Boil Potato
How To Boil Potato
There are a couple of ways to boil potato, and several things that you can do with them once you have accomplished this not so daring feat. One of the most common and simple methods of cooking is to boil. Potato takes well to this process, as they have the density to withstand the intense and wet heat. They must be watched carefully, however, to insure that they do not fall completely apart. There is a method which would call for this breakdown of the potato, and we will discuss that a little bit later. For the most common ways to boil potato, please read on.
You may want to boil potato whole, and this method can be ideal for preparing either potato salad or whole potatoes for a high carbohydrate diet. These potatoes do not need to be punctured or pierced. Simply start a good sized pot half full of water to boil on the stove, adding a heavy sprinkle of salt to help flavor the potatoes slightly during the boiling process. You may add your washed whole potatoes, including the skins, into your pot at any time, you need not wait for a full boil. Once the boiling process begins, however, you will want to check them for tenderness after 20 minutes time, and consecutively each 5 minutes until the desired texture has been reached. Strain the potatoes into a colander and wait for them to cool before handling them further. As potatoes are so dense and the skin like insulation, this can take upwards of two hours.
If you intend to boil potato for a salad or other cold side dish, you will follow each of the above steps before embarking on the next phase of your dish. Once the potatoes are completely cooled to the touch, you will find them very easy to peel by using a back stroke motion against the skin with a sharp knife. Do this safely, and you should be rewarded with an easy peel. Once you have finished skinning your potatoes, you are ready to chop them into whatever size you prefer. Use caution with this step as well, for the middle of your potato may still be sweltering with heat. We don’t usually like our food to bite back, and a hot potato will do just that.
If you wish to boil potato for a cream style soup, you will want to wash, peel, and dice your potatoes before adding them to a pot of boiling water. You will want to cut these potatoes very small, making for lesser cooking time. The water should be salted, and you should use as little as possible. If you are incorporating meat into your soup, you can boil it, or its bone, right with the potatoes. When the potatoes have broken down and have begun to thicken, turn your heat to low and begin adding your cream slowly until you have reached the desired consistency.