Fun with Tater Tots

You may not be well-acquainted with Tater Tots, but you’ll find them in any supermarket freezer section. And you’ll probably be seeing more of them in the future. They’re beginning to catch on here in the Northeast, even in finer restaurants. As this is spud season, let me get you thinking about how to have some fun with them.

Tots are traditional

Believe it or not, Americans ate 70 million pounds of Tots last year. Tater Tots are a cornerstone of many Midwest casseroles. Actually, hotdish (one word) is the Minnesota descriptor of this church-supper stalwart. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar has her own signature recipe, When she was barnstorming Iowa last spring, she held a series of campaign events – Hotdish House Parties – at which she served her Taconite Tater Tot Hotdish. And she’s not the first to use it politically. Former Minnesota Sen. Al Franken started a hotdish competition in 2011 as a way to bring together the state’s Congressional delegation. Amy Klobuchar won.

These bundles of shredded potato the size and shape of a wine cork are the progeny of French fries. In 1953, the two owners of Ore-Ida created Tots as a way to make use of the potato scraps left from cutting French fries.

I was in college in Iowa in the 1960s when I made my acquaintance with Tater Tots, thanks to the dormitory cooks who served them in some fashion several times a week. When I graduated, I was happy to be rid of them. Too much of a good thing, I suppose. What I’ve recently learned is that Tater Tots have become a lifestyle in Iowa.

Tots are entertaining

Cooks in this Corn Belt state that loves its potatoes see them as a blank canvas for their casserole culinary fantasies. (Yes, in Iowa, it’s casserole, not hotdish.) To give you an idea of the mania, the state fair hosted a Tots competition. Ames, Iowa – home of my alma mater – held a Tater Tot Trot, which involved running one mile, eating a dish of Tater Tot casserole, then running the mile back in under 30 minutes. For young people in Iowa, Tater Tot casserole is the Hawkeye State’s answer to the taco. And yes, there are recipes for Totchos (that’s Tater Tot nachos).

Tots are trending

The thing about Tots is that they’re an ideal comfort food. Even Epicurious and Food and Wine have featured them. Food and Wine writer Bridget Hallinan described Tots as a near-perfect food “…the way the savory, shatter-crisp exterior yields to a soft inside is irresistible.” To up the ante on Tots, they’ve come up with recipes for Tot waffles, casserole toppings, and as add-ins to frittatas. They’ve even substituted béchamel sauce for the usual condensed soup. Then there’s Tot poutine, and, for the upcoming holiday, Tots-Giving Stuffing.

Tots are topping

A good Midwest casserole is an easy way to stretch a few pounds of protein to feed a large, hungry crowd. If you don’t have a big group, you can freeze half of it for another readymade meal. Just remove from the freezer and bake. The foundation is ground or shredded meat, equal quantities of cooked potatoes or noodles, and condensed soup as a binding agent, topped with something crunchy – anything from crushed potato chips or crackers to chow mein noodles and French-fried onions. Or, of course, Tots.

For a Tot casserole, brown about a pound of meat with some onions and garlic, layer it on the bottom of a baking dish, then cover it with a can of soup. You can build the casserole in layers, but be sure to season each layer as you add canned or frozen vegetables, then some shredded cheese, and finally popping the frozen Tater Tots on top. Bake it for 30 to 40 minutes or until the Tots are crisp.

Are you game to give it a try? Or do you think Tots just taste better in the Midwest? Let me know.

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