How to ruin a fried potatoes and other spuds

In New York, Minetta Tavern, co chefs Lee Hanson and Riad Nasr upstage almost their exceptional steaks with an arsenal of perfect potatoes - boiled mashed with cream and butter fried, or simply roasted. Here they explain like potatoes at home to master the correct identification and the most common errors.

1. Raw potatoes roasting. Warf will guarantee hard results simply raw potatoes into the Pan before roasting, as is the high water content in the course of the long cooking time from steam. "You feeling more you eat the skin, because the structure only inside, reduced", Hanson says. "It will be too hard." "It is crispy, and then there is breach of the tooth." To achieve that perfect crispy domestic and creamy, parboil potatoes until 3/4 If a knife tip can pierce the potato, but it is boiled, not on pickup slip. Drain before roasting for about 20 to 30 minutes at 425 ° c.

2. Starting with a cold Pan potatoes in a cold frying pan place, increases the likelihood that they'll keep. Hanson and Nasr beat a pan in the oven heating then add oil. Let the heat just before smoking before dropping in the potatoes.

3. Crowding the Pan leaving the space between the potatoes helps them evenly, so it is best to keep cooking them in a single layer.

4. Micro-management. It is important to let the potatoes Brown completely on one side before they turn around. "As with most food," said Hanson, "potatoes are simply not as good if she treated again and again have been."

5. Adding tons of oil. Use just enough oil to the bottom of the Pan coat; Otherwise, they have a fried quality. "I prefer duck fat, but I understand, which can be difficult to obtain for most people, so olive oil or butter works well understood," says Hanson. For an extra layer of flavor, the duo like a few branches of Rosemary or Sage to the oil.

6. Use of the wrong sort. Not attempt to fry a waxy potatoes such as red bliss. It is better to Yukon gold stick. Otherwise, such as the cooks of German butter ball or even breed.

With cold butter and cream 1. Butter and cream at room temperature or warmer helps make them lighter in hot potatoes.

2Nd over-blending. All the warm ingredients means that you should not overwork the mixture, which can make the potatoes sticky. "You have to treat your mashed potatoes like a mousse: to avoid, it moves too much when you add the butter and cream," Hanson says.

3. Mashing with a fork. For a creamy result stick with food mill or potato of Ricers, which pushed as a press, serve the boiled potato through tiny holes. "Mashed potatoes smooth, buttery and hot, should almost like a puree," says Hanson. "I agree the love chunky mashed potatoes at all not with people." "You can say that"rustic", but I get it it not."

1 With small spuds. Unless you want really short fries Hanson exist and you can Nasr in search of the largest potatoes like Idaho Russets.

2. Fresh-cut potato FRY. Soak peeled, washed and cut French fries in cold water overnight removes excess starch which prevents that French fries stick together and helps achieve maximum sharpness.

3. Cooking them only once. Hanson and Nasr subscribe to cooking steps: first of all the French fries in oil until tender but not browned, blanching and then - when you are ready to serve the fries - cooking them in 380-degree oil until golden and crispy.

Bobby Flay's Bistro fries. Photo © David Malosh.

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