Potatoes
Potatoes — From the COOKS.COM Culinary Archive.
POTATOES
Potatoes are almost three fourths water. The solid
matter consists largely of starch and cellulose, with a small
quantity of protein, and mineral matter, — chiefly potash
salts, held in solution in the juices. About a quarter of the
whole potato is waste material.
New potatoes, unless perfectly ripe, contain but little
starch. In late summer and in autumn potatoes are in their
best condition but the amount of starch and protein diminishes
by keeping, and in spring or when the potatoes begin to
sprout, a part of the starch changes to gum and this makes
them sticky or waxy; some of the water has evaporated,
the cell membranes are dry and hard, and their value as
food has diminished. When sprouts appear remove them at
once.
The amount of protein in potatoes, through small, is more
than that in any other of the moist vegetables. This, together
with the fact that they contain valuable mineral
matter, are cheap and palatable, combine well with other
food, and are easily cultivated and kept, makes them a
favorite vegetable food.
But they have been greatly overrated and should not be
eaten alone, or in too great proportion. They contain little
tissue forming material; and if they be depended upon
mainly for sustenance, so large a bulk of them is required
that the system is over tasked. They should be eaten with
fat, fish, or meat to make perfect food.
As they contain starch, they must be cooked to be wholesome,
and it is important that little or none of their nutriment
be lost in the process.
The most economical methods of cooking potatoes are
baking, steaming, and boiling. In the first two methods the
potatoes are cooked whole and unpared; and only those of
the best quality are suitable for cooking in this way. In
boiling potatoes it is now the custom to pare them first, as it
saves time when serving the dinner.
Scientists tell us that it is wasteful to pare potatoes before
cooking, as most of the protein and mineral matter is in the
outside layers, and unless the paring is very thin a large
part of the valuable matter is lost.
But until potatoes are all of good quality at all seasons of
the year, there will be times when paring is necessary.
Except at exorbitant prices, we cannot buy selected
potatoes, but must take them as they come; many of them
gashed by the hoe, or bruised in transportation, or green from
ripening above the ground. They are subject to disease from
wrong soil or climatic conditions, and are frequently hollow
or black hearted, yet good on the outside. If cooked in
their skins these defects penetrate the whole potato, and at
meal time you may have a short allowance. But by dividing
the potato and paring you may save the good part and
if the whole must be discarded, you are spared the annoyance
of cooking it with the good potatoes and losing the labor of
paring it.
Potatoes belong to a poisonous family and the skin contains
a bitter substance, which is set free by the heat and goes
off with the steam, provided the potatoes are opened or
uncovered as soon as done. If not, the potato absorbs it and
becomes bitter.
Some persons find boiled potatoes difficult to digest,
especially when they are cooked in stews and chowders, where the
potato water is part of the stew. A better way is to scald
sliced potatoes five minutes, and drain them before adding
them to the stew.
The skin of new potatoes is very thin and much of it comes
off in the scrubbing and the remainder may be scraped off
without taking the valuable portion next below. Potatoes
that are not to be pared should be sound, above all suspicion;
scrub them with a brush to remove all the earthy matter
adhering to the skin, using a knife if scraping is needed and
to dig out the eyes.
If you remember to put the stew pan with fresh water over
the fire first, the water will be boiling and ready for the
potatoes as soon as they are scrubbed. They need no soaking,
if they are clean. It is only in the spring when potatoes
are shriveled and gummy, that soaking improves them, and
then only after they are pared. Soaking supplies the water
the potatoes have lost, dissolves the gum and makes them
less sticky. Drop all potatoes into water as soon as pared,
for they turn brown if exposed to the air; and except when
using old potatoes, do not pare them until about ready to
use them.
If we examine a slice of potato under the microscope, we
can understand why in cooking it should be put into boiling
water rather than into cold. The starch is found throughout
the potato, enclosed in cells, the walls of which are thin
membranes of cellulose. Each cell contains ten or twelve
grains surrounded by a watery, albuminous juice. In cooking
the potato, this juice becomes boiling hot, the starch
grains absorb it, the wall of cellulose is softened and is easily
burst by the swollen starch, so that the potato which before
cooking was wet and hard is now filled with soft mealy
starch.
Were we to cook the potatoes by putting them into cold
water, especially if they have been pared, some of the starch,
gum, and potash salts will be drawn out and the starch will
not begin to cook until the water boils. Hence though the
potatoes may look and taste well, no time is gained in
cooking and they must have lost some portion of their
nutriment.
But if put into freshly boiling water this coagulates the
albuminous juices and they are retained in the potato.
Potatoes should have plenty of room and boil gently but
steadily to prevent loss of surface by rubbing against one
another. Salt should be added when half done, in proportion
of one teaspoon to one quart of water.
And lastly, — and most important of all the steps in the
process, the potatoes should be taken up the moment they
are done, — that is when a fork or large needle will penetrate
them easily. Do not break them by frequent piercing.
Drain at once, remove the cover, and shake, to let the water
inside which has not been absorbed by the starch pass off as
steam. Lay a folded napkin over to keep them hot until
ready to serve, which should not be delayed longer than
needed to take up the other food.
If we cook them after all the starch is softened the skin
will burst and the starch on the outside will absorb the bitter
boiling water in the kettle; after a time the potato will
break up and partly dissolve and we will have a bitter, pasty
gruel instead of a firm but soft and mealy potato.
DIRECTIONS FOR BOILED POTATOES
1 qt. boiling water
6 large potatoes
1 tsp. salt
Do not Pare Potatoes, if new, or sound, or to be served
whole, or in salad; or to be warmed over, or if you wish to
save substance and flavor. Select of uniform size, scrub,
and scrape where needed; do not soak; put in cold place
if not ready to cook. Put into boiling, salted water to cover,
cook gently twenty minutes if small and thirty minutes
if large. Drain quickly, cover with a small napkin and keep
hot.
Pare Potatoes, if necessary to save time before serving, or
if very large and irregular in shape, or of inferior quality, or
old and withered. Cover with cold water as soon as pared,
but do not soak except when old.
When potatoes are needed quickly, or for potato soup, or
fish balls, or to be served as mashed or riced, wash, pare and
cut in quarters; if to use in stews, chowders, or scalloped
mixtures, cut in slices or small cubes; if for hashed brown,
chop into bits. Scald them first for stews, etc.
Mash the potatoes as soon as they are boiled and drained.
Rub them with a wooden masher through a strainer into a
hot dish.
MASHED POTATO
To one pint of hot boiled potatoes, add one tablespoon of
butter, one half teaspoon of salt, a speck of pepper, and
enough hot milk to moisten. Mash in the saucepan in
which they were boiled; beat with a fork till light and creamy,
and turn out lightly on a hot dish.
POTATO CAKES
Make cold mashed potato into small round cakes about
one half inch thick. Put them on a baking tin, and brush
them over with milk. Bake in a hot oven till golden brown.
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