Tuesday, August 25, 2009

U.S. Potato Board announces winners in CIA recipe contest

The United States Potato Board (USPB) has awarded three students at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) for their innovative potato recipes. As part of their support of CIA programs, the USPB invited students to submit their recipes for three categories: Ethnic, Healthy and New Classics.

"Cheesy Southwestern Potato Crisps," a Latin-inspired recipe with fresh jalapeño-cilantro pesto and cheese enveloped in crisp shredded potatoes, captured the Ethnic Category and overall Grand Prize in the Potato Innovation Recipe Contest. The fresh and flavorful recipe was created by William "Trey" Smith, a student of the CIA in Hyde Park, N.Y. The USBP is awarding Smith with a trip to the CIA Worlds of Flavors conference in St. Helena (Napa Valley) taking place Nov. 12 to 14, 2009.

"Indian Spiced Potato and Spinach Bajé" earned Adam Kaswiner the $1,000 prize for the Healthy Category. Inspired by his Peace Corps travel in Bangladesh, his recipe demonstrated the versatility of the nutrient rich potato with bold craveable flavors.

Marissa Hines won the New Classics category with her recipe, "Not Your Grandmother's Pierogi." The student's sophisticated updated take on the classic comfort food with goat cheese and prosciutto in a leek and morel sauce also earned a $1,000 prize.

For copies of these recipes and for more recipe inspiration, please visit www.potatogoodness.com/foodservice.