Cooking Potatoes.
Potatoes are easy to grow and can be prepared in a meal in many ways, and there are many varieties to choose from these days in a typical supermarket.
For a simple part of the main meal we can boil the potatoes.
Warning: Never eat green potatoes as they are poisonous.
Some people recommend leaving the peels on, and some don’t, its up to you.
If you are just going to boil the potatoes and put them in the plate as a half or quarter then that is how you cut them. But I would recommend that if you are mashing the potatoes to cut them smaller and therefore they will boil quicker.
People say not to add too many potatoes to a meal. For instance potatoes fried as chips and mashed potatoes, is supposed to be too much. Again, my advice is that it is up to you and your family.
I sometimes have fries and mashed potatoes in the same meal, never did me any harm.
Some people used to put salt into the potato pot while the potatoes boiled. Nowadays it has been said that this is just a waste of salt because potatoes are not like rice, they don’t soak the water in, so the salt just gets poured down the drain.
If you are going to mash the potatoes you can add a small amount of milk (Soy Milk is fine) after they have boiled and you have poured the water out , then a small amount on margarine, and mash with a hand potato masher and then, if you want really fluffy potatoes you can use a cake mixer to really mix them up. Also you can add flavourings as well. The buttery addition as well as the milk is to help the mashed potatoes become fluffy and smooth, how much you add is up to you.
I use Soy Milk, and one advantage to that is that you can buy flavoured Soy Milk. I often buy Oat Soy Milk and this adds to the flavour of the Porridge or mashed potatoes.
Some people cut up cheese and put the cheese in the mashed potatoes to melt and mix it in for flavour. Some people boil peas and them after they have boiled and drained, stir them into the mashed potatoes.
Its all up to you and your tastes.
A simple meal for person who is new to the kitchen is boil some rice, boil some veggies and then add boiled potatoes. Its quick and easy.
If you are going to bake potatoes you can boil the potatoes first, in the pot or in a bowl with a lid on, shake the potatoes around until the outs sides of them becomes rough and then when they are baked they are crunchy.
If you want “chips” you can buy machines, or blenders that have the capability of cutting the potatoes to the shape of chips. I just cut mine on the bench. Garden grown potatoes are excellent for making into chips.
Sometimes I slice them, sometimes I cut them into wedges, sometimes I cut them like store bought chips.
Potatoes can be added to oven baked meals in trays. I love to experiment and try different things.
Like you could have a layer of fish, then potatoes mashed or sliced, then cheese on top.
I have known people who peel potatoes, leave them in the fridge under water –
You could also boil the potatoes before you go out, cool them down, put them in a bowl and into the fridge.
Please remember to try to only put items in the fridge when they have cooled down, as it costs you money when the fridge is doing work overtime trying to cool down hot items. The hot food also brings up the entire temperature of the fridge and makes it risky that other items could become unhealthy to eat.
So it is wise to get into the habit of “preparing, planning and getting things done early so that it pays off for you later one as you dazzle the family with a quickly cooked meal in a time frame that seems impossible to others.
Potatoes are very versatile, and can be cut up, emptied (the contents scooped out)and baked with something in them, chipped up in many ways, in with many sauces, and be a delight to eat and make the cook look amazing.
These are just a few things that I have learned about cooking potatoes, as I remember more I will add more here.
All the best from
James M Sandbrook.
16th of April, 2021.