How To Boil Potatoes

Be careful in the choice of the potatoes that they may be as nearly of the same size as possible, so that they may all be equally cooked. Wash them, but do not pare or cut them unless very large; fill a saucepan half full, and put as much cold water as will cover them about an inch, so' as to allow for waste in the boiling, that they may be just covered with water when finished. Set them on a moderate fire till they boil, then set them at the side to simmer slowly till they are soft enough to admit of a fork. The breaking of the skin is no test that the potato is cooked inside; pour off the water, the moisture will evaporate and the potatoes will be dry and mealy. You may sprinkle a little saltoverthe potatoeswhen done, or add a little to the water before boiling, and afterwards fold a napkin to the size of the saucepan's diameter to keep them hot till wanted. Moderate-sized potatoes will be done in fifteen or twenty minutes. This method of managing potatoes is equal to steaming, and they are dressed much more quickly.

The proper way to serve the potatoes is in a wooden bowl, covered with a cloth.

New potatoes are insipid till they are two inches in diameter; they are cooked in a similar way to the above, with the addition of a little mint boiled in the water, and served hot, with a piece of butter in the dish. The best way to clean them is to rub off the skin with a coarse piece of flannel or scrubbing brush.

Potato Cheesecakes

One pound of mashed potatoes, quarter of a pound of currants, quarter of a pound of sugar and butter, and four eggs, to be well mixed together; bake them in patty tins, having first lined them with puff paste.

Collar Of Potatoes

Beat some potatoes with a little mace and cream, or best butter; work it up and shape it like a collar, leaving out a little to make into round and oval balls; glaze the whole with the yolk of an egg, and bake them of a fine crisp brown; place the collar in the middle, and lay the balls round it; make a sauce of half a pint of red wine, some sugar, the yolks of two eggs beaten up, with a little nutmeg; stir it gently on the fire till it is pretty thick, then pour it about the dish.

Potatoes Fried In Slices

Peel large potatoes, slice them about a quarter of an inch thick, or cut them into shavings as you would peel a lemon; dry them well in a clean cloth and fry them in lard or dripping. Take care that your fat and frying pan are quite clean. Put it on a quick fire, and as soon as the lard boils and is quite still, put in the slices of potato and keep moving them until they are crisp, take them up and lay them to drain on a sieve. Send to table with a very little salt sprinkled over them.

Mashed Potatoes

When your potatoes are thoroughly boiled drain them quite dry, pick out every speck, etc., and while hot rub through a colander into a clean stewpan: to a pound of potatoes put half an ounce of butter and a table-spoonful of milk; do not make them too moist, and mix well together.