Ahh, the humble spud – there for us, day in, day out. Here’s how to make the most of your potatoes.
Mashed potatoes
Buttery fluffy mashed potatoes are a real family favourite, especially when served with a couple of big fat sausages. The key to good mash is using the right potato, and resting it after boiling. Then it’s just a case of adding lots and lots of good quality butter, and mashing it in.
Pan-fried chicken with mashed potato recipe
Roast potatoes
No Sunday lunch would be complete without roast potatoes. We think we’ve worked out the best way to make them too (after exhaustive testing). Remember, parboil your spuds and then let them dry thoroughly before adding to the pan with hot fat. You can even parboil, then put them in the fridge the day before (they’ll freeze, too).
Roast potato salad with crispy pancetta recipe
Boiled new potatoes
When a potato is picked from the ground, the sugars inside it begin to turn into starch. That’s why if you want really firm, tasty new potatoes, you should use them as soon as possible. A week spent hanging around in a cupboard - or worse, the fridge - and they’ll be a shadow of their former selves.
Jean Christophe Novelli's salsa verde potatoes recipe
Chips
Who doesn’t like chips? Sadly few people make their own these days, and we're in danger of consigning the chip pan to history. Which is a shame, because in one of our blind taste tests the homemade chips did very well.
Sliced potato dishes
Thinly slicing potatoes and baking in cream and/or stock is another way to deliver a tasty dish for all the family. It’s also dead easy and something you can make well in advance. It’s one of the cheapest ways to put spuds on the table, as this recipes shows.
Bacon, Cheese and Onion Gratin for under £3
Potatoes in soup
As if all the above wasn’t enough, you can also make some thick, hearty, filling soups with potatoes. The key thing is to ensure the potato is thoroughly cooked through, as no-one likes hard, undercooked potato in their soup. Also use a floury type rather than a waxy one, to give a smooth creamy effect. Remember, it’s a filling taste, so you’ll need to counter balance that with something spicy, sharp or juicy.
Herby potato soup with spiced crab fritter recipe
Potatoes in salads
Cooked cold potatoes are great in salads too. As well as the traditional version, you can jazz things up with ingredients and influences from other countries, so think chilli, coriander and other sharp contrasting flavours.
Tuna with pink grapefruit and wasabi potato salad recipe
Want more potato articles and recipes?
loveFOOD's spud recipes to suit every mood