This month’s Kosher Connection challenge is all about the Superbowl. What kinds of snacks do you like to eat while watching the big game? On Superbowl Sunday, we typically dine on a variety of appetizers. Last year, I vaguely recall a mix of onion rings, french fries, chicken wings and beer. I’m sure there was more to it though. This year, I’m all about finding good vegetarian snacks for the big game day.
I asked my husband what he was in the mood for this year. The first thing that he came up with was some loaded nachos. I told him that nachos were too basic and we had to do better than that!
I’ve been wanting to make some homemade tater tots for a while now. A while back, there was an article by Mark Bittman in The New York Times where he showed how to make some homemade tots. I’ve been wanting to make that recipe ever since it came out. I decided that I could stuff the tater tots with some of the typical nacho toppings.
Would it work? Would it taste good? I had to find out!
I parboiled some Idaho Russet Potatoes and then grated them along with some onions. I added some salt, pepper and corn starch to the mix, as Mark Bittman suggests.
I processed some black beans along with some fire roasted green chiles in the food processor. I mixed up that mixture with some cheese, corn and chili powder.
I placed some of the potato mixture in the palm of my hand and then a dab of the bean mixture at the center and formed it in to a traditional tater tot shape, making sure to cover the entire center with potato.
I fried each tot lightly and then drained it and finished cooking it in the oven. It’s best to finish the baking process on a rack over a baking sheet.
I dipped the tater tots in a salsa-yogurt mixture.
The verdict? Definitely a fun recipe!
- 5 Idaho Russet Potatoes
- 2 tsp. salt
- 2 tsp. ground pepper
- 1 tbsp. corn starch
- ¼ cup corn
- ¼ cup black beans, cooked and drained or canned
- ¼ cup fire roasted green chiles
- 1 tbsp. chili powder
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- oil for frying
- additional salt and pepper as needed
- Preheat the oven to 400
- Parboil the potatoes until tender
- Grate the potatoes in a large mixing bowl
- Stir salt, pepper and corn starch in to the potatoes
- In the food processor, process together the black beans, chili powder, cheese and chiles. Stir in the corn. Transfer to a small mixing bowl.
- Take a tablespoon of the potato mixture and place in the palm of your hand. Dab a teaspoon of the bean/cheese mixture and place in the center of the potatoes. Shape the potatoes around the bean mixture and form in to a traditional tater tot mixture. Repeat until you have used up your potatoes.
- Heat up the oil, about a 1-inch deep, in a fry pan.
- Pan fry the tots until browned.
- Transfer the tots to a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack.
- Bake the tots until desired crispness.
