Basics for the novice cook

Potatoes

Mashed Potato

Peel the required amount of potatoes (about 225 – 350 grams unpeeled, per person depending on appetite).

Using a sharp knife, cut them into chunks of around 4cm so that they are all similar sizes and therefore will cook in around the same amount of time. Typically, some potatoes will be cut in half, some in three pieces and the larger ones in four, while the smallest potatoes can go in whole.

Rinse the potatoes in clean cold water and transfer to a saucepan that can comfortably accommodate them. Cover with clean cold water.

Place the saucepan on the hob and turn up the heat. Depending on the hob and the quantity of potatoes, the saucepan may take 8 – 15 minutes to boil.

When the saucepan is boiling add a generous amount of salt (2 – 3 teaspoons), and reduce the heat to a gentle boil.

Depending of the size of the chunks, after about 16 minutes the potatoes might be sufficiently cooked. Stick a fork into one of the potatoes. If the fork goes all the way through, the potatoes are cooked, if not they will require a little longer. Don’t over boil so that they become mushy, otherwise they will have absorbed too much water.

When the potatoes are cooked, turn off the heat, and then immediately drain all the water from the saucepan. The water will be scalding hot, as will the escaping steam, so exercise care!

Place the saucepan on a sturdy worktop. Add a knob of butter and mash the contents until all the lumps have gone. If the contents are too hard to work, for example because the potatoes hadn’t cooked through and are a bit dry, a little milk can be added.

When the mashing is complete, taste a little on the end of a fork and, if required, add white pepper and extra salt to the required taste and mix thoroughly. The potatoes are now ready to serve.

Freezing mashed potato ....

Mashed potatoes are ideal for freezing and for this reason I tend to cook a whole 2.5Kg bag even if I’m cooking for only two people. I just simply freeze the surplus, and use on a later day.

I use a sandwich box as a mould, I line it with cling film (keeping one end still attached to the roll), fill the bottom with mash about 2 cm deep and finish covering with the film before trimming. (Don't make the parcels more than around 2cm thick as they will be impractical to defrost or cook later).

I then turn the sandwich box over and tap out the potato parcel.

I repeat until I've used up all the mash, and then place the parcels in my freezer.

When the potato is required on a later date, it can be thawed out first and either microwaved or baked in an oven, or it can be microwaved straight from the freezer.

If microwaving, heat in the microwave oven for one minute at a time, then stir the potato, and repeat until fluffy and piping hot. (You may need to wait until after the first minute, for example when the potato is warm, before being able to remove the cling film).

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