Homemade Idaho® Potato Tots

hef Mark Zeitouni's (The Standard, Miami Beach) Homemade Idaho Potato® Tots secured the Grand Prize in the Idaho Potato Commission's Side Dish Challenge held at the 2010 South Beach Wine and Food Festival's Burger Bash. A $5,000 donation to Florida International University was made on behalf of Chef Zeitouni.

Ingredients:

2 large Idaho® Russet Potatoes, washed thoroughly
2 shallots, peeled
6 parsley sprigs, picked and roughly chopped
4 scallions, green part only, chopped
Pinch white pepper
Pinch sea salt
Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Place potatoes on baking pan and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. (Potatoes should still be firm to the touch.) Allow to cool slightly before peeling with a paring knife.
Using either the shredder attachment on a food processor or a hand grater, shred the potatoes and shallots.
Add remaining ingredients to the potatoes and mix well. (Mixture should still be warm and sticky.) Using your hands, roll mixture into 1-inch balls, and place on a baking sheet. (Wetting your hands occasionally will help prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands.)
In a deep skillet, heat 1/2 inch of vegetable oil over medium-high heat; carefully place potato balls in the heated oil. Turn potatoes occasionally as they cook, until they are golden.
Season lightly with an additional pinch of sea salt and serve. Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Source:
Mark Zeitouni
The Standard Spa and Hotel
Miami Beach, FL