Purple potatoes and red carrots???

[Nicko]

Anyone ever use purple potatoes or red carrots? We used to use purple potatoes all the time, but I never really felt like there was a noticable flavor difference just that they were for show. Anyone else using them?

[markdchef]

I guess you mean Blue Potatoes which appear to be purple. One of my signature dishes is Blue Potato Gnocci. There is a difference in flavor and texture. Try them mashed or mixed with other potatoes for contrast. Also, I make hors d'oeuvres out of them. Fry them, salt and pepper, tofu slice, roasted red pepper, drizzle of virgin olive oil and fresh basil. I have not been able to find organic red carrots so I do not use them.

Mark Darragh
On The Mark PCS Inc.

[shahar]

I met red carrots in Israel. I actually had one hidden stand inside the market of jerusalem old city. He use to sell wild red carrots among othe strange wlld plants noone ever heard of.
Since I got here i found a similar plant in gourmet supermarket. A bit smaller and with thinner skin. But I havn't tried this yet.
The kind I used in israel are appearntly older than the yellow kind, and only recently begun to be grown commerceily. They're not exactly red but sort of beet-purple with a yellow/orange center - beautiful. Like beet it's color stains. They have much thicker skins. The arabs use to stuff them because of they're cone link shape. The flavor - a bit sweeter than regular carrots with a few different subtastes.
I tried several things with them - stuffed with rice, pied slicd arranged in circular patterns on top, jammed, icecreamed, sliced and candied, souped, gnocchied, etc.

[Isa]

Purple potatoes were available for a few days at the market. Red carrots I've never seen.

I should have bought the paptoes, I'm sorry I never got to taste them.

[cape chef]

Sharhar...The red carrots you talk of are called "Red Bata carrots"In the states.Just like you said,more beet purple with a tinge of orange towards the center.They are in season now and i serve them simple as a juice with poached halibut and pea tendrels.
As for purple potatoes, I can live without them,But mark your dishes sound very tasty.
cc

[layjo]

I've used the purple potatoes before, but in using them simply. Tourneed, steamed, dressed with clarrified butter, salt& pepper, parsley and cilantro. Beta carrots have yet to use.

[shroomgirl]

One of my OCIA organic farmers grows a variety of potatos including purple....they are really pretty.... I prefer fingerling Russian Bananas seems like fingerlings have more flavor than other types.....they look great sauted with chanterelles too.
I like the blue chips too.

Beta carrots, I'd like to know if they are related to the wild ones.....Queen Anne's lace is called wild carrot here...not red.
HMMMMM

[Pooh]

Iza,

Seen blue potatoes and red carrots at Jean-Talon Market this past weekend!!

South side of market, the big fruit and veggie store there.

Fresh porcini and hedgehod too!

[Marzoli]

I saw blue potatoes at the orchard produce market in our town. They were causing quite a stir. Now I know what to do with them someday-Blue Potato Gnocci! What a cool idea markdchef! I've never made gnocci, but this gives me incentive to try.

[Isa]

Thanks for the information Pooh I'll check it out next week.

[shroomgirl]

No Way Fresh Porcini!!!! Where are they getting um...???Montreal huh? You know I've never played with a fresh one only dried....
Oh man, fresh porcini.

[Isa]

Come on over Shroomgirl, I'll take you on a tour of the markets.

[cape chef]

Shroom,
The closest I ever got to a fresh porcini or cepe for that matter were frozen. very expensive. I needed to "wring" them out to dry them and then cooked them up. They were very good,But I don't know of any place outside of italy (porcini) and france (Cepes) to enjoy these shrooms fresh. If there is a moldy ash tree out there somewere thats poppin up porcinis let us know.As for potatoes..I am a fingerling fanatic..Russian bananas,ozzets,peruvian,french creamers..they are a tasty and fun spud.
cc

[Pooh]

Shroom,

If you ever fly to Montreal (you probably have enough frequent flyer miles by now!!), you MUST send PM to Iza, Kimmie and myself. We'll all take you for a tour and have a blast! Is that ok with you, Iza and Kimmie?



P.S.: Big population of Italians near the market. They eat their porcinis fresh.

[ May 02, 2001: Message edited by: pooh ]

hi there

purple potato or blue potatos are grown local up here and can be bougth any time in the season when there ripe usually sept to novemeber. i have not really add the chance to use them yet but from what i have seen people use them for is just about what ever you use any potato for. up here the blue potatoe is sweeter then a regular potato.

see ya


P.S up here we also different types potato because of the climate. we have atlantic,mirton perl,red island,domino and our blue potato blue pride. if anyone has worked with any of these can you let me know.