Potatoes come in two basic kinds, and choosing right is half the battle.
Key idea
Starchy (mealy) potatoes, such as russets, are low in moisture and high in starch: fluffy when baked or mashed, crisp when fried. Waxy potatoes, such as red-skinned and fingerlings, have less starch and more moisture: they hold their shape in salads, soups and gratins. All-purpose potatoes (such as Yukon Gold) sit in between.
- Mash: start in cold salted water, cook until tender, dry them, then rice or mash; fold in warm butter and milk.
- Classic French fries: cut batonnets, rinse off surface starch, fry once at a lower temperature to cook through, rest, then fry again at a higher temperature to crisp.
- Gratin: thin even slices (a mandoline with its guard), cream or milk, baked until tender and browned.
- Duchess potatoes: puréed potato with yolks, piped and baked.
Why it works
Potato cells are full of starch granules. Gentle mashing keeps the cells whole; a blender or food processor bursts them and the free starch turns the potatoes gluey.
Worked example: Pick the potato
Potato salad that keeps its cubes.
- You want shape, not fluff.
Answer: A waxy potato (red-skinned or fingerling).
Common mistake
Starting potatoes in boiling water. The outside overcooks before the center is done; start them in cold water.
Safety
- Fry with the deep-frying safety rules: dry the potatoes well, small batches, a pot no more than half full of oil, and a lid within reach.
Practice at home
- Make mashed potatoes twice: once with russets and a ricer, once with red potatoes and a hand masher. Compare.
- Make twice-fried fries, and a batch fried once at the higher temperature. Compare.
In Meal Prep
- Delmonico Potatoes: a classic potato dish from the great kitchens