Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Potatoes Pried in Butter. — Peel some raw potatoes, and cut them in thin slices. Fry them in butter over a hot fire, continually turning them, until they become sufficiently brown. Let them drain ; then arrange them on a hot dish, sprinkle salt over them, and serve. Potatoes Pried Whole. — Boil small potatoes of uniform size until they are almost done enough. Drain them, and put them into a frying-pan sufficiently large to allow them to lie without touching one another, with plenty of hot fat. Shake them about till they are lightly and equally browned all over, and serve as soon as they are done enough. If liked, they may be dipped in egg and bread-crumb before they are fried. Cold boiled potatoes may be re-dressed in this way. Time to fry, ten or twelve minutes. Probable cost, potatoes Id. or IM. per pound. Allow two or more potatoes for each person. Potatoes, Frost-bitten.— Frost seems to have the curious effect of converting the starch of potatoes into sugar. When the tubers are affected by frost, or are what is called frostbitten, they become sweet, and in this state are no longer fit for eating ; they are usually given to cattle, or are used for distillation of spirits, or for making beer. If only slightly frost-bitten they may be partially restored by throwing them into cold water. Potatoes in Cases.— Wash half a dozen large potatoes, and bake them in a moderate oven. When done enough, cut a round the size of a crown from the top of each, and carefully scoop out the inside, though not so as to leave the skin quite bare. Rub the pulp through a colander, and mix with it an ounce of butter, two table-spoonfuls of milk, and a little pepper and salt. Stir the mixture over the fire until it is hot, then add the white of an egg beaten to a froth. Rub the skin of the potatoes with butter, fill them with the mixture, put the lids in their places, and bake the potatoes in a quick oven. If liked, the potato-cases can be filled with minced meat or forcemeat instead of mashed potatoes. Time to bake the potatoes, two hours at first, afterwards until quite hot. Probable cost, 4d. Sufficient for two or three persons. Potatoes, Mashed.— Boil or steam the potatoes until they are sufficiently cooked, and are mealy and dry. Carefully remove any discoloured places there may be upon them, put them into a bowl, and beat them with a wooden spoon for two or three minutes, and whilst beating, add a little salt, a slice of butter oiled, and one or two table-spoonfuls of boiling milk or cream. When the beaten potatoes are quite smooth and free from lumps, put them into a saucepan, and beat them over the fire for a minute or two, till they are light and quite hot. Dish them lightly, and draw the fork backwards over them to roughen the surface. Or butter a mould, press the potatoes into it, brown them in the oven, and turn them out before serving. Or put them into a dish, and reserve a small portion of the mash. • Press this through a colander upon the top of the potatoes, and brown the surface before the fire, or with a red-hot iron. Or press them into small buttered pans, brown them, and turn them out before serving; serve very hot. Time, half an hour or more to boil the potatoes. Probable cost, Id. to lid. per pound. Sufficient, two pounds of potatoes for four or five persons.