How to cook potato

Roasted Potatoes

There are many and varied ways of how to cook potato. While seemingly humble, the potato is an incredibly versatile vegetable. It’s relatively inexpensive and very filling, which is why potato has become almost a dietary staple.

The potato is often thought of as being unhealthy because it’s high in starchy carbohydrates and low in protein, but potatoes do contain nutrients such as vitamin C, B6, potassium, manganese, calcium and iron, although these are mostly contained in the skin. What makes potato unhealthy is the way it’s cooked—deep-fried potato chips soak up the fat they’re cooked in—and the quantity of high-fat toppings added, such as butter, cheese, gravy. Everything in moderation…

When deciding how to cook potato, think about what you’re going to be eating it with. Potatoes go well with all kinds of meats and fish, or stuffed and baked potatoes can be a meal in themselves.

For me, a good steak is turned into a meal with a crunchy-skinned baked potato; likewise, the Sunday roast—be it chicken, lamb, beef, pork, or whatever your preference—simply wouldn’t be the same without golden roasted potato; and a crispy-skinned salmon fillet is beautifully complemented by creamy mashed potato.

So here are my favourite ways for how to cook potato…

Baked potato

How to cook baked potato is really easy. Even though it takes a while to cook, baked potato is one of those things that you can put in the oven, set your timer and leave it.

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Rinse the potato thoroughly under cold water to remove any residual dirt. While the outside of the potato is still wet rub salt into the skin. Cut a small amount of potato off the end and place in the pre-heated oven.

Allow to cook for approximately 1 hour. Test the potato with a fork—the fork should easily go through to the middle and the potato should feel soft. Depending on the size of the potato, it may need to stay in the oven longer until it soft on the inside and the skin on the outside is crunchy.

To serve, cut a deep cross in the top of the potato, crush slightly with a fork, and add some butter and a dollop of sour cream. Compound butter is also delicious when melted into a steaming hot baked potato.

Creamy mashed potato

There’s a little bit more cooking experience needed when learning how to cook creamy mashed potato that’s lump-free. It’s not difficult, but cooking the potato to just the right point before mashing is critical.

Peel 2–3 potatoes (to serve four people). Once peeled, chop into 3–4cm pieces. Rinse and place in a saucepan of cold water. Place on maximum heat and bring to the boil. Then allow to cook until the potato is soft. Drain the potatoes and add 1–2tbs of butter, use a masher to crush the soft pieces and butter together until you get a creamy consistency. Add a dollop of cream or a splash of milk to loosen the mashed potato. Place back on the stove on low heat to allow this to heat through, stirring regularly to ensure that it doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom.

Roast potato

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Peel 2–3 potatoes (to serve four people) and chop into 3–4cm pieces. Rinse these with cold water, drain and place in a baking dish. Drizzle with oil and a sprinkle of salt, and toss until the potato pieces are coated in oil. Place in the oven and allow to bake until cooked through and crisp on the outside, turning the potato occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the dish.

You can also add some flavourings to the baking dish, such as unpeeled garlic cloves, sprigs of rosemary, and even a knob of butter for a beautiful golden colour.

What to serve potato with

Recipes with potato