Potatoes are America’s most frequently eaten vegetable (perhaps to the dismay of some parents with small children). Whether you bake, braise, mash, roast, fry, stew, or steam them, there’s hardly any way you can cook potatoes without achieving delicious results.
Despite its enormous popularity, the potato is actually the second-most important vegetable crop worldwide (after corn). Native to the Americas and domesticated by the Incas and other Andean peoples, potatoes were brought to Europe in the early 16th century, during the age of European explorers. It was there, thanks to the 18th-century efforts of Antoine-Augustin Parmentier—the Johnny Appleseed of potatoes—that potatoes eventually became cultivated on a huge scale, thus putting an end to famine in that part of the world in the 18th and 19th centuries (with the notable exception of the Irish Potato Famine). It’s not an overstatement to say that the potato fueled the rise of the West and led to the development of modern agriculture.
In the 21st century, we take them for granted, but we shouldn’t. The possibilities for side dishes are vast. We love Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Leeks and Chives, and Slow-Cooker Mashed Potatoes with sour cream. We roast them with garlic and rosemary and turn them into creative potato salads. We grill them on skewers with oregano and lemon. Of course, we adore frying them into French fries, hash browns, latkes, and homemade kettle chips.
But potatoes aren’t just sides. Irish cooks know their potatoes, and few dishes prove that better than Shepherd’s Pie. And Potato and Chorizo Tacos, a favorite Mexican preparation, take us back near to where the colorful story of the potato began.
shopping and storage
Potatoes are available year-round. Look for firm specimens that are free of green spots, sprouts, cracks, and other blemishes. We generally prefer to buy loose potatoes, so that we can see what we are getting. Stay away from potatoes sold in plastic bags, as those storage conditions can cause them to sprout and rot.
Keep potatoes in a cool, dark, dry place and away from onions, which give off gases that will hasten sprouting. Baking and all-purpose varieties will keep for several months. Boiling potatoes will keep for about one month. To further extend shelf life, we tried storing them in a cool, dark place with an apple—a common old wives’ tale. To our surprise, the apple did indeed boost storage time, by almost two weeks. The ethylene gas emitted by the apple suppresses the elongation of the potatoes’ cells, which is what causes the sprouts to form.
vegetable science
Stress-Free Spud Storage
Since potatoes seem almost indestructible, you might not give much thought to their storage. But it matters. For four weeks, we stored all-purpose potatoes in five environments: a cool (50 to 60 degrees), dark place; the refrigerator; a basket near a sunny window; a warm (70 to 80 degrees), dark place; and a drawer with some onions at room temperature.
The potatoes stored in the cool, dark place and in the refrigerator were firm, sprout-free, and crisp and moist. We could not discern any noticeable difference in quality between these methods. The other three tests produced poor results: The potatoes in the basket became gray and mottled, and the potatoes stored both in a warm place and with the onions softened and sprouted. All of the stressed potatoes ended up with greenish tinges, the result of a naturally occurring toxin called solanine, which is not destroyed by cooking.
all about potatoes
To make sense of the many varieties, it is helpful to group potatoes into three major categories based on texture.
BAKING POTATOES These floury potatoes contain more total starch (20 to 22 percent) than the others, giving these varieties a drier texture. Because of that, these potatoes are excellent candidates when baking and frying. They are also wonderful for mashing because they can drink up the butter and cream. They work well when you want to thicken a stew or soup, but not when you want distinct chunks of potatoes in the finished stew. Common varieties include russet, Russet Burbank, Idaho, and White Creamer.
ALL-PURPOSE POTATOES These potatoes contain less total starch (18 to 20 percent) than baking potatoes but more than the total starch in boiling potatoes. Although they are considered “in-between” potatoes, they are closer in texture to baking potatoes than to boiling potatoes. So they are also great choices for baking, frying, and mashing. You can also use them in salads and soups, but they won’t be quite as firm as boiling potatoes. Common varieties include Yukon Gold, Yellow Finn, Purple Peruvian, Kennebec, and Katahdin.
BOILING POTATOES These potatoes contain a relatively low amount of total starch (16 to 18 percent), giving them a firm, smooth, waxy texture and a higher moisture content than those in other categories. They are often called “new” because they are less-mature potatoes harvested in late spring and summer. They are less starchy than “old” potatoes because they haven’t had the longer storage time to convert their sugar to starch. They also have thinner skins than the others. Boiling potatoes are perfect when you want the pieces to hold their shape, as with potato salad, or when roasting. Common varieties include Red Bliss, French Fingerling, Red Creamer, Red Pontiac, and White Rose.
vegetable prep
Cutting Potatoes for French Fries
1. Halve potatoes lengthwise and turn halves cut sides down on cutting board. Trim thin slice from both long sides of each potato half, discarding trimmings.
2. Slice potatoes lengthwise into ⅓- to ½-inch-thick planks. Potatoes are ready for making Thick-Cut Oven Fries.
3. If cutting into thinner fries, as for Easier French Fries, slice each plank into ¼-inch-thick fries.
X Marks the Spot
For fluffy—not dense—baked potatoes, cut X in top of baked potato and gently squeeze with your fingers so steam can escape.
BUTTERMILK MASHED POTATOES
Serves 4
Total time: 45 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Buttermilk mashed potatoes should be both rich and tangy, like a baked potato drenched in butter and sour cream. But simply stirring buttermilk into boiled and mashed potatoes didn’t yield the flavorful results we were after. The key to having the potatoes soak up the buttermilk flavor turned out to be cooking the potatoes directly in the buttermilk, which we thinned with a little water. Buttermilk is acidic, which slows cooking, but a pinch of baking soda balanced the acid so that the potatoes cooked through in a reasonable amount of time. Because simmering the buttermilk dulled its flavor slightly, we added a little reserved buttermilk at the end to revive the tanginess. Don’t be alarmed if the buttermilk looks separated. Once you mash the potatoes into it, the puree comes together.
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered, and cut into ½-inch pieces
1 cup buttermilk
6 tablespoons water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
Salt and pepper
1. Combine potatoes, ¾ cup buttermilk, water, 2 tablespoons butter, baking soda, and ½ teaspoon salt in Dutch oven. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and paring knife can be slipped in and out of potatoes with no resistance, 20 to 25 minutes.
2. Uncover and cook over medium heat until liquid has nearly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Off heat, add remaining 4 tablespoons butter and mash potatoes smooth with potato masher. Using rubber spatula, fold in remaining ¼ cup buttermilk until absorbed. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
VARIATIONS
Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes with Leeks and Chives
While potatoes are cooking, melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1 leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced ¼ inch thick, and washed thoroughly. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Add leek and 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives to potatoes with buttermilk in step 2.
Buttermilk Ranch Mashed Potatoes
Add ⅓ cup sour cream, 3 very thinly sliced scallions, 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, and 1 minced garlic clove along with buttermilk in step 2.
FRENCH-STYLE MASHED POTATOES (POMMES PURéE)
Serves 8
Total time: 1 hour
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Chef Joël Robuchon’s indulgent recipe for ultrasilky and buttery mashed potatoes is amazingly decadent and a perfect side for dinner parties. However, it poses a number of challenges for the home cook, including peeling piping-hot whole boiled potatoes, laboriously beating a full pound of cold butter into the potatoes, and passing the puree multiple times through a special restaurant sieve called a tamis. Our recipe eliminates all those challenges. Instead of using water, we cooked peeled, diced potatoes directly in the milk and butter that would be incorporated into the mash. This approach eliminated the need to laboriously beat in the butter after the fact and also captured the potato starch released during cooking, which is key to producing an emulsified texture in which the butter doesn’t separate out. You will need a food mill or potato ricer for this recipe. When serving, keep the richness in mind: A small dollop on each plate should suffice.
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
20 tablespoons (2½ sticks) unsalted butter
1⅓ cups whole milk
Salt and white pepper
1. Place potatoes in fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear; set aside to drain.
2. Heat butter, milk, and 1 teaspoon salt in large saucepan over low heat until butter has melted. Add potatoes, increase heat to medium-low, and cook until liquid just starts to boil. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and gently simmer until potatoes are tender and paring knife can be slipped in and out of potatoes with no resistance, 30 to 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
3. Drain potatoes in fine-mesh strainer set over large bowl, reserving cooking liquid. Wipe saucepan clean with paper towels. Return cooking liquid to now-empty saucepan and place over low heat.
4. Set food mill or ricer fitted with finest disk over saucepan. Working in batches, transfer potatoes to hopper and process. Using whisk, recombine potatoes and cooking liquid until smooth, 10 to 15 seconds (potatoes should almost be pourable). Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
SLOW-COOKER MASHED POTATOES
Serves 10 to 12
Total time: 5 to 6 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS For perfectly moist, fluffy, and smooth mashed potatoes in the slow cooker, we used a small amount of water and a parchment shield to create a moist, steamy environment. Thinly sliced potatoes cooked more evenly than chunks, and boiling the water first jump-started the cooking process. We brushed the top layer of potatoes with melted butter to help prevent discoloration, and mashed in the rest of the butter about 4 hours later, when the potatoes were tender. (The top layer of potatoes may discolor slightly, but this won’t be noticeable upon mashing.) We mashed the potatoes right in the cooking liquid, rather than draining them. Along with the added butter, the cooking liquid easily created a nice smooth texture when incorporated. You will need a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker for this recipe.
5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼ inch thick
2¾ cups boiling water, plus extra as needed
Salt and pepper
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ cup sour cream
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1. Combine potatoes, boiling water, and 2 teaspoons salt in slow cooker. Brush top layer with 3 tablespoons melted butter. Press 16 by 12-inch sheet of parchment paper firmly onto potatoes, folding down edges as needed. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender and paring knife can be slipped in and out of potatoes with no resistance, 5 to 6 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high.
2. Discard parchment. Mash potatoes with potato masher until smooth. Stir in sour cream, chives, and remaining 9 tablespoons melted butter until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
BRAISED RED POTATOES WITH LEMON AND CHIVES
Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 50 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS What if you could achieve red potatoes with the creamy interiors created by steaming and the crispy browned exteriors produced by roasting—without doing either? That’s the result often promised by recipes for braised red potatoes, but they rarely deliver. To make good on that promise, we combined halved small red potatoes, butter, and salted water (plus thyme for flavoring) in a 12-inch skillet and simmered the spuds until their interiors were perfectly creamy and the water was fully evaporated. Then we let the potatoes continue to cook in the now-dry skillet until their cut sides browned in the butter, developing the rich flavor and crispy edges of roasted potatoes. These potatoes were so good that they needed only a minimum of seasoning: We simply tossed them with some minced garlic (softened in the simmering water along with the potatoes), lemon juice, chives, and pepper. Use small red potatoes measuring 1 to 2 inches in diameter. You will need a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.
1½ pounds small red potatoes, unpeeled, halved
2 cups water
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, peeled
3 sprigs fresh thyme
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1. Arrange potatoes in single layer, cut side down, in 12-inch nonstick skillet. Add water, butter, garlic, thyme sprigs, and salt and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until potatoes are just tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Remove lid and use slotted spoon to transfer garlic to cutting board; discard thyme sprigs. Increase heat to medium-high and simmer vigorously, swirling skillet occasionally, until water evaporates and butter starts to sizzle, 15 to 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, mince garlic to paste. Transfer paste to bowl and stir in lemon juice and pepper.
3. Continue to cook potatoes, swirling skillet frequently, until butter browns and cut sides of potatoes turn spotty brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Off heat, add chives and garlic mixture and toss to coat thoroughly. Serve.
VARIATIONS
Braised Red Potatoes with Dijon and Tarragon
Substitute 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard for lemon juice and 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon for chives.
Braised Red Potatoes with Miso and Scallions
Reduce salt to ½ teaspoon. Substitute 1 tablespoon red miso paste for lemon juice and 3 thinly sliced scallions for chives.
BEST BAKED POTATOES
Serves 4
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Baked potatoes are one of those dishes most home cooks think they don’t need a recipe for, but following our precise roasting technique guarantees a perfect potato—with a fluffy interior, crispy skin, and even seasoning—every time. For starters, our testing pointed us to an ideal doneness temperature: 205 degrees. Baking russet potatoes in a hot oven propped up on a wire rack prevented a leathery ring from forming beneath the peel, and taking the potato’s temperature with an instant-read thermometer ensured we hit the 205-degree sweet spot every time. Coating the potatoes in salty water before baking was all the effort required to season the skin; brushing on vegetable oil once the potatoes were cooked through and then baking the potatoes for an additional 10 minutes promised the crispest exterior possible. Potatoes this good deserve an accompaniment, so we came up with some simple but sophisticated toppings to serve with them. Open up the potatoes immediately after removal from the oven in step 3 so steam can escape. Top the potatoes as desired, or with one of our flavorful toppings.
Salt and pepper
4 small russet potatoes (8 ounces each), unpeeled, each lightly pricked with fork in 6 places
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Dissolve 2 tablespoons salt in ½ cup water in large bowl. Place potatoes in bowl and toss so exteriors of potatoes are evenly moistened. Transfer potatoes to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and bake until center of largest potato registers 205 degrees, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Remove potatoes from oven and brush tops and sides with oil. Return potatoes to oven and bake for 10 minutes.
3. Remove potatoes from oven and, using paring knife, make 2 slits, forming X, in each potato. Using clean dish towel, hold ends and squeeze slightly to push flesh up and out. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
VARIATIONS
Best Baked Potatoes with Herbed Goat Cheese
Mash 4 ounces softened goat cheese with fork. Stir in 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon minced shallot, and ½ teaspoon lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and dollop on potatoes before serving.
Best Baked Potatoes with Creamy Egg Topping
Stir 3 chopped hard-cooked eggs, ¼ cup sour cream, 1½ tablespoons minced cornichons, 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon minced capers, and 1 tablespoon minced shallot together in bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and dollop over potatoes before serving.
TWICE-BAKED POTATOES WITH BACON, CHEDDAR, AND SCALLIONS
Serves 8
Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Twice-baked potatoes—essentially baked russet potatoes whose flesh has been removed from the shells, mashed with dairy products and seasonings, mounded back into the shells, and baked again—offer a variety of textures and flavors in a single bite. Done well, the skin is chewy and substantial without being tough, with just a hint of crispness to play off the smooth, creamy filling. In the course of developing our perfect rendition, tests revealed that tasters preferred a combination of sharp cheddar and sour cream enriched with 4 tablespoons of butter. To this, we added bacon, sautéed onion, and a final sprinkling of fresh scallions. Be sure to leave a layer of potato inside the potato skins; it helps them retain their shape when stuffed and baked.
4 small russet potatoes (8 ounces each), unpeeled, rubbed lightly with vegetable oil, each lightly pricked with fork in 6 places
4 slices bacon, chopped fine
1 onion, chopped fine
6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1½ cups)
1 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Salt and pepper
2 scallions, sliced thin
1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Place potatoes directly on hot oven rack and bake until skins are crisp and deep brown and paring knife easily pierces flesh, about 1 hour, flipping potatoes halfway through baking. Transfer potatoes to wire rack and let cool slightly, about 10 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees.
2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel. Add onion to fat left in skillet and cook over medium heat until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes; set aside. Line rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and set wire rack in sheet.
3. Using oven mitt to handle hot potato, cut each potato in half lengthwise. Using soupspoon, scoop flesh from each half into medium bowl, leaving ¼- to ½-inch thickness of flesh in each shell. Transfer potato shells to prepared rack.
4. Mash potato flesh with fork until smooth. Stir in 1 cup cheddar, sour cream, butter, and sautéed onion, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon mixture into potato shells, mounding slightly at center. Sprinkle with remaining ½ cup cheddar and crisp bacon.
5. Bake until shells are crisp and filling is heated through, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with scallions and serve.
VARIATIONS
Twice-Baked Potatoes with Bacon, Blue Cheese, and Caramelized Onions
For more caramelized onion flavor, add an extra onion.
Substitute ½ cup crumbled blue cheese for cheddar. Add 1 tablespoon brown sugar to onion in step 2; cook until onion is very soft and deeply browned, about 20 minutes.
Southwestern Twice-Baked Potatoes
Substitute 1½ cups shredded pepper Jack cheese for cheddar. Add 3 minced garlic cloves to onion during final minute of cooking in step 2. Add 1 teaspoon minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce to mashed potato mixture in step 4.
ROASTED SMASHED POTATOES
Serves 4
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Yes, you can savor the creamy, smooth texture of mashed potatoes and the satisfying crunch of deep-fried spuds in one foolproof recipe. Success started with choosing the right potato; only small red potatoes, with their moist texture and thin skin, fit the bill. Before we could begin smashing, we needed to soften them, so we parcooked them, covered, on a baking sheet. Unlike boiling, which washed out flavor, this steaming approach kept the potatoes earthy and sweet. After a short rest (very hot potatoes crumbled apart when smashed), we drizzled them with olive oil and smashed them all at once by placing a second baking sheet on top and pushing down evenly and firmly. After adding chopped fresh thyme and more olive oil, and another stint in the oven, we ended up with browned, crisped potatoes that were super-creamy inside. Use small red potatoes measuring 1 to 2 inches in diameter. Remove the potatoes from the baking sheet as soon as they are done browning—they will toughen if left for too long.
2 pounds small red potatoes, unpeeled
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
Salt and pepper
1. Adjust oven racks to top and lowest positions and heat oven to 500 degrees. Arrange potatoes on rimmed baking sheet, pour ¾ cup water into sheet, and wrap tightly with aluminum foil. Cook on lower rack until paring knife can be slipped into and out of center of potatoes with very little resistance (poke through foil to test), 25 to 30 minutes. Remove foil and let cool for 10 minutes. If any water remains on sheet, blot dry with paper towel.
2. Drizzle 3 tablespoons oil over potatoes and roll to coat. Space potatoes evenly on sheet and place second baking sheet on top. Press down firmly on second sheet, flattening potatoes until ⅓ to ½ inch thick. Sprinkle with thyme, season with salt and pepper, and drizzle evenly with remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Roast potatoes on upper rack for 15 minutes, then transfer potatoes to bottom rack and roast until well browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
CRISP ROASTED FINGERLING POTATOES
Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 1 hour
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS For this different take on roasted potatoes, we chose creamy, dense fingerling potatoes, halved them, and boiled them in a mixture of salt and baking soda. The salt made these boiling potatoes nice and fluffy, and the baking soda brought the potatoes’ starch to the surface. After boiling them, we let the potatoes cool to vent steam and then arranged them, cut side down, on a hot baking sheet so that the now starch-covered potatoes would become crispy in the oven. Look for fingerling potatoes measuring approximately 3 inches long and 1 inch in diameter.
2 pounds fingerling potatoes, unpeeled, halved lengthwise
½ cup salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon pepper
1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Add potatoes, salt, and baking soda, return to simmer, and cook until potatoes are tender but centers offer slight resistance when pierced with paring knife, 7 to 10 minutes. Drain potatoes in colander and shake vigorously to roughen edges. Transfer potatoes to large platter lined with kitchen towel and arrange cut side up. Let sit until no longer steaming and surface is tacky, about 5 minutes.
2. Transfer potatoes to large bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon oil and pepper. Working quickly, remove sheet from oven and drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon oil over surface. Arrange potatoes cut side down on sheet in even layer. Roast until cut sides are crisp and skins spotty brown, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through roasting. Flip potatoes cut side up and let cool on sheet for 5 minutes. Serve.
SALT-CRUSTED FINGERLING POTATOES
Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 45 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS We started developing this recipe with a nontraditional ingredient: seawater. In our research in the test kitchen, we found a number of older recipes that called for it, so we wanted to try cooking our potatoes in a saline solution to see if we could develop a salty crust and an interesting minerally flavor. The potatoes we tested were creamy and tender and had a unique briny flavor profile. But was this a practical way to cook potatoes? To mimic the effect without having to trek to the beach, we boiled fingerling potatoes in a skillet with 1 teaspoon of salt and enough water to cover them. Covering the skillet for the first 15 minutes of cooking ensured that the potatoes cooked through and were fluffy and tender. Removing the lid for the second half of the cooking time allowed the water to evaporate, giving the potatoes a crackly, salty sheen. Look for fingerling potatoes measuring approximately 3 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. These potatoes can be served with melted butter, if desired.
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds fingerling potatoes, unpeeled
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1. Whisk water and salt in 12-inch skillet until salt is dissolved, about 15 seconds. Add potatoes and rosemary sprigs (potatoes may not be fully submerged) and bring to simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until potatoes are nearly tender, about 15 minutes.
2. Uncover and increase heat to medium-high. Simmer vigorously until all water has evaporated and potatoes are fully tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard rosemary sprigs. Serve.
SLOW-COOKER LEMON-HERB FINGERLING POTATOES
Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 5 to 6 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Cooking small whole potatoes in the slow cooker requires no prep work, frees up your stove, and turns out perfectly tender little spuds. For this supereasy and attractive side dish, we turned to fingerlings. We could put them into the slow cooker without any liquid whatsoever, and they retained their delicate sweetness without a hint of mushiness. To enhance their flavor, we added some olive oil, garlic, and scallions. Unlike with some other slow-cooker potato dishes, they cooked through properly without our having to cover them first with a sheet of parchment paper. Look for fingerling potatoes about 3 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. You will need a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker for this recipe. This recipe can easily be doubled in a 7-quart slow cooker, but you will need to increase the cooking time range by 1 hour.
2 pounds fingerling potatoes, unpeeled
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 scallions, white parts minced, green parts sliced thin
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
1. Combine potatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, scallion whites, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in slow cooker. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender, 5 to 6 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high.
2. Stir in parsley, lemon zest and juice, scallion greens, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
POTATO GALETTE
Serves 6 to 8
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS With its crispy exterior crust and beautifully layered presentation, a potato galette is a simple but sophisticated side or brunch dish. For even cooking and great browning, we began our galette recipe on the stovetop and then slid the pan onto the bottom rack of a hot oven. Using an ovensafe nonstick skillet averted the risk that our potato galette would stick to the pan’s bottom. To keep the potatoes from sliding away from one another when we sliced our galette, we included cornstarch in the butter that we were using to coat the potatoes and compressed the galette using a cake pan filled with pie weights for the first half of cooking. Slicing the potatoes ⅛ inch thick is crucial for the success of this dish; use a mandoline, a V-slicer, or a food processor fitted with a ⅛-inch-thick slicing blade. You will need a 10-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet for this recipe. A pound of dried beans or rice can be substituted for the pie weights.
2½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, sliced ⅛ inch thick
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Place potatoes in large bowl and fill with cold water. Swirl to remove excess starch, then drain in colander. Spread potatoes on towels and dry thoroughly.
2. Whisk 4 tablespoons melted butter, cornstarch, rosemary, salt, and pepper together in large bowl. Add potatoes and toss until thoroughly coated. Add remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter to 10-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet and swirl to coat. Place 1 potato slice in center of skillet, then overlap slices in circle around center slice, followed by outer circle of overlapping slices. Gently place remaining sliced potatoes on top of first layer, arranging so they form even thickness.
3. Place skillet over medium-high heat and cook until potatoes are sizzling and slices around edge of cake start to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Spray 12-inch square of aluminum foil with vegetable oil spray. Place foil, sprayed side down, on top of potatoes. Place 9-inch round cake pan on top of foil and fill with 2 cups pie weights. Firmly press down on cake pan to compress potatoes. Transfer skillet to oven and bake for 20 minutes.
4. Remove cake pan and foil from skillet. Continue to cook until paring knife can be inserted in center of cake with no resistance, 20 to 25 minutes. Being careful of hot skillet handle, return skillet to medium heat on stovetop and cook, gently shaking pan (skillet handle will be hot), until galette releases from sides of skillet, 2 to 3 minutes. Carefully slide galette onto large plate, place cutting board over galette, and gently invert plate and cutting board together, then remove plate. Using serrated knife, gently cut galette into wedges and serve immediately.
CLASSIC POTATO GRATIN
Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS A bubbling, creamy potato gratin is the ultimate in comfort food and is as much at home on a weeknight table as it as at holiday time. For our classic recipe, we found that the potato variety mattered less than having evenly sliced potatoes. Uniformly thin slices (easily obtained using a mandoline) yielded a gratin with distinct slices of potato bathed in a velvety sauce. As for the choice of dairy, we tried making gratins with milk, half-and-half, and heavy cream, and our favorite turned out to be half-and-half. Baked at 350 degrees for about an hour, gratins made this way had just the right balance of saturated potato and saucy liquid, without the sauce overwhelming the taste of the potato. For a more pronounced crust, sprinkle 3 tablespoons of heavy cream or grated Gruyère cheese on top of the potatoes after 45 minutes of baking. Slicing the potatoes ⅛ inch thick is crucial for the success of this dish; use a mandoline, a V-slicer, or a food processor fitted with a ⅛-inch-thick slicing blade.
1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
2 pounds potatoes, peeled and sliced ⅛ inch thick
2¼ cups half-and-half
1¼ teaspoons salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Rub bottom and sides of 1½-quart gratin dish or shallow baking dish with half garlic clove. Mince remaining garlic and set aside. Once garlic in dish has dried, about 2 minutes, spread dish with ½ tablespoon butter.
2. Bring potatoes; half-and-half; salt; pepper; nutmeg; cayenne, if using; and reserved minced garlic to boil in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally (liquid will just barely cover potatoes). Reduce to simmer and cook until liquid thickens, about 2 minutes.
3. Pour potato mixture into prepared dish. Shake dish or use fork to distribute potatoes evenly. Gently press down potatoes until submerged in liquid. Cut remaining ½ tablespoon butter into small pieces and scatter over potatoes.
4. Bake until top is golden brown, about 1¼ hours, basting once or twice during first 45 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes, and serve.
KETTLE CHIPS
Serves 6 to 8
Total time: 1 hour
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Whether thick-cut, crinkle-cut, plain, or flavored, potato chips are one of America’s most beloved snack foods. Our favorites are small-batch kettle-style chips, which cook up thicker and sturdier than regular chips, with a distinctive caramelized flavor. Store-bought versions tend to be greasy and oversalted, but making a perfect batch at home is actually pretty simple. The first trick is getting the potatoes to the perfect thickness. Thicker chips never get properly crisp, while those that are too thin fry up as light as confetti. We found the sweet spot at 1/16 inch for substantial, crisp chips. Frying at too low a temperature made the chips soggy, but when we increased the heat, they burned. Realizing that the potatoes’ starch was the source of our troubles, we landed on a method of rinsing, parboiling, and then frying. Rinsing washed away the exterior starch, while parboiling jump-started the cooking and further reduced the amount of starch. It was a bit of work, but the reward of fresh, golden chips was well worth it. Slicing the potatoes 1/16 inch thick is crucial for success; use a mandoline or a V-slicer. Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more for this recipe. These chips are best enjoyed the day they are made.
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, sliced 1⁄16 inch thick
2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil
Fine sea salt
1. Line rimmed baking sheet with clean dish towel. Set wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet and line with triple layer of paper towels; set both sheets aside. Place potato slices in large bowl and cover with cold water. Gently swirl potatoes to release starch. Drain potatoes and return to bowl. Repeat rinsing step until water no longer turns cloudy, about 5 rinses.
2. Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Add potatoes, return to gentle boil, and cook until just beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain potatoes in colander. Spread potatoes on towels and dry thoroughly.
3. Meanwhile, add oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about 1½ inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 325 degrees. Carefully place one-quarter of potato slices in hot oil. Fry, stirring frequently with wire skimmer or slotted spoon, until oil stops bubbling and chips turn golden and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature around 325 degrees. As soon as chips finish frying (some chips may cook slightly faster than others), transfer to prepared wire rack using skimmer or slotted spoon. Season with salt to taste.
4. Return oil to 325 degrees and repeat with remaining potato slices in 3 more batches. Let cool to room temperature before serving.
THICK-CUT OVEN FRIES
Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 55 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS When traditional French fries are fried, water is rapidly driven out of the starch cells at the surface of the potato, leaving behind tiny cavities. These cavities create the delicate, crispy crust on a French fry. Since oven fries don’t heat fast enough for air pockets to form, they usually don’t develop that type of crust. Here, we coated the potatoes in a cornstarch slurry that crisped up just like a deep-fried fry. We arranged the potatoes on a baking sheet coated with both vegetable oil spray and vegetable oil; the former contains a surfactant called lecithin, which prevented the oil from pooling and the potatoes from sticking. Using the spray also allowed us to use only 3 tablespoons of oil. Covering the baking sheet with aluminum foil for the first half of cooking ensured that the potatoes were fully tender by the time they were browned. Choose potatoes that are 4 to 6 inches in length to ensure well-proportioned fries. This recipe’s success is dependent on a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet that will not warp in the heat of the oven. Trimming thin slices from the ends of the potatoes in step 2 ensures that each fry has two flat surfaces for even browning.
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, unpeeled
¾ cup water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Salt
1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Generously spray rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Pour oil into prepared sheet and tilt sheet until surface is evenly coated with oil.
2. Halve potatoes lengthwise and turn halves cut sides down on cutting board. Trim thin slice from both long sides of each potato half, discarding trimmings. Slice potatoes lengthwise into ⅓- to ½-inch-thick planks.
3. Combine water and cornstarch in large bowl, making sure no lumps of cornstarch remain on bottom of bowl. Microwave, stirring every 20 seconds, until mixture begins to thicken, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove from microwave and continue to stir until mixture thickens to pudding-like consistency. (If necessary, add up to 2 tablespoons water to achieve correct consistency.)
4. Transfer potatoes to bowl with cornstarch mixture and toss until each plank is evenly coated. Arrange planks on prepared sheet, leaving small gaps between planks. (Some cornstarch mixture will remain in bowl.) Cover sheet tightly with lightly greased aluminum foil and bake for 12 minutes.
5. Remove foil and bake until bottom of each fry is golden brown, 10 to 18 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and, using thin metal spatula, carefully flip each fry. Return sheet to oven and continue to bake until second sides are golden brown, 10 to 18 minutes. Sprinkle fries with ½ teaspoon salt. Using spatula, carefully toss fries to distribute salt. Transfer fries to paper towel–lined plate and season with salt to taste. Serve.
EASIER FRENCH FRIES
Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 40 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Traditional methods of making French fries involve rinsing, soaking, double-frying, and then draining and salting them—not an easy process. We wanted a recipe for crispy fries with a tender interior and lots of potato flavor, but without all of that fuss. The key was to submerge the potatoes in room-temperature oil before frying them over high heat until browned. This gave the potatoes’ interiors an opportunity to soften and cook through before the exteriors started to crisp. We tried starchy russets, but they turned leathery with the longer cooking time. With lower-starch Yukon Golds, however, the result was a crisp exterior and a creamy interior. The fries stuck to the bottom of the pot at first, but letting the potatoes cook in the oil for 20 minutes before stirring gave them enough time to form a crust that would protect them. Thinner fries were also less likely to stick. This recipe will not work with sweet potatoes or russets. Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more for this recipe.
2½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled
6 cups peanut or vegetable oil
Kosher salt
1. Using chef’s knife, square off sides of potatoes. Cut potatoes lengthwise into ¼-inch planks, then slice each plank into ¼-inch-thick fries. Combine potatoes and oil in large Dutch oven. Cook over high heat until oil has reached rolling boil, about 5 minutes.
2. Once boiling, continue to cook, without stirring, until potatoes are limp but exteriors are beginning to firm, about 15 minutes.
3. Using tongs, stir potatoes, gently scraping up any that stick, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Using wire skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer fries to paper towel–lined baking sheet. Season with salt and serve.
PATATAS BRAVAS
Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 1 hour
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS The best versions of patatas bravas, a favorite Spanish tapas preparation, showcase crispy, well-browned potato pieces served with a smoky, spicy tomato-based sauce. To create an ultracrispy crust without double frying, we parboiled russet potatoes with baking soda, which triggers a chain reaction that causes the pectin on the exteriors of the potatoes to release a layer of starch that, when fried, develops into a thick crust. We tossed the parcooked potatoes with kosher salt, which roughs up the surfaces of the potatoes, creating nooks and crannies through which steam can escape. The nooks and crannies also trap oil, helping to make an even more substantial crunchy crust. For our sauce, we cooked tomato paste, cayenne, sweet smoked paprika, garlic, and water, finishing with sherry vinegar. Finally, adding mayonnaise allowed us to combine the bravas sauce and another common accompaniment, aïoli, into a single sauce. Bittersweet or hot smoked paprika can be used in place of sweet, if desired. If you make this substitution, be sure to taste the sauce before deciding how much cayenne to add, if any. A rasp-style grater makes quick work of turning the garlic into a paste. Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more for this recipe.
SAUCE
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 teaspoons garlic, minced to paste
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½–¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch red pepper flakes
¼ cup tomato paste
½ cup water
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
¼ cup mayonnaise
POTATOES
2¼ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ teaspoon baking soda
Kosher salt
3 cups vegetable oil
1. For the sauce Heat oil in small saucepan over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add garlic, paprika, salt, cayenne, and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds. Whisk in water and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until slightly thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer sauce to bowl, stir in vinegar, and let cool completely, about 20 minutes. Once cool, whisk in mayonnaise.
2. For the potatoes Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan over high heat. Add potatoes and baking soda. Return to boil and cook for 1 minute. Drain potatoes.
3. Return potatoes to now-empty saucepan and place over low heat. Cook, shaking saucepan occasionally, until any surface moisture has evaporated, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add 1½ teaspoons salt and stir with rubber spatula until potatoes are coated with thick, starchy paste, about 30 seconds. Transfer potatoes to rimmed baking sheet in single layer to cool.
4. Set wire rack in second rimmed baking sheet and line with triple layer of paper towels. Heat oil in large Dutch oven to 375 degrees over high heat. Add all potatoes (they should just be submerged in oil) and cook, stirring occasionally with wire skimmer or slotted spoon, until deep golden brown and crispy, 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Using skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to prepared rack. Season with salt to taste. Spoon ½ cup sauce onto bottom of serving platter or 1½ tablespoons sauce onto individual plates. Arrange potatoes over sauce and serve immediately, passing remaining sauce separately.
CRISPY POTATO LATKES
Makes 10 latkes
Total time: 50 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Latkes come in all shapes and sizes, but the textural goal is always the same: delicate and light throughout, with a creamy, buttery, soft interior surrounded by a shatteringly crispy outer shell. Unfortunately, many recipes produce latkes that soak up oil like sponges, leaving them greasy and soft. Others are crispy outside but gluey inside or are simply undercooked and tough. To achieve latkes that were light and not greasy, with flavorful, tender interiors and a pleasingly crisp outer shell, we needed to do two things: First, we removed as much water as possible from the potato shreds by wringing them out in a dish towel. Then, we briefly microwaved them. This caused the starches in the potatoes to form a gel that held on to the potatoes’ moisture so it didn’t leach out during cooking. With the water taken care of, the latkes crisped up quickly and absorbed minimal oil. We prefer using the shredding disk of a food processor to shred the potatoes, but you can use the large holes of a box grater if you prefer. Top with applesauce and sour cream and serve with a green salad.
2 pounds russet potatoes, unpeeled, shredded
½ cup grated onion
Salt and pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
Vegetable oil
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees. Toss potatoes, onion, and 1 teaspoon salt together in bowl. Working in 2 batches, wrap potato mixture in clean dish towel and wring tightly to squeeze out as much liquid as possible into measuring cup, reserving drained liquid. Let liquid sit until starch settles to bottom, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Return potato mixture to bowl, cover, and microwave until just warmed through but not hot, 1 to 2 minutes, stirring mixture with fork every 30 seconds. Spread potato mixture evenly over second rimmed baking sheet and let cool for 10 minutes.
3. Pour off water from reserved potato liquid, leaving potato starch in measuring cup. Whisk in eggs until smooth. Return cooled potato mixture to bowl. Add parsley, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and potato starch mixture and toss to combine.
4. Set wire rack in clean rimmed baking sheet and line with triple layer of paper towels. Add oil to 12-inch skillet until it measures ¼ inch deep and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Place ¼-cup mound of potato mixture in oil and press with nonstick spatula into ⅓-inch-thick disk. Repeat until 5 latkes are in skillet.
5. Cook, adjusting heat so oil bubbles around latke edges, until golden brown on both sides, about 6 minutes. Let latkes drain briefly on paper towels, then transfer to sheet in oven. Repeat with remaining potato mixture, adding oil between batches as needed to maintain ¼-inch depth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
BETTER HASH BROWNS
Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS This breakfast and brunch favorite can be more difficult than you might expect: The potatoes discolor, the potato cake falls apart when you try to flip it, and the exterior often burns before the interior is fully cooked. For our better hash browns, we prevented discoloration by rinsing the grated potatoes in salted water. This seasoned the potatoes and lowered the gelatinization temperature of the potato starch, which helped the shreds stick together. After squeezing excess water out of the potatoes, we parcooked them in the microwave, which removed moisture and jump-started the gelatinization process so that the potatoes were cohesive even before they went into the skillet. Molding the hash browns in a cake pan meant we didn’t have to fiddle with sticky potatoes in a pan of hot oil. It also made a smoother potato cake that was less likely to stick to the pan. We prefer using the shredding disk of a food processor to shred the potatoes, but you can use the large holes of a box grater if you prefer.
4 teaspoons salt
2½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and shredded
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup vegetable oil
1. Spray 8-inch round cake pan with vegetable oil spray. Whisk 2 cups water and salt in large bowl until salt dissolves. Transfer potatoes to salt water and toss briefly to coat. Immediately drain in colander. Place 2½ cups potatoes in center of clean dish towel. Gather ends together and twist tightly to wring out excess moisture. Toss dried potatoes with pepper in large bowl. Microwave until very hot and slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Place remaining potatoes in towel and wring out excess moisture. Add to microwaved potatoes and toss with 2 forks until mostly combined (potatoes will not combine completely). Continue to microwave until potatoes are hot and form cohesive mass when pressed with spatula, about 6 minutes, stirring halfway through microwaving.
2. Transfer potatoes to prepared pan and let cool until no longer steaming, about 5 minutes. Using your lightly greased hands, press potatoes firmly into pan to form smooth disk. Refrigerate until cool, at least 20 minutes or up to 24 hours (if refrigerating longer than 30 minutes, wrap pan with plastic wrap once potatoes are cool).
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Invert potato cake onto plate and carefully slide cake into skillet. Cook, swirling skillet occasionally to distribute oil evenly and prevent cake from sticking, until bottom of cake is brown and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes. (If not browning after 3 minutes, turn heat up slightly. If browning too quickly, reduce heat.) Slide cake onto large plate. Invert onto second large plate. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil until shimmering. Carefully slide cake, browned side up, back into skillet. Cook, swirling skillet occasionally, until bottom of cake is brown and crispy, 5 to 6 minutes. Carefully slide cake onto plate and invert onto serving plate. Cut into wedges and serve.
ALL-AMERICAN POTATO SALAD
Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes (plus 30 minutes chilling time)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS For flavorful, potluck-perfect potato salad, we used firm-textured Yukon Gold potatoes because they hold their shape after cooking. Our recipe benefited from the sweetness of an unexpected ingredient: pickle juice. We drizzled the warm potatoes with a mixture of pickle juice and mustard. The potatoes easily absorbed the acidic seasoning liquid right through to the middle. Mayonnaise and sour cream formed the base of our creamy dressing, seasoned with celery seeds, celery, and red onion. Chopped hard-cooked eggs stirred in at the end completed our all- American potato salad; you can omit them if you prefer. Make sure not to overcook the potatoes or the salad will be sloppy. Keep the water at a gentle simmer and use the tip of a paring knife to judge their doneness. If the knife inserts easily, they are done.
2 hard-cooked large eggs, peeled and chopped coarse (optional)
Salt
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces
3 tablespoons dill pickle juice, plus ¼ cup finely chopped dill pickles
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
½ teaspoon celery seeds
¼ teaspoon pepper
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
1 celery rib, chopped fine
½ small red onion, chopped fine
1. Place potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt in large saucepan and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are just tender and paring knife can be slipped in and out of potatoes with little resistance, 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Drain potatoes thoroughly, then spread out on rimmed baking sheet. Mix 2 tablespoons pickle juice and mustard together in small bowl, drizzle pickle juice mixture over hot potatoes, and toss until evenly coated. Refrigerate until cooled, about 30 minutes.
3. Mix remaining 1 tablespoon pickle juice, chopped pickles, celery seeds, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, mayonnaise, sour cream, celery, and red onion in large bowl. Add cooled potatoes and gently toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. (Salad can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.) Gently stir in eggs just before serving.
FRENCH POTATO SALAD WITH DIJON AND FINES HERBES
Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 45 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Fresh green herbs and a vinaigrette dressing are the hallmarks of a French potato salad, making the dish pleasing not only to the eye but also to the palate. Small red potatoes are the traditional choice, and they should be tender but not mushy, with the flavor of the vinaigrette fully permeating the mild potatoes. To eliminate torn skins and broken slices, a common side effect of boiling skin-on red potatoes, we sliced the spuds before boiling. To evenly infuse the potatoes with the garlicky mustard vinaigrette, we spread the warm potatoes on a baking sheet and poured the vinaigrette over the top. Gently folding in the minced fresh herbs just before serving helped keep the potatoes intact. If fresh chervil isn’t available, substitute an additional ½ tablespoon of minced parsley and an additional ½ teaspoon of tarragon. Use small red potatoes measuring 1 to 2 inches in diameter.
2 pounds small red potatoes, unpeeled, sliced ¼ inch thick
2 tablespoons salt
1 garlic clove, peeled and threaded on skewer
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon pepper
1 small shallot, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh chervil
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
1. Place potatoes and salt in large saucepan and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are just tender and paring knife can be slipped in and out of potatoes with little resistance, 5 to 6 minutes.
2. While potatoes are cooking, lower skewered garlic into simmering water and blanch for 45 seconds. Run garlic under cold running water, then remove from skewer and mince.
3. Drain potatoes, reserving ¼ cup cooking water. Arrange hot potatoes close together in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Whisk oil, minced garlic, vinegar, mustard, pepper, and reserved potato cooking water together in bowl, then drizzle evenly over potatoes. Let potatoes sit at room temperature until flavors meld, about 10 minutes.
4. Transfer potatoes to large bowl. Combine shallot and herbs in small bowl, then sprinkle over potatoes and combine gently. Serve.
VARIATION
French Potato Salad with Fennel, Tomato, and Olives
If desired, chop 1 tablespoon of the fennel fronds and add it to the salad with the parsley. Omit chervil, chives, and tarragon. Increase parsley to 3 tablespoons. Add ½ bulb thinly sliced fennel, 1 cored and chopped tomato, and ¼ cup pitted oil-cured black olives, quartered, to salad with shallots and parsley.
POTATO GNOCCHI WITH SAGE BROWN BUTTER
Serves 4
Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Potato gnocchi are a culinary paradox: airy, pillow-like dumplings created from dense, starchy ingredients. The method is simple: Knead mashed potatoes into a dough; shape; and boil for a minute. And yet the potential pitfalls are numerous (lumpy mashed potatoes, too much or too little flour, a heavy hand when kneading). We wanted a foolproof recipe for impossibly light gnocchi with unmistakable potato flavor. Microwaving and then baking russets was an excellent start to our gnocchi base. To avoid lumps, which can cause gnocchi to break apart, we turned to a ricer for a smooth, supple mash. While many recipes offer a range of the quantity of flour, we used an exact amount based on the ratio of potato to flour so that our gnocchi dough was mixed as little as possible. And we found that an egg, while not traditional, tenderized our gnocchi further, delivering delicate potato pillows. For the most accurate measurements, weigh the potatoes and flour. After processing, you may have slightly more than the 3 cups (16 ounces) of potatoes required for this recipe. Discard any extra or set it aside for another use.
GNOCCHI
2 pounds russet potatoes, unpeeled
1 large egg, lightly beaten
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (4 ounces) all-purpose flour, plus extra for counter
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
SAUCE
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1 small shallot, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage
1½ teaspoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt
1. For the gnocchi Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Poke each potato 8 times with paring knife. Microwave potatoes until slightly softened at ends, about 10 minutes, flipping potatoes halfway through cooking. Transfer potatoes directly to oven rack and bake until skewer glides easily through flesh and potatoes yield to gentle pressure, 18 to 20 minutes.
2. Holding potatoes with dish towel, peel with paring knife. Process potatoes through ricer or food mill onto rimmed baking sheet. Gently spread potatoes into even layer and let cool for 5 minutes.
3. Transfer 3 cups (16 ounces) warm potatoes to bowl. Using fork, gently stir in egg until just combined. Sprinkle flour and 1 teaspoon salt over top and gently combine using fork until no pockets of dry flour remain. Press mixture into rough ball, transfer to lightly floured counter, and gently knead until smooth but slightly sticky, about 1 minute, lightly dusting counter with flour as needed to prevent sticking.
4. Line 2 clean rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and dust liberally with flour. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Lightly dust counter with flour. Gently roll 1 piece of dough into ½-inch-thick rope, dusting with flour to prevent sticking. Cut rope into ¾-inch lengths.
5. Holding fork with tines upside down in your hand, press each dough piece cut side down against tines with thumb of your other hand to create indentation. Roll dough down tines to form ridges on sides. If dough sticks, dust thumb and/or fork with flour. Transfer formed gnocchi to prepared sheets and repeat with remaining dough.
6. For the sauce Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally, until butter is browned and releases nutty aroma, about 1½ minutes. Off heat, add shallot and sage, stirring until shallot is fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice and salt and cover to keep warm.
7. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Using parchment paper as sling, add half of gnocchi and cook until firm and just cooked through, about 90 seconds (gnocchi should float to surface after about 1 minute). Remove gnocchi with slotted spoon, transfer to skillet with sauce, and cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining gnocchi. Gently toss gnocchi with sauce to combine and serve.
VARIATION
Potato Gnocchi with Parmesan, Pancetta, and Walnut Sauce
Whisk ½ cup chicken broth, ½ cup grated Parmesan, ¼ cup heavy cream, 2 large egg yolks, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper in bowl until smooth. Heat 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add 3 ounces finely chopped pancetta and cook until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in ½ cup chopped walnuts and cook until golden and fragrant, about 1 minute. Off heat, gradually add broth mixture, whisking constantly. Return skillet to medium heat and cook, stirring often, until sauce is thickened slightly, 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. Substitute Parmesan sauce for brown butter sauce.
SKILLET-ROASTED CHICKEN AND POTATOES
Serves 4
Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS What’s more delicious and satisfying than a whole chicken, roasted to perfection, atop a bed of perfectly browned and tender potatoes? To achieve this ideal, universally loved dish, we started by choosing a skillet instead of a roasting pan. To fit a full 2 pounds of potatoes into a 12-inch skillet, we cut them into thick rounds and gave them a jump- start on the stovetop to get a crust started. For a full-flavored bird, we carefully separated the skin from the breast and thighs and applied a fragrant blend of fresh thyme, smoked paprika, and lemon zest. Keeping the potatoes in the skillet and roasting the chicken on top of them not only elevated the bird for greater exposure to the oven’s heat, but also allowed the potatoes to soak up the chicken’s tasty drippings. Once the chicken was fully cooked, we let it rest while we covered the potatoes and returned them to the oven. By the time the chicken was ready to be served, the potatoes were perfectly tender. Use uniform, medium potatoes. You will need a 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1½ teaspoons smoked paprika
1½ teaspoons grated lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for serving
Salt and pepper
1 (3½- to 4-pound) whole chicken, giblets discarded
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, ends squared off, and sliced into 1-inch-thick rounds
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine 2 tablespoons oil, thyme, paprika, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Using your fingers or handle of spoon, gently loosen skin from breast and thighs. Rub oil mixture all over chicken and underneath skin of breast, directly onto meat. Tie legs together with kitchen twine and tuck wingtips behind back.
2. Toss potatoes with 1½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Arrange potatoes, flat sides down, in single layer in 12-inch ovensafe nonstick skillet. Place skillet over medium heat and cook potatoes, without moving them, until brown on bottom, 7 to 9 minutes (do not flip).
3. Place chicken, breast side up, on top of potatoes and transfer skillet to oven. Roast until breast registers 160 degrees and thighs register 175 degrees, 1 to 1¼ hours. Remove skillet from oven. Transfer chicken to carving board and let rest while finishing potatoes.
4. Meanwhile, being careful of hot skillet handle, cover skillet, return potatoes to oven, and roast until tender, about 20 minutes. Carve chicken and serve with potatoes and lemon wedges.
SHEPHERD’S PIE
Serves 4 to 6
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Shepherd’s pie, a robust casserole of meat, gravy, and vegetables all topped with a blanket of mashed potatoes, can take the better part of a day to prepare. And while the dish is indeed satisfying, traditional versions are simply too rich for most people. We wanted to both scale back its preparation time and lighten the dish to fit in better with modern eating sensibilities. Per other modern recipes, we chose ground beef as our filling over ground lamb. To prevent the beef from turning dry and crumbly, we tossed it with a little baking soda (diluted in water) before browning it. This unusual step raises the pH level of the beef, resulting in more tender meat. An onion and mushroom gravy, spiked with Worcestershire sauce, complemented the beef filling. For the mashed potatoes, we took our cue from an Irish dish called champ and cut way back on the dairy in favor of fresh scallions, which made for a lighter, more flavorful topping for the hearty meat filling underneath. Don’t use ground beef that’s fattier than 93 percent or the dish will be greasy. You will need a 10-inch broiler-safe skillet for this recipe.
1½ pounds 93 percent lean ground beef
Salt and pepper
½ teaspoon baking soda
2½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ cup milk
1 large egg yolk
8 scallions, green parts only, sliced thin
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
4 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons Madeira or ruby port
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1¼ cups beef broth
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1. Toss beef with 2 tablespoons water, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and baking soda in bowl until thoroughly combined. Set aside for 20 minutes.
2. Place potatoes and 1 tablespoon salt in medium saucepan and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until potatoes are tender and paring knife can be slipped in and out of potatoes with no resistance, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to saucepan. Return saucepan to low heat and cook, shaking saucepan occasionally, until any surface moisture on potatoes has evaporated, about 1 minute. Off heat, mash potatoes or press potatoes through ricer set over saucepan. Stir in melted butter. Whisk milk and egg yolk together in small bowl, then stir into potatoes. Stir in scallion greens and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and set aside.
3. Heat oil in 10-inch broiler-safe skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, mushrooms, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are just starting to soften and dark bits form on bottom of skillet, 4 to 6 minutes.
4. Stir in tomato paste and garlic and cook until bottom of skillet is dark brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in Madeira and cook, scraping up any browned bits, until evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in broth, carrots, Worcestershire, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits.
5. Reduce heat to medium-low, add beef in 2-inch chunks to broth, and bring to gentle simmer. Cover and cook until beef is cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, stirring and breaking up meat chunks with 2 forks halfway through cooking. Stir cornstarch and 2 teaspoons water together in bowl. Stir cornstarch mixture into filling and continue to simmer for 30 seconds. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Adjust oven rack 5 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Place mashed potatoes in large zipper-lock bag and snip off 1 corner to create 1-inch opening. Pipe potatoes in even layer over filling, making sure to cover entire surface. Smooth potatoes with back of spoon, then use tines of fork to make ridges over surface. Place skillet on rimmed baking sheet and broil until potatoes are golden brown and crusty and filling is bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
POTATO AND CHORIZO TACOS
Serves 4
Total time: 50 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Tender potatoes and highly seasoned fresh Mexican chorizo are the keys to these classic tacos. We started by toasting ancho chile powder, paprika, and other spices in oil to intensify their flavors, and then we mixed ground pork into the spiced oil. We added parboiled diced potatoes to absorb all that flavor as they finished cooking. Mashing some of the potatoes and mixing them into the filling made it more cohesive. A bright yet creamy puree of tomatillos, avocado, cilantro, and jalapeños complemented the richness of the filling. If you can purchase good-quality Mexican-style chorizo, skip step 2 and cook the chorizo as directed in step 3. The sharp, crunchy raw onion is an excellent counterpoint to the soft, rich taco filling, so we do not recommend omitting it. For a spicier sauce, use two jalapeño chiles. You will need a 12-inch nonstick skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.
FILLING
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon paprika
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch cayenne pepper
Pinch ground allspice
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1½ teaspoons sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
8 ounces ground pork
SAUCE
8 ounces tomatillos, husks and stems removed, rinsed well, dried, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 avocado, halved, pitted, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1–2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
¾ teaspoon salt
TACOS
12 (6-inch) corn tortillas, warmed
Finely chopped white onion
Fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges
1. For the filling Bring 1 quart water to boil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat. Add potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until potatoes are just tender and paring knife can be slipped in and out of potatoes with little resistance, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain potatoes and set aside. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.
2. Combine oil, chile powder, paprika, coriander, oregano, cinnamon, cayenne, allspice, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in now-empty skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is bubbling and fragrant. Off heat, carefully stir in vinegar, sugar, and garlic (mixture will sputter). Let sit until steam subsides and skillet cools slightly, about 5 minutes. Add pork to skillet. Mash and mix with rubber spatula until spice mixture is evenly incorporated into pork.
3. Return skillet to medium-high heat and cook, mashing and stirring until pork has broken into fine crumbles and juices are bubbling, about 3 minutes.
4. Stir in potatoes, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook until potatoes are fully softened and have soaked up most of pork juices, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Off heat, using spatula, mash approximately one-eighth of potatoes. Stir mixture until mashed potatoes are evenly distributed. Cover and keep warm.
5. For the sauce Process all ingredients in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer to serving bowl.
6. For the tacos Spoon filling into center of each tortilla and serve, passing sauce, onion, cilantro, and lime wedges separately.
LEMON-HERB COD FILLETS WITH CRISPY GARLIC POTATOES
Serves 4
Total time: 40 minutes
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Who isn’t looking for more simple, crowd-pleasing meals that are perfect for any night of the week during any time of the year? This ingenious recipe delivers perfectly roasted fillets and potatoes all in one sheet pan. We roasted the cod fillets atop beds of shingled sliced spuds to give the quick-cooking fish some insulation. Slicing and microwaving starchy russets with garlic and oil before roasting jump-started their cooking so that the potatoes and fish finished at the same time. To infuse the mild cod with flavor, we topped each fillet with butter, thyme sprigs, and slices of lemon, allowing the three components to gently baste and season the cod as it roasted. In the end, we were met with four elegant portions of rich, tender cod and fragrant, crisp potatoes. You can substitute haddock or halibut for the cod.
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1½ pounds russet potatoes, unpeeled, sliced into ¼-inch-thick rounds
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
4 (6- to 8-ounce) skinless cod fillets, 1 to 1½ inches thick
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces
4 sprigs fresh thyme
1 lemon, sliced thin
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Brush rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil. Combine potatoes, garlic, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in bowl and season with salt and pepper. Microwave, uncovered, until potatoes are just tender, 12 to 14 minutes.
2. Shingle potatoes into 4 rectangular piles that measure roughly 4 by 6 inches on prepared sheet. Pat cod dry with paper towels, season with salt and pepper, and lay on top of potatoes skinned side down. Place butter, thyme sprigs, and lemon slices on top of cod.
3. Roast until cod flakes apart when gently prodded with paring knife and registers 140 degrees, 15 to 18 minutes. Slide spatula underneath potatoes and cod, gently transfer to plates, and serve.
POTATO DINNER ROLLS
Makes 12 rolls
Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes (plus 1 hour rising time)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS While the decadently buttery white dinner rolls associated with holiday dinners are delicious, sometimes we crave something similarly soft and tender but a little leaner. Old-fashioned potato rolls, with their light, moist crumb, fit the bill. Potato roll recipes abound, but almost none specify what type of potato to use, and some turn out rather leaden rolls. We wanted to nail down a foolproof recipe for airy, light, and tender potato rolls. We learned in the test kitchen that more starch is better, so we chose high-starch russet potatoes. Potato starch granules are about five times larger than wheat granules, so they can absorb at least five times as much water, resulting in a moister crumb. As we made batch after batch of rolls with different amounts of mashed russets, we discovered something interesting: The more potato we used, the less time the dough needed to rise. As it turns out, the potassium in potatoes activates yeast; the more of it there is, the quicker and more vigorous the rise. This led us to consider the cooking water. When potatoes are boiled, they leach almost half of their potassium into the water, which helped explain why so many recipes called for adding the cooking water to the dough. We found that when we switched from using 5 tablespoons of milk to using the same amount of potato cooking water, the rising times dropped still more. These rolls weren’t just light, moist, and satisfying; they also needed significantly less rising time than many standard dinner rolls. Don’t salt the water in which you boil the potato.
1 large russet potato (10 ounces), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2¼ cups (12⅓ ounces) bread flour
2 teaspoons instant or rapid-rise yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs (1 room temperature and 1 lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water and pinch salt)
1 tablespoon sugar
1. Place potato in medium saucepan and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to boil over high heat, then reduce to simmer and cook until potato is just tender (paring knife can be slipped in and out of potato with little resistance), 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Transfer 5 tablespoons (2½ ounces) potato cooking water to 4-cup liquid measuring cup and let cool completely. Drain potato pieces, return to now-empty saucepan, and place over low heat. Cook, shaking saucepan occasionally, until any surface moisture has evaporated, about 30 seconds. Off heat, process potato through ricer or food mill or mash well with potato masher. Measure 1 cup very firmly packed potato (8 ounces) and transfer to separate bowl. Stir in butter until melted and let mixture cool completely before using. Save remaining mashed potato for another use.
3. Whisk flour, yeast, and salt together in bowl of stand mixer. Whisk egg and sugar into potato cooking water until sugar has dissolved. Add potato mixture to flour mixture and mix with your hands until combined (some large lumps are OK). Using dough hook on low speed, slowly add cooking water mixture and mix until cohesive dough starts to form and no dry flour remains, about 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Increase speed to medium-low and knead until dough is smooth and elastic and clears sides of bowl but sticks to bottom, about 8 minutes.
4. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and knead by hand to form smooth, round ball, about 30 seconds. Place dough seam side down in lightly greased large bowl or container, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Press down on dough to deflate. Transfer dough to clean counter and stretch into even 12-inch log. Cut log into 12 equal pieces (about 2 ounces each) and cover loosely with greased plastic.
6. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time (keep remaining pieces covered), form into rough ball by stretching dough around your thumbs and pinching edges together so that top is smooth. Place ball seam side down on clean counter and, using your cupped hand, drag in small circles until dough feels taut and round.
7. Arrange dough balls seam side down on prepared sheet, spaced about 1½ inches apart. Cover loosely with greased plastic and let rise until nearly doubled in size and dough springs back minimally when poked gently with your knuckle, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
8. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Gently brush rolls with beaten egg mixture and bake until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer rolls to wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.