kinds of herbs and spices. So many things are listed, now exactly the dishes from this vegetable will play with different tastes. But it is not so. In fact, there are spices that can spoil even a simple and versatile potato. Some of them are found in mixtures of ready-made spices, but in very small quantities.
What can not be added to potatoes:
- Carnation. These asterisks give too rich, spicy flavor, it is very difficult to calculate the dosage, so as not to overdo it.
- Cilantro. It is ideally combined with meat, vegetable stews, but is not friendly with potatoes. Although her seeds (coriander) fit perfectly into the dishes of this vegetable.
- Anise. This spice is an amateur in itself, but it doesn’t fit the potato at all.
- Cinnamon, dry perfume and other mixtures. They are intended exclusively for sweet dishes and pastries. In rare cases, add to bread.
In many ways, the choice of spices is a matter of personal taste, and not only your own. If someone from the household against some ingredient, then you can always look for alternatives. Fortunately, now in the shops a huge selection of spices.
