Red potatoes are suitable for all uses, but especially for boiling. Boiling them is very simple and you can use the stove or the microwave. Once boiled they are a versatile ingredient that can be seasoned and enjoyed in many ways.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Wash and Cut the Red Potatoes
Step 1. Choose the best potatoes
Before buying them, make sure they are ripe and of good quality. Examine them and check that they have a smooth skin, free from imperfections or spots, and a firm and compact pulp.
The presence of dark spots, sprouts or greenish parts could indicate that the potatoes are not ripe
Step 2. Wash the potatoes
Before boiling them, wash them under cold running water. Use a vegetable brush or scrub it with your fingers, being careful to remove any dirt or grime.
Do not wash potatoes with soap
Step 3. Don't peel the potatoes
Red potatoes can be boiled in their skins to preserve their taste and improve their texture. In addition, the peel of potatoes is rich in nutrients.
Step 4. Cut the potatoes into small pieces
This way they will cook faster. Try to get evenly sized cubes.
- If you plan on mashing potatoes for mashing, don't worry about getting precise cubes. If, on the other hand, you want to prepare potato salad or a similar dish, follow the directions in the recipe. It may suggest cutting them specifically.
- If you are not following a particular recipe, it is advisable to cut them into cubes of 2-3 cm per side.
Part 2 of 3: Boiling Red Potatoes Using the Stove
Step 1. Submerge the potatoes with water
Put them in a saucepan and cover them with water until they are completely submerged. The salt enhances the natural taste of the potatoes, so add about one and a half tablespoons to the water.
Step 2. Bring the water to a boil
Place the pot on the stove and heat the water over high heat until it reaches a full boil.
Step 3. Let the potatoes simmer until soft
When the water reaches a full boil, reduce the heat by adjusting the flame to a medium-low setting. From then on, let the potatoes simmer for 10-15 minutes, then check that they are soft by sticking them with a fork. You can check this by skewering them with a fork.
- When the potatoes are cooked, you can drain them in the sink using a colander.
- If you are following a specific recipe, consult it to find out what texture the potatoes should have. If they need to stay firm, reduce the cooking time.
Part 3 of 3: Serve the Potatoes
Step 1. Use boiled potatoes to make mashed potatoes
Generally it is prepared using classic potatoes, but with red ones you can get an equally excellent result. If you want to use them to make mashed potatoes, you can easily mash them with a fork after boiling them.
- If you intend to prepare the puree, it is advisable to let them cook 5-10 minutes longer to be able to mash them easily.
- In addition to the butter, also add some milk before mashing the potatoes.
Step 2. Make the potato salad
If you want to use red potatoes to make a potato salad to serve cold, boil them, drain them and refrigerate them for an hour or until completely cold. At that point, you can mix them with the other salad ingredients and dress them.
- Cut the potatoes when they have cooled. Try to get uniform cubes, a couple of centimeters in size.
- Prepare the salad with boiled red potatoes, 6 hard-boiled eggs, 450 g of fried and crumbled bacon, a chopped celery stalk, a chopped onion and 500 ml of mayonnaise. Stir until all the ingredients are well blended.
- Place the potato salad in the refrigerator and serve it cold.
Step 3. Sprinkle the potatoes with cheese
An easy way to season boiled red potatoes is to coat them with melted or grilled cheese. For a streamlined result, you can use mozzarella or fontina, but you'll have to put in a little more effort. Alternatively, you can use grated Parmesan.
- You can spread the grated Parmesan cheese over the hot potatoes and serve them immediately.
- For a stringy result, spread the mozzarella, fontina or your favorite cheese over the drained potatoes and place them in the microwave for 30 seconds to melt the cheese.
- If you want to lightly grill the cheese and make the potatoes crispy on the edges, put them in a pan, cover them with mozzarella or fontina and then brown them in the oven at 175 ° C for 10 minutes. Place the pan at the top of the oven.
Step 4. Make a spicy dressing for the potatoes
Red potatoes are an extremely versatile ingredient, so they go well with a variety of herbs and spices. Experiment with various combinations to find out which one is your favorite.
- A very quick and easy way to add color and flavor to boiled potatoes is to sprinkle them with a teaspoon of paprika.
- You can mix a teaspoon of paprika with two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Spread the spiced oil over the potatoes and mix them until they are evenly seasoned.
Step 5. Serve the stuffed potatoes
You can create an incredibly delicious recipe to serve as an appetizer, side dish or main course. Boil the potatoes and then drain them from the cooking water. This is an excellent idea for a party with many guests.
- If you cooked whole potatoes, cut them into quarters.
- Arrange the potatoes on individual plates.
- Sprinkle them with the melted butter and mix them to season them evenly. Add a tablespoon of sour cream, some flaky cheese and sprinkle them with fresh spring onion or chives. If you like, you can add bacon bits as well.
