In the Kitchen With Ricky: Classic little golden nuggets offer nostalgic feels for National Tater Tot Day

Feb. 3 is National Tater Tot Day! It seems like tater tots have made a resurgence in the past few years. Many of us have memories of tater tots from our youth. I remember my mom serving them with pan-fried burgers in the winter when it was too cold to fire up the grill. There was tater tot casserole, and there were tater tots in those cafeteria lunches we got as kids.

These days, it’s not uncommon to find tater tots on restaurant menus. From diners, burger joints and gastropubs to fine dining, there’s a reason that chefs have started to play around with their own fun take on the classic, and that’s due to the nostalgic feels we get when we eat them. I get excited when I see tots on a menu and will absolutely indulge to see how they can differ from one another, but, more importantly, it’s the comfort I get when I pop one in my mouth.

Tater tots are 100% American and were created back in the late 1940s by an Oregon chef. It was only a few years later that they were being produced and shipped frozen by a Pacific Northwest company. Ore-Ida (Oregon-Idaho) was one of the first companies to produce them for distribution and remains in production today.

Although you can’t beat the ease and wide availability of the frozen tot, today I am giving you a recipe to make your own at home. It’s a fun project, and I encourage you to get the family involved. Although it’s a bit of a timely process, the reward is worth it, and it’s fun to see how they differ from the frozen ones we know and love. Whether making your own or buying frozen, celebrate National Tater Tot Day with a plate of these little golden nuggets.

Tater Tots

2 pounds russet potatoes, cleaned and peeled

1 teaspoon garlic powder

White parts of 1 bunch of scallions/green onions, finely minced

1 tablespoon cornstarch, plus more for shaping

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

½ teaspoon white pepper

Canola oil, for frying

Kosher salt for sprinkling

For dipping:

¼ cup Sriracha

¼ cup ketchup

Bring a large pot of water to a medium boil.

Place the peeled potatoes in the water and boil for 8 minutes (I used small to medium potatoes, but if using large potatoes, boil for a couple additional minutes).

Remove the potatoes from the boiling water and place them directly into an ice water bath. Let them cool until the potatoes are at least room temperature or cooler.

Grate the cooled potatoes using a cheese grater and place them into a medium mixing bowl.

Add the seasonings, minced green onion and cornstarch.

Using your hands, mix thoroughly until completely combined and the mixture holds together.

Dust a countertop, cutting board or a flat and cleaned surface with the cornstarch.

To form, press and roll ½ cup of the mixture into an 8-inch log atop the cornstarch-dusted surface.

Cut the potato log into 1-inch pieces, yielding 8 pieces per ½ cup batch.

Shape by pressing each tot with your fingers into a tater tot shape. It helps to have lightly dampened hands.

Place the shaped pieces on a cornstarch-dusted plate or cookie sheet.

Repeat the process, continuing to use ½ cup of the potato mixture. You should have enough for a total of 7 batches equaling 56 pieces.

Once they’re all shaped, the tots can be refrigerated until ready to fry up to 4 hours.

To fry, bring a couple of inches of oil to 350 degrees in a heavy-bottomed pot or cast-iron skillet.

Lightly sprinkle a very small amount of cornstarch onto the tots and place 8-12 pieces into the preheated oil for a shallow fry.

With a large, slotted spoon, gently separate the tots if they begin to stick together.

Let them fry for about 6 minutes or until they are golden in color and crisp.

Drain on a cooling rack. While draining, make sure to sprinkle them lightly with kosher salt.

Serve with ketchup or a dipping sauce of your choice. I like a mixture of half ketchup and half Sriracha.

Yield: 4 servings (about 56 pieces)

Local award-winning chef and Rind and Wheat owner Ricky Webster can be reached at ricky@rindandwheat.com. Follow Webster on Instagram @rickycaker.