Potato Churritos

Ingredients:

• 3 large Idaho® potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes (4½ cups)
• ½ cup poblano chile (2 chiles), charred, steamed, peeled, cut into small pieces
• 1½ teaspoons seasoning salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup Chihuahua or Oaxaca cheese, grated
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 3 cups vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons cotija, crumbled fine
• Favorite salsa, optional

Directions:

1. Peel potatoes, and cut into 1 inch cubes , should be about 4½ cups uncooked.
2. In a pot filled halfway to the top with water over a medium high flame, bring water to a boil. Add cubed potatoes and boil for 20 minutes or until fork tender.
3. While potatoes are boiling, take a 1/2 teaspoon of vegetable oil and with your hands coat both poblano chiles with oil. Place chiles over an open flame on stove and char on each side until all skin on chile is burned. Then place chiles in a ziplock bag and seal. Allow chiles to steam in bag for 30 minutes. Remove chiles from bag and under a slow stream of water from the faucet peel the charred skin off of the chile. Cut stem off of chile and deseed. Cut chile into very small pieces. 1/8 inch bits.
4. Drain potatoes, and place in large mixing bowl. Mash with a potato masher.
5. Mix seasoning salt, garlic powder, and black pepper into the mashed potatoes.
6. Add in chopped poblano chile, grated cheese, and egg. Mix to combine completely.
7. In a separate bowl whisk flour and baking powder together.
8. Pour flour mixture into potato mixture and mix until combined. Allow mixture to rest for 5 minutes.
9. Pour vegetable oil into a small pot or sauce pan and attach a deep frying thermometer to the side of the pot. Place over a medium high flame and allow oil to reach 380°F.
10. Drop decorating tip into disposable decorating bag with the narrow end of the tip down and trim bag to fit tip.
11. Spoon mixture into decorating bag and tighten top of bag by twisting.
12. Once oil is hot, pipe 4 inches of churrito mixture into hot oil working in batches of 4 to 5 churritos at a time.
13. Fry on each side 1 minute or until golden brown.
14. Remove with slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain.
15. Sprinkle the top of potato churritos with cotija cheese.
16. Optional – Place a tablespoon of your favorite salsa in a cup then dip your potato churritos in salsa.
17. Enjoy the deliciousness of Idaho® Potato Churritos!

Notes:

Tools you’ll need:

• Disposable decorating bag
• Decorating tip #2A
• Deep frying thermometer