Mrs. Lincoln's Boston cook book

Raw potatoes which are to be fried should be thinly sliced, and soaked in cold water to draw out all the starch, that the}' may be crisp and not mealy. The cells which hold the starch grains are of an albuminous nature. These cells are divided in slicing the potatoes, and the starch is drawn out into the water ; the albuminous membrane hardens in frying, and makes the potatoes crisp. Boiled potatoes should be drained the moment the heat bursts all the starch grains, which may easily be determined by their soft texture when pierced with a fork, else the starch will absorb water, and the potatoes become pasty and unwholesome. Baked potatoes should be served as soon as soft, and the skin should be slightly ruptured by squeezing to let the steam within escape, else it will condense and make the potato watery and unwholesome. Potatoes which are cut or sliced for stews and chowders should be soaked and scalded to remove the greenness before adding them to the stew. Boiled Potatoes, — Select potatoes of uniform size. Wash and scrub with a brush. Pare, and soak in cold water. Put them in boiling salted water, — one quart of water and one tablespoonful of salt for six large potatoes. Cook half an hour or until soft, but not until broken. Drain off every drop of the water. Place the kettle uncovered on the back of the stove to let the steam escape. Keep hot until ready to serve. Potatoes a la Neige, — Prepare the potatoes as above, and when well drained and mealy beat them thoroughly with a fork, add salt to taste, and serve at once, piled lightly on the dish. Rice Potato, — Rub the beaten potato through a squash The Boston Cook Book. strainer into the dish in which it is to be served. Keep the dish in a pan of hot water, and use a potato masher or pestle to facilitate the rubbing. Mashed and riced potatoes may be browned by placing the dish in the oven a few minutes. Mashed Potatoes, — To one pint of hot boiled potatoes^ add one tablespoonful of butter, half a teaspoonful of salt^ half a saltspoonful of pepper^ and hot milk or cream to moisten. Mash in the kettle in which they were boiled, and beat with a fork until light and creamy, and turn out lightly on a dish. Never smooth it over, as that wiU make it heavy and compact. Potato Balls. — One pint of hot mashed potatoes highly seasoned with salt, pepper^ celery salt, chopped parsley, and butter ; moisten, if needed, with a little hot milk or creara. Beat one egg light, and add part of it to the potatoes. Shape into smooth round balls. Brush over with the remainder of the egg, and bake on a buttered tin until brown. Be careful not to get them too moist. Potato Puff. — Prepare as for potato balls, making it quite moist with cream or milk. Beat the yolks and whites of two eggs separately, and stir them into the potatoes when slightly cooled. Turn into a shallow baking-dish, pile it in a rocky form, and bake ten minutes, or until it is puffed and browned. Add half a cup of finely chopped cooked meat, to give a variety.