DEAR SIR: ~You are authorized, with the greatest pleasure.~ P. BLOT.
In accordance with the above authority, the following selections have
been made from the book named:
~To Select.~--As a general rule, the smaller the eye the better the
potatoes. By cutting off a piece from the larger end, you ascertain if
they are sound; they must be white, reddish, bluish, etc., according to
the species. If spotted, they are not sound, and therefore very
inferior. There are several kinds, and all of them are good when sound
or coming from a proper soil. Use the kind you prefer, or those that are
better fit for the way they are intended to be served.
~To Boil.~--Being naturally watery, potatoes should never be cooked by
boiling except when wanted very white, as for _croquettes_. When boiled
whole, put them of an even size as much as possible, in order to cook
them evenly. They are better, more mealy, when steamed or baked; but
those who have no steamer must, of course, boil them. Cover them with
cold water, set on the fire and boil till done, then pour off all the
water, put the pan back on a slow fire for five minutes and well
covered; then use the potatoes.
~To Steam.~--Place them above a kettle of boiling water, in a kind of
drainer made for that purpose, and adapted to the kettle. The drainer
must be covered tight. They cook as fast as by boiling, the degree of
heat being the same. When steamed the skin is very easily removed.
~To Prepare.~--If they are to be boiled, or steamed, or baked, it is only
necessary to wash them. If wanted peeled, as for frying, etc., then
commence by cutting off the germs or eyes; if young and tender, take the
skin off with a scrubbing-brush, and drop immediately in cold water to
keep them white; if old, scrape the skin off with a knife, for the part
immediately under the skin contains more nutriment than the middle, and
drop in cold water also. If wanted cut, either in dice, or like carpels
of oranges, or any other way, cut them above a bowl of cold water, so
that they drop into it; for if kept exposed to the air, they turn
reddish and lose their nutritive qualities.
~A l'Allemande.~--Steam, peel, and slice the potatoes. Cut some bread in
thin slices, and fry bread and potatoes with a little butter, and turn
the whole in a bowl, dust well with sugar, pour a little milk all over,
and bake for about fifteen minutes; serve warm.
~A l'Anglaise.~--Steam or boil about a quart of potatoes, and then peel
and slice them. Put two ounces of butter in a frying-pan on the fire,
and put the potatoes in when melted, toss them for about ten minutes,
add salt, pepper, a little grated nutmeg, and serve hot.
~Broiled.~--Steam, peel, and slice the potatoes. Lay the slices on a
gridiron, and place it over a rather slow fire; have melted butter, and
spread some over the slices of potatoes with a brush; as soon as the
under part is broiled, turn each slice over and spread butter over the
other side. When done, dish, salt, and serve them hot. A little butter
may be added when dished, according to taste.
~Fried.~--To be fried, the potatoes are cut either with a vegetable spoon,
in fillets, in slices, with a scalloped knife, or with an ordinary one,
or cut in pieces like carpels of oranges, or even in dice. When cut,
drain and wipe them dry. This must be done quickly, so as not to allow
the potatoes to turn reddish. Have a coarse towel ready, then turn the
potatoes into a colander, and immediately turn them in the towel, shake
them a little, and quickly drop them in hot fat. When done, turn them
into a colander, sprinkle salt on them, and serve hot. Bear in mind that
fried potatoes must be eaten as hot as possible. Fry only one size at a
time, as it takes three times as long to fry them when cut in pieces as
when sliced or cut in fillets.
~To fry them light or swelled.~--When fried, turn into the colander, and
have the fat over a brisk fire; leave the potatoes in the colander only
about half a minute, then put them back in the very hot fat, stir for
about one minute, and put them again in the colander, salt them, and
serve hot. If the fat is very hot, when dropped into it for the second
time they will certainly swell; there is no other way known to do it. It
is as easily done as it is simple. Potatoes cut in fillets and fried are
sometimes called _à la Parisienne_; when cut in slices or with a
vegetable spoon, they are called _à la française_.
Potatoes cut with a vegetable spoon and fried, make a good as well as a
sightly decoration for a dish of meat or of fish. They may be fried in
oil also, but it is more expensive than in fat. They may be fried in
butter also, but it is still more expensive than oil, and is not better
than fat; no matter what kind of fat is used, be it lard, beef suet, or
skimmings of sauces and gravy, it can not be tasted.
~Lyonnaise.~--Potatoes _Lyonnaise_ are prepared according to taste, that
is, as much onion as liked is used, either in slices or chopped. If you
have not any cold potatoes, steam or boil some, let them cool, and peel
and slice them. For about a quart of potatoes, put two ounces of butter
in a frying-pan on the fire, and when melted put as much onion as you
please, either sliced or chopped, into the pan, and fry it till about
half done, when add the potatoes and again two ounces of butter; salt,
pepper, and stir and toss gently till the potatoes are all fried of a
fine, light-brown color. It may require more butter, as no vegetable
absorbs more than potatoes.
~Mashed.~--Peel and quarter about three pints of potatoes, as directed;
put them in a saucepan with more water than is necessary to cover them,
and a little salt; set on the fire and boil gently till done, drain, put
them back in the saucepan, mash them well and mix them with two ounces
of butter, two yolks of eggs, salt, pepper, and milk enough to make them
of a proper thickness. Set on the fire for two or three minutes,
stirring the while, and serve warm. When on the dish, smooth them with
the back of a knife or scallop them, according to fancy.
~Mashed and Baked.~--Put two ounces of butter in a stewpan and set it on
the fire; when hot, add a tea-spoonful of parsley chopped fine, and a
little salt; five minutes after, put in it a quart of potatoes,
prepared, cooked, peeled, and mashed, as directed; then pour on the
whole, little by little, stirring continually with a wooden spoon, a
pint of good milk; and when the whole is well mixed, and becoming rather
thick, take from the fire, place on the dish, then set in a brisk oven
for five minutes, and serve.
~Sautees.~--Take a quart of young and tender potatoes, peel them with a
brush, and cut in slices. Put two ounces of butter in a frying-pan on a
quick fire; when hot, put the potatoes in, and fry them till of a golden
color; place them on a dish without any butter, sprinkle chopped parsley
and salt on, and serve. They may also be served without parsley,
according to taste.
~Soufflees.~--Steam a quart of potatoes, then peel and mash them in a
saucepan and mix an ounce of butter with them; set on the fire, pour
into it, little by little, stirring the while, about half a pint of
milk, stir a little longer after the milk is in and until they are
turning rather thick; dish the potatoes, smooth or scallop them with the
back of a knife, and put them in a quick oven till of a proper color,
and serve.
~In Cakes.~--Prepare and cook by steam a quart and a half of potatoes,
peel and mash them; mix with them the yolks of five eggs, half a
lemon-rind grated, and four ounces of fine white sugar. Put four ounces
of butter in a stewpan and set it on the fire; when melted, put the
mixture in, stirring it with a wooden spoon continually; as soon as it
is in the stewpan, add the whites of the five eggs, well beaten; leave
on the fire only the time necessary to mix the whole well together, and
take off; when nearly cold, add, if handy, and while stirring, a few
drops of orange-flower water; it gives a very good flavor; then put the
whole in a tin mould greased a little with butter; place in a quick oven
for about thirty-five minutes, and serve.
~With Butter, or English Fashion.~--Put water on the fire with
considerable salt in it; at the first boil, drop a quart of washed
potatoes in and boil till done, when take off, peel, and put them whole
in a saucepan, with butter, salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg; set on a
rather slow fire, stirring gently now and then till they have absorbed
all the butter. Serve warm. They absorb a great deal of butter.
~With Bacon or Salt Pork.~--Peel and quarter about a quart of potatoes.
Set a saucepan on the fire with about four ounces of fat salt pork cut
in dice in it. When fried, put the potatoes in. Season with a bunch of
seasonings composed of two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, and a
bay-leaf; salt and pepper to taste, and about half a pint of broth or
water. Boil gently till cooked, remove the bunch of seasonings; skim off
the fat, if any, and serve warm. It is served at breakfast, as well as
_entremets_ for dinner.
~With Cream or Milk.~--Peel and mash a quart of potatoes, when prepared
and cooked. Put two ounces of butter in a stewpan and set it on a good
fire; when melted, sprinkle in it a tea-spoonful of flour, same of
chopped parsley, a pinch of grated nutmeg, and salt; stir with a wooden
spoon five minutes; then add the potatoes, and half a pint of milk or
cream; keep stirring ten minutes longer, take from the fire, sprinkle in
them half a table-spoonful of sugar, and serve as warm as possible.
~With White Sauce.~--Clean, wash, and throw a quart of potatoes in boiling
water, with a sprig of thyme, two onions, a bay-leaf, two sprigs of
sweet basil, two cloves, salt, and pepper; when cooked, take the
potatoes out carefully, peel and cut them in two, place them on a warm
dish, pour on them a white sauce, and serve warm.