Say no to the naked potato!
They contain most of the vegetable’s nutrients and fibre goodness. Most New Zealanders get around 30% of their vitamin C requirement from potatoes. They’re cheap and plentiful. They taste scrumptious.
Yet among the 13,658 tonnes of vegetables peelings and 986 tonnes of fruit peelings we toss out every year in NZ, we throw away 7,039 tonnes of potato peelings.
So why don’t we save our skins? A lot of the reason is personal preference. Many of us like old school cooking – boiled and mashed potatoes – while 10% of us automatically reach for the peeler for all our veg when there’s really no need. You could just scrub, snip and save your skins instead.
Don’t just eat it – compleat it !
Peel is good. Peel is great. It has even inspired literary societies and novels. So don’t worry about what to do with your peelings, because we have heaps of stellar ideas to use them all up and save time, money and the environment into the bargain.
For Potato Week in our Compleat campaign, we’re encouraging you all to say no to the naked potato!
Save skins and thyme
Bake potatoes whole in the microwave if you want to save time and dishes. Keep your new potatoes wholesome, clean and crunchy with this garlicky recipe from Annabel Langbein.
Smash, mash or hash
Make ‘rustic’ hash browns by grating unpeeled potatoes. Leave the skins on when masking potatoes. It saves time and adds protein and fibre. Alternatively, try smashing instead of mashing! A great way to use the whole spud in a tasty alternative to mash or wedges …
Steal the peel
… or take away the take-away (as chips are the number one wasted take-away food in NZ) with this handy tip for potato peel crisps
Potato Peel Pie
The Guernsey Potato Peel Pie Literary Society has brought pleasure to readers, film-goers and Netflix viewers all over the world. Of course, that particular pie was borne of necessity, but try this recipe from the clever cooks of Downton Abbey for a great brunch dish.
There are so many ways to enjoy the perfect peel and compleat your spud. You can even make potato peel soup; try this delicious recipe from Uk celebrity chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
Remember, the more of the potato you use, the more you save both the planet and your wallet, so share your own tips with us- and say no to the naked potato!
