Manual for army cooks

As a general rule, the smaller the eye the better the potato. When full in the eye they are either of an inferior quality or about to sprout. Rather small and medium-sized potatoes are to be preferred. Potatoes should be stored in a cool, dry, and dark place. They should be sorted often, the bad ones removed, and the sprouts rubbed off. Paring potatoes before boiling them is wasteful and should only be resorted to late in the spring, when the potato has commenced to sprout. If pared they should be laid in cold water for a half hour before cooking. Potatoes should be of a uniform size that they may be cooked in the same time. If they are of unequal size cut the large ones. The potato being composed largely of starch, cooking breaks the cells and sets the starcli free. If the potato is removed from the heat and moisture as soon as this occurs it will be dry and mealy, but if it is allowed to boil or bake even for a few moments the starch will absorb the moisture and the potato will become soggy and have a bad flavor. BOILED POTATOES. Time, twenty to thirty minutes. Wash the potatoes, and cut out the eyes and any black specks. Nick or cut off a piece of the skin at the pointed or eyed ends. Put them into a pot of boiling salt water, enough to cover them. Cover ; simmer steadily until a fork will easily pierce the largest. If cooked too much they become watery. When cooked drain them thoroughly, and set the pot uncovered near the fire for five minutes to dry the potatoes, shaking them two or three times during this period. If desired to serve the potatoes mashed, peel and mash them thoroughly, and work in pepper and salt to taste, a tablespoonful of melted butter or dripping to every dozen of potatoes, and sufficient liot milk or water to make the mass about the consistency of soft dough. They should be mashed in a tin, wood, or earthen vessel, as iron discolors them. When thoroughly mixed, beat them with a large fork and pile them up lightly in a hot dish or shape the surface into a smooth mound ; or, before serving, set the dish in the oven and let the top brown. It is claimed that old potatoes cook best if put in cold water and allowed to boil. New potatoes should be put in boiling water. BAKED POTATOES. Time, twenty-five to thirty minutes. Wash the potatoes and wipe them dry. Nick or cut off a piece at the pointed or eyed end. Put them into the oven ; avoid if possible their touchingone another. Bake in a uniform heat ; turn each potato frequently. Potatoes should be pared when baked with meat. Lay them in the baking pan around the meat ; sprinkle them lightly with salt ; baste them when the meat is basted. They take from fifty to sixty minutes to bake. Serve with the meat or separately. They may be boiled in their skins, peeled, and laid in the baking pan with the meat twenty-five or thirty minutes before it is done. Potatoes may be baked in their skins in hot ashes. STEAMED POTATOES.