Learning All About Catering Services

Two Awesome Potato Recipes To Feed A Crowd

24 March 2016

Andrea Johnson

Whether you're catering a big event or just having a lot of people over for dinner, it's essential to rely on recipes that come together easily and satisfy an array of tastes. Potatoes make the perfect side dish because they're inexpensive, filling, and can be prepared in so many different ways. Here are two potato recipes that are great for large crowds. Each recipe makes enough for 20 people, but you can easily double or triple them if you're truly feeding an army!

Smashed Red Potatoes

These tasty red potatoes are roasted in the oven, smashed right on the roasting pan, and then seasoned and buttered before being roasted a second time. Guests will love their light, herbal flavor. The recipe calls for fresh herbs, but you can substitute 2 teaspoons of dried herb for each fresh herb if you prefer.

Ingredients:

• 6 pounds small red potatoes
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped finely
• 3 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Scrub the red potatoes until clean. Leave the skins on, but pierce each potato with a knife. Place the potatoes on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake them in a 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes.

Remove the potatoes from the oven, and use a meat mallet to smash each one, leaving them on the baking sheet. Don't smash them until they are pureed -- just until they're in a few pieces and the insides are exposed. Drizzle the butter over the potatoes, and sprinkle them with the remaining ingredients.

Place the potatoes back in the 375 degree F oven, and bake for another 10 minutes. The potatoes should start to brown and become crispy around the edges. Remove the potatoes from the oven, and transfer them to a serving dish or chafing dish.

Lemon and Dill Fingerling Potatoes

Fingerling potatoes are known for their robust, earthy flavor, which pairs well with the flavors of dill and lemon. Their oblong shape also makes them look intriguing on a plate. In this recipe the fingerlings are steamed, which results in a silky smooth texture.

Ingredients:

• 6 pounds fingerling potatoes
• 2 tablespoons salt, divided
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh dill weed, minced finely
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried mustard powder

Directions:

Fill the bottom portion of a vegetable steamer with water. Bring the water to a boil. Add the potatoes to the top portion of the steamer, and place it inside the bottom pan. Sprinkle the potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the salt, and then place the lid on the steamer.

Steam the potatoes over medium heat for approximately 30 minutes or until they feel tender when stabbed with a fork.

While the potatoes are steaming, prepare the lemon and dill sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan, and then stir in the lemon juice, chicken stock, sage, thyme, remaining tablespoon of salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir the cornstarch into the 1/4 cup of water, and then add it to the saucepan, stirring constantly. Return the mixture to a simmer, and simmer for 1 minute. The mixture should thicken. Add the dill to the sauce, and remove the pan from the heat.

When the potatoes are finished steaming, remove them from the steamer and transfer them to a serving dish or chafing dish. Pour the dill sauce over the potatoes, and serve.

For more tips or cooking help for a big event, contact an event catering company.

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