Recipe - Basic Boiled Potatoes

2 pound Uniformsized potatoes
Unsalted butter; melted
(optional)
Salt and black pepper in a
pepper mill; to taste
(optional)

1. If the potatoes are refrigerated, take them out of the refrigerator at
least half an hour before you cook them. Wash them under cold, running
water, scrubbing off any dirt without breaking the skin, and put them in a
large kettle that will easily hold all the potatoes. Add enough water to
cover them by about an inch. Take the potatoes out, cover the kettle, and
put it over mediumhigh heat.

2. When the water is nearly but not quite boiling, add the potatoes. Now
let the water come to a full, rolling boil. Reduce the heat to mediumlow
and cook at a bare simmer until they are tender. It is impossible to give
exact times; it can take from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the size and
age of your potatoes.

3. Drain off all the water and let the potatoes sit, uncovered, in a warm
place for about 5 minutes. Have a heated bowl ready. Quickly peel the
potatoes with your hands (don't use a knife or potato peeler), the skins
will skip right off. Put them in the bowl as they are peeled.

4. Serve them tossed with melted butter, salt, and a liberal grinding of
black pepper, if desired, or use as directed in other recipes.

NOTES : A side bar says: Start with good potatoes; The potatoes should be
be same size (roughly). Don't cut them to uniform size either, since this
would expose the inner potato to water. Resist the temptation to rinse
the potatoes in cold water to speed the peeling.
Recipe by: Classical Southern Cooking, p. 244

Posted to TNT Recipes Digest by Lou Parris lbparris@earthlink.net on Apr
29, 1998