The Potato World Cup: Four Potato Dishes. Three Rounds. One Champion.
- dkdspices
- Jun 30
- 5 min read
Welcome to The Potato World Cup at Spud Stadium
In the spirit of FIFA’s World Cup, today the world’s most beloved comfort food, the humble potato, is taking center stage at Spud Stadium for the ultimate culinary showdown: The Potato World Cup, only to be viewed on live Fox 5 San Diego Morning News and the replay right here!
SCROLL DOWN TO WATCH THE VIDEO OF THE EPIC GAME.
The rules are simple. Four iconic potato dishes will battle it out in a high-stakes tournament to determine which one deserves to be crowned the World Potato Champion.
The spectators? Every kind of potato chip imaginable will be crunching loudly from the stands and cheering on their favorite potato dish.
The referee? None other than the legendary Mr. Potato Head, keeping the competition fair and fun.
The judges? Fox 5 San Diego anchor Shally Zomorodi and DJ Flex, Jevon Hicks, who will taste each dish and decide which competitor advances to the championship round to earn the epic title of Potato World Cup Champion and take home the Gold Plate.
Only one potato can win it all. Who will it be?
Tournament Bracket
Semifinal Round 1
Baked Potato vs Smashed Potatoes
Will the classic baked potato, loaded with all the cheesy toppings, hold its ground? Or will crispy-on-the-outside, fluffy-on-the-inside smashed potatoes steal the spotlight?
Semifinal Round 2
Mashed Potatoes vs Potato Puff Pastry
Will creamy mashed potatoes prove that comfort food never goes out of style? Or will the buttery, flaky potato puff pastry bring an unexpected upset?
Championship Round
The winners from each semifinal round face off in the final battle.
Only one dish will survive and earn this prestigious title.
Of course, no championship game would be complete without an enthusiastic cheer squad, and at Spud Stadium, the official cheerleaders are none other than three SPICE + LEAF fan favorites.
Leading the squad is our cool and creamy Tzatziki Dip Mix, bringing freshness and balance to every potato dish.
Rallying the crowd is Rosemary Garlic Salt, the seasoned veteran known for adding savory depth and bold flavor.
And bringing the heat is Aleppo Pepper, the fiery crowd favorite that delivers just the right kick of smoky spice.
Together, these SPICE + LEAF cheerleaders are ready to boost flavor, energize the crowd, and help every potato competitor perform at its very best.
Watch the video to see who will win the Potato World Cup
Only on Fox 5 San Diego Morning News! Stay tuned for the Video to be placed here.
RECIPES
Smashed Potatoes with Herb Yogurt Dip
By Debbie Kornberg
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 pound of baby potatoes, washed
1 – 2 Tbsp. olive oil (recommend SPICE + LEAF Galili Olive Oil)
1 cup plain yogurt or Greek Plain Yogurt or Labne
1/2 English cucumber or 1 Persian cucumber, shredded on a grater.
Instructions for Smashed Potatoes
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Fill a large pot of water and bring a boil. Gently place potatoes into the pot and cook for about 15 – 20 minutes on a medium-high heat. You want to be able to pierce a knife into the potatoes easily.
Once potatoes are cooked, carefully drain into a colander, and let cool for 5 minutes.
Place each potato on a cutting board and SMASH the potato with the back side of a soup spoon.
Place all the smashed potatoes into a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle rosemary garlic salt over smashed potatoes. Mix around so everything is well coated.
Place into oven and roast for about 20 minutes or until crispy on top.
To get them extra crispy you can cook them a little longer.
Instructions for Herb Dip:
Using a grater, shred cucumber. Keep all of the juice and combine it with yogurt, Add Roasted Vegetable Blend and stir everything together. Serve on the side of smashed potatoes.
Potato Puff Pastries
By Debbie Kornberg
Ingredients: 1 package of Puff Pastry Dough (2 sheets or a stack of squares), thawed
3 Yukon Gold Potatoes, peeled & cut into 1 inch cubes
2 - 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil, divided
1 small onion, diced small
2 – 3 garlic cloves, minced
1/8 tsp. ground cumin
Pinch of salt to taste
Optional: pinch of black pepper
2 eggs
1 – 2 Tbsp. white sesame seeds
Parchment paper
Instructions for Potato Puff Pastries:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Using a pot, place potatoes in pot and add water until they are covered with more than 1 inch of water. Do not cover pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for about 20 minutes or until you can easily pierce through potato with a fork.
Drain potatoes and mash them in a bowl. Set aside and let cool.
Heat sauté pan, add 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Add garlic and onions. Sauté on medium-low heat. Add cumin, salt, and pepper, and cook until onions become translucent.
Add garlic and onion mixture to the mashed potatoes.
In a medium bowl, beat one egg. Slowly add the potato mixture and make sure the egg is fully incorporated into the potato mixture.
Using a clean countertop or cutting board, take puff pastry dough and cut it into triangles.
Place a teaspoonful of potato filling into the center of the triangle and fold over into another triangle. Pinch all sides together to ensure a good seal. Fold each edge underneath the triangle and, using a fork, press small indentations into each side.
Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Repeat steps 5 & 6 until you have either run out of puff pastry dough & filling.
In a small bowl, beat the second egg for an egg wash. Using a basting brush, coat the top of each puff pastry with an egg wash. Sprinkle white sesame seeds on top of each pastry.
Place in the oven and cook for 20 – 25 minutes. The top of the pastry should be a nice golden brown when done.
