Potatoes are one of my favorite foods and there are thousands of ways to cook them. Most people don't cook potatoes properly, so I wanted to give my 10 tips for making your potato dishes even better.
1) Choose the right potato
Spuds have varying levels of starch. Some people use Russets for everything, but because of their high starch they are best for Baking, Frying and Mashing.
Medium starch potatoes, like Yellow Finns are better for Roasting or Gratins.
Low starch waxy potatoes are the best for potato salads.
2) Mashed potatoes like Grandma used to make.
Remember Grandmas mashed potatoes? Probably a bit lumpy, but oh so flavorful. You've tried butter. You've tried margarine. You've tried beef stock and veggie stock and everything under the sun. Nutmeg is one of the secret ingredients of yesteryear. 2 shakes/4 grates of fresh nutmeg per pound of mashed potatoes makes it taste just like grandma used to make. (I know everyones grandmas were different, but I've found that this is a common thing that people would say when they tried my mashed potatoes!)
3) Wash off the starch.
Taters are a starchy breed. If you're planning on using a high starch potato, then it really helps to wash off the starch by cutting them, placing them in a pot, and running slow, cold water over top for about 30 minutes. If this seems like a waste of water, then soaking them for a few hours will do the same thing.
4) Save that potato water!
The water you just rinsed your potatoes with can be used to thicken gravy, or as a substitute for milk in mashed potatoes. Its great for chickens or pigs, and I've heard of people starching their shirts with it in a spray bottle - but I haven't tried it for myself.
5) Mashed potatoes like a restaurant makes
Grandma was a bit more frugal than a high end restaurant, her dash of nutmeg was delicious, but its tough to beat the creaminess of a restaurant mashed potato. The secret is easier than you think; double the amount of butter that you'd normally use. This can be a couple sticks of butter for a few pounds of potatoes, but it is a creamy, fluffy heaven. Don't do this too often, as its both costly to your wallet and your health.
6) Cook potatoes twice
One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is to cook potatoes only once. They tend to be left bland and flavorless. Try microwaving them before baking them. Boiling them before frying them. Some of the best mashed potatoes are boiled, mashed and then baked. To get crisp, golden restaurant quality fries, fry them lightly for a few minutes, then pop them in the freezer for 30 minutes to help pull moisture out. Then fry them at a higher temperature for 3-4 minutes and they will be golden, crispy on the outside and soft and delicious on the inside.
