Tater Tots with Pimiento Cheese Drizzle
Recipe adapted for home cooks from a restaurant recipe of Chef Evan Packer, Bottlefork, Chicago
Ingredients:
Pimento Cheese Drizzle:
- ½ pound white cheddar, shredded
- 8 oz package cream cheese
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoon sodium citrate (emulsifying agent) OPTIONAL
- 1 cup piquillo pepper OR fire-roasted red pepper from jar, diced
- ¼ cup Tabasco hot sauce
Tots:
- 5 large russet Idaho® potatoes
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 4 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
Directions:
Directions Pimento Cheese Drizzle:
- Combine all ingredients in a double boiler, whisking until smooth.
- Puree; strain thru chinois & cool.
Directions Tots:
- Bake potatoes in skins until soft
- Allow to cool to room temperature
- Scoop out potato flesh; discard skins
- Combine potato with salt and extra virgin olive oil, leaving some of the potato chunks intact.
- Press into rimmed cookie sheet to ½-inch depth
- Allow to completely cool
- Cut into 1.5 in x 1.5 in squares
- Optional: dust each square with potato starch to help hold shape during frying
- Fry at 350F° in a deep fat fryer until golden brown
- Lightly season with salt and place into serving bowl, drizzle with pimento cheese sauce