"A
harvested potato is a well wrapped package designed by nature – full of
nutrients and with a good shelf life," says Lyn Hall, top British
cook, teacher and food writer.
Nothing
is simpler than cooking a potato. While you read this, place a large
potato straight on the oven shelf, in the middle of an oven set to 220°C/425°F/Gas
7. Cook for 1 ¼ hours.
Now you have a baked potato with a soft, floury,
comforting interior, and a delicious outer crust. Holding the hot potato
in a cloth, cut in half lengthways, and across, about 2 cm/ ¾ in deep
into the potato flesh. Then gently squeeze the base towards the middle. Up
surge the crumbly nuggets of glistening potato, ready to be dressed with a
nut of salted butter, a dollop of crème fraîche, or a large spoonful of
thick yoghurt.
It is an enlarged part of the stem
of the potato plant, a tuber whose role it is to produce many new plants.
These are first seen as dimples in the skin, later as little buds with
plump sprouting stems. The main constituents of a potato are water and
starch and in a young new potato there is more water and less starch. In
older, large potatoes there is more starch and less water. This is really
all you need to know to cook potatoes successfully. The relation of starch
to water gives different results when cooked.
How
to tell when potatoes are cooked? When Potatoes are raw they have an
appley texture (the French still call them pommes de terre (apples of the
earth). To test if potatoes are cooked, pierce them in the centre with a skewer.
If the centre is soft and unyielding, they are cooked. If it feels crisp,
it is not. A boiled little potato should drop from the skewer as you try
to lift it. Never serve potatoes al dente.
The
texture of a cooked potato differs according to the variety. Waxy and
yellow varieties such as Charlotte, Jersey Royals, Pink Fir, La Ratte,
Belle de Fontenay and fingerlings will be firm yellowish, creamy and waxy
rather than crumbly when you cut into them. Large old starchy potatoes
such as Maris Piper, Desirée and Idaho should be mealy, soft and fluffy
once cooked perfect for mash, chips and baking.
POMMES
AU DIABLE
2
cloves garlic, halved
2
shallots, peeled
900
g/2 lb small waxy potatoes, unpeeled
1
– 3 bay leaves
(Serves
4)
Heat
the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7. Rub the inside of an earthenware crock
with a cut surface of the garlic. Arrange the potatoes inside the crock,
nestling the shallots and bay leaves amongst them. Cover and place in the
oven for about 1½ hours, or until the potatoes are tender. The exact
length of the cooking time will depend on the size of the potatoes.
Recipe
notes: A diable is an earthenware crock, usually with a handle on one
side. With one of these, you can say farewell to potato preparation
forever because you simply place the ingredients in the diable, close it,
and bake. Never wash the diable, as the charred interior gives the
potatoes a wonderful baked, earthy flavour. Simply rub the inside clean
after use. You can also cook this dish on the stovetop, over a low heat,
using metal heat diffuser if possible. Serve the potatoes with roasts and
grills.
ROASTED
ROSEMARY POTATOES
670
g/1 lb 9 oz very small potatoes
1
– 2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, very finely chopped
3
– 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt
and freshly milled pepper
(Serves
4 – 6)
Heat
the oven to 230°C/450°F Gas 8.
Peel
the potatoes and, if they are larger than 5 cm/2 in across or deep cut
them into quarters. Rinse well, then drain, dry and wrap them up in a
terry cloth towel – they must be perfectly dry to get crisp. Keep them
in the towel until ready to roast.
On
a heavy baking tray, combine the potatoes, rosemary and oil and use your
fingers to turn the potatoes so they are evenly coated with both rosemary
and oil. Spread the potatoes
out in a single layer.
Place
the baking sheet in the oven and roast for about 30 minutes, until the
potatoes are golden brown and tender when tested with a fork. Once the
potatoes start to brown shake the baking sheet from time to time so that
they colour on all sides. When the potatoes are completely soft inside
when pierced with a skewer and have lost their appley texture, drain in a
sieve. They will rustle if cooked and crisp. Line a tray with paper towel
and tip the potatoes onto it. Season with salt and a little pepper and
serve immediately in a hot serving dish.
Recipe
notes: This is a wonderfully reliable recipe. Just slip the potatoes into
the oven 35 minutes before you want to serve them.
