How easy is it to cook potatoes? Yes but no. There are still mistakes that we all make and that it would be better to avoid.
It’s like cooking an egg. We all think we know how to do it, but we are often wrong. The same goes with potatoes. On the face of it, it’s easy to cook a few potatoes for a meal, but there are some common mistakes in the process. And they are not the only prerogative of dummies in the kitchen, even the most expert can be wrong.
The Marmiton site has listed four mistakes we all make when it comes to bake potatoestarget = “_ blank”>. These are small details in appearance but they can alter the taste, nutritional qualities or even the visual appearance of your preparation. Always useful advice, especially at the onset of winter and we all need starchy foods to compensate for the cold and a little too gray weather for our tastes. Here are the four mistakes we all make when cooking potatoes:
Mistake # 1: don’t immerse your potatoes in boiling water
It is – almost – the assurance of having a potato that is still raw in the heart and overcooked in its top layer. By immersing potatoes in boiling water, the flesh on the surface may crumble on contact with hot water. Marmiton therefore always advises start cooking the potatoes in cold water. It is only after the water has come to a boil that the timer is started. Allow 15 to 25 minutes of cooking depending on the size of the potatoes.
Mistake # 2: don’t peel your potatoes before cooking
Yes, we all hate having to remove the flesh from a still hot potato, but that’s how the potato will not crumble during cooking. What’s more, peeling it removes much less flesh than with a peeler when it is still raw. To avoid burning your fingers too much after cooking, consider making a small cut in the skin before submerging them in water. You can also quickly immerse them in cold water before pulling on the skin, which should come off on its own. And then, take your trouble a little patiently: wait a few minutes for the potatoes to cool down a little to peel them.
Read also: 8 tips to prevent potatoes from sprouting
Mistake # 3: stop planting a fork to check doneness
Of course, it’s tempting and we have often seen our grandparents do this to check the cooking level of the potatoes, but this technique really damages the potatoes. And by repeating the gesture, we too often get tubers crumbling in water. “So the best is touse a timer in order to better control the cooking time, advises Marmiton. Once this time has elapsed, prick a potato with the tip of a knife. If the contents of your pan still seem too firm, extend the cooking time for 5 minutes. “
Mistake # 4: rinse your potatoes before cooking them
We would tend to think that as they will be immersed in boiling water, they will be cleaned. But rinsing your potatoes before cooking has several advantages. Besides the fact of get rid of any impurities (earth, dust …), this allowsremove much of the pesticide residue that could be used in the fields. So put your potatoes in a bowl filled with water and rub them quickly. We will avoid doing this under the tap to waste less water.