PREPARING POTATOES

• Peel them with care or not at all.
• Cut – or peel – off any green spots.
• Rinsed potatoes must be cooked

The potatoes we buy these days are almost always washed. You don’t need to peel them. It’s unnecessary because they lose flavor and nutrients. All you need to do is rinse them and brush off any marks.

The art of peeling potatoes

Vitamins and other nutrients in potatoes sit just under the skin. If you peel them before cooking, make sure it’s as thinly as possible.

Cut off any green spots

Spots of green on a potato are signs that they have been exposed to light and the poisonous substance solanine may have formed. Cut off any green spots deep down. When potatoes are shining green, it isn’t usually a problem, but take off an extra layer with the potato peeler to be on the safe side.

Cook rinsed potatoes

Potatoes you have rinsed should be cooked fairly soon afterwards. Rinsing may have set in motion processes that make the potato unsuitable for eating.

A sharp knife

Peeling potatoes isn’t a culinary high point. But having a really sharp knife when cutting up potatoes makes the work considerably more satisfying. Watch your fingers, a good technique is to “guide” the blade of the knife with your knuckles and/or nails with your hands that are holding the potato.