Saratoga Potatoes

Ingredients

• the potatoes
• soak in cold or ice water 20 or 30 minutes
• sprinkle on salt

Method

1. 1

   Shave potatoes thin, soak, drain, dry, and fry in boiling fat until light brown.

2. 2

   Serve hot.

Nutrition per serving

Estimated from matched ingredients across 4 servings.

As published

This recipe was extracted from The household cook book (1902) by Smiley, James B[ethuel],, page 185. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

the potatoes are spoiled by allowing them to absorb water, and so become sod- den after this stage is reached. Old potatoes, towards the end of the season, are improved by being peeled and put into cold water over night, by which process they regain in a measure their natural color and consistency. Put potatoes, into cold water as soon as peeled; they turn dark if left exposed to the air. Old potatoes are rendered more digestible by being finely mashed; mash them very thoroughly indeed — you will hardly over= do it. Roasted potatoes are more nutritious than boiled, and mealy potatoes more nutritious than those which are waxy. Potatoes are spoiled by germination or growing (which exhausts the starch) and by frost; severe frost invariably kills them, so that when the thaw comes the process of putrification almost immediately sets in. The sweetness of potatoes which have been frozen and thawed, arises from the fact that the starch then changes to sugar on being exposed to warmth and air." Keep them frozen until wanted for use, then thaw by letting them lie in cold water, and use at once. Potatoes after being frozen decay very quickly, because in freezing the water they contain bursts the cells. They can be jDut on to bake without being thawed, when frozen. Whenever the starch cells are intact, ripe potatoes can be cooked so that they will be mealy. The starch cells have not matured in unrij)e potatoes, so that when cooked they will not be so mealy, but they need not be soggy. When potatoes sx)rout, the process of germination ruptures the starch cells so that they will not afterwards cook as mealy as before sprouting. If sprouts appear they should be removed or killed at once, as they exhaust the starch as they grow, and spoil the potato for food. TO BOIL POTATOES — Wash them very thoroughly, or scrub them; a narrow strip cut off around the middle will allow the poi- sonous solanine to escape more readily; put them into boiling, salted 16 242 VEGETABLES water, and boil tliem until soft (about 25 minutes) varying accord- ing to variety and size. The thing to bear in mind is that to have potatoes mealy they must be taken out of the water as soon as the starch cells are cooked enough so that their walls are ready to burst; if drained oflf at once, the superfluous water will pass off as steam, and the interior will be dry and floury; if left longer they will absorb water and become sodden; therefore as soon as they are ten- der enough to pierce readily with a fork, drain them, cover with a thick cloth, and set them for 15 or 20 minutes on the back part of the range, or where they will keep hot without burning. They can be kept thus, hot and dry, for several hours if need be, and right for eating. BAKED POTATOES — Select potatoes as nearly of a size as possible, wash or scrub thoroughly clean, and if old, let them stand for 2 hours in cold water; then wipe dry (always dry potatoes for baking) and bake in a hot oven; it will take from f to 1 hour. It is a good plan to prick the skin before putting them in to bake, to allow the escape of the steam and prevent their bursting; if not pricked, break the skin as soon as they are done to allow the steam to escape. Never cover baked potatoes to confine the steam, as that makes them soggy. Potatoes baked until just done are best; baked longer, they harden near the skin, lose their light, mealy char- acter, and so deteriorate. Serve while hot. Baked potatoes are the most wholesome, because none of the nutrients are lost, part of the starch is turned to sugar, and the solanine escapes with the steam. POTATO BALLS. — Mix 2 teacups mashed potatoes, 2 table- spoons melted butter, 2 well=beaten eggs, salt and pepper to taste; form into balls, roll in flour, and fry in hot lard, or drippings. BROILED POTATOES.— Cut .whatever you may have of cold boiled potatoes into lengthwise slices, about ^ inch thick; dip each in flour, and lay them between an oyster broiler. Have the fire clear, and when both sides are nicely browned, lay the slices on a hot dish, put a piece of butter on each and season with salt and pepper. A very delicate dish. POTATO CAKE — Boil the potatoes till they are soft and floury, dry them, and, while warm, mash them thoroughly— this is usually done with the hand; then mix with them as much flour as will bind the potato without making it stiff, add salt, and roll out on a floured board, and shape the cake or cakes, then fry in boiling bacon=fat. VEGETABLES 243 Usually, the cake is rolled to about | inch in thickness, molded to the shape of the pan, and fried whole. Properly made, it is won- derfully light. It requires some art in turning it. This is managed by heating only enough fat at j5rst to fry one side, then dexterously turning the cake on to a plate, and when sufficient fat is boiling for the other side, sliding it into the pan again. BOSTON CHIPS. — After paring the potatoes, soak them 1 hour in cold water; then cut them into thin slices, lengthways of the potato; after this do not wet them again. Have a kettle of moder- ately hot fat ready; put the chips in a basket, dip them in the fat, leave a moment, lift out, dip in again, lift out again, and then put in and fry until they turn a golden brown; then lift out, put them in a colander, sprinkle on salt, set in the oven a minute, and serve. SARATOGA POTATOES.— Shave them thin, soak in cold or ice water 20 or 30 minutes, drain them, dry on a towel, and fry in boiling fat to a light brown; when done, drop them on blotting or unglazed paper to absorb the extra fat; sprinkle on salt

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.