Potato

We've got a partnership with the recipe, equipment, and product testing gurus at America's Test Kitchen. They'll be sharing some of their time-tested recipes and technical expertise with us weekly. This week: how to perfect a nostalgic side, the tater tot.

We recently found that our nostalgia for frozen tots, like many kid-friendly foods, outshone the reality. Determined to right this wrong, we hit the test kitchen in search of potato tots with a golden, crunchy exterior and light, fluffy interior. After 100 pounds of potatoes, we finally got a recipe for tots that adults can't get enough of, either.

Video: Watch Christopher Kimball and Julia Collin Davison show every step of making the tots as part of the "Dinner at the Diner" episode of Cook's Country TV.

Why this recipe works: Many recipes simply mix coarsely ground potato with flour and egg, which fry up into raw, dense nuggets. We found that parcooking the chopped potato in the microwave was a step in the right direction, but the tots were still too heavy. Reducing the flour and omitting the egg helped, but the tots were still not light and fluffy. To minimize the gluey texture of potato starch, we tried processing the potatoes with water. Perfection. This step rinsed off the excess starch, and a small amount of salt in the mixture kept the interior downy white.

Keep reading to see the recipe for tater tots.

Those who are passionate about potatoes au gratin seem to fall into two camps: those who prepare the dish with cheese, and those who skip it, insisting that cream, when reduced properly, imbues the dish with umami-packed cheesy goodness. Now, I'd like to say that I fall into the latter purist camp, but let's be real: as delightful as cream is, it will never hold the same place in my heart as a hearty helping of tangy-twangy Gruyère cheese. This version reflects that.

Cooked to perfection at high heat, this très Francais side is comfort food, elevated. It rounds out near any manner of meals wonderfully. Or, if you're feeling truly indulgent, make it the star of a meal, supplemented by a crisp green salad — your secret's safe with me.

Add the recipe to your repertoire.

St. Patrick's Day is 'round the corner, therefore we're giving Irish cuisine a gander. While I can only claim to be Irish-ish, I do know a thing or two about marrying potatoes and butter.

Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish that is basically mashed potatoes mixed with kale or cabbage, green onion, and Irish bacon, which is similar to Canadian bacon. Colcannon is a revered dish in Ireland; there are even songs written about it! While I'm not likely to write a song about my colcannon rendition, I will sing its praises. In addition to kale and green onions, this dish contains pancetta, because I like thin, crispy, bacon-like bits in my mashed potatoes. Who knew kale could taste so good, enveloped in fluffy mashed potatoes and salty pieces of pancetta?

Keep reading for the recipe.

In our daily process of ripping open package after package, nothing brightens our eyes more than fresh produce. Most recently, Stokes Purple sweet potatoes enticed me with their vibrancy, and I snatched them up like precious jewels. I had a plan for these purple beauties: they had french fries written all over their future. Baked french fries, to be more specific.

While I'll never pass up deep-fried sweet-potato french fries at a burger joint, it's rare for me to make them homemade, which involves slopping half of my oil supply in a saucepan for just one batch of fries. Thanks to my mom and the '90s low-fat rage, I know a way to get my french fry fix without the oily mess: please meet the baked french fry.

These sweet-potato french fries crisp up thanks to being tossed in oil, then whipped egg whites. I recommend dipping the french fries in homemade ketchup or ranch dressing seasoned with spicy cayenne pepper.

Take a look at the recipe.

Any way you slice it, latkes and other fritters are an indulgent affair. With this in mind, I thought I may as well take them over-the-top and fry them till lacy and crisp-tender in rich and pleasantly gamy duck fat.

Put simply, this wound up being a very good decision. The complex flavor of the duck fat is subtle, but it makes its presence known, adding a savory note that plays off sweet applesauce and tangy crème fraîche as if they were old friends.

This Hanukkah fry up crisp-tender duck fat-larded latkes.

Mashed potatoes are a Thanksgiving staple, but they're also notorious for being high in both calories and fat — and not the good kind, either. It's butter, cream, and more butter that traditionally give the dish its richness, but these ingredients are hardly necessary. With a few simple swaps — and a secret ingredient — this lightened-up recipe will save on calories, fat, and yes, even carb counts.

Learn how to make this healthy version of mashed potatoes after the break!