Like many other edible plants, potatoes also have most of the nutrients useful for our body inside the peel. Knowing when to remove it and when not is very useful information that every professional chef and chef must know, before wasting precious time peeling tons of potatoes!
Steps
Step 1. Avoid peeling new potatoes as much as possible
These are the first ones that are harvested during the season and are often small with a mild flavor. You may find, by washing them, that the pressure of water alone is able to peel off the delicate peel. Try to wash them gently and not break their beautiful peel.
Step 2. Check the condition of the potatoes
If they are very dirty with some imperfections, it is advisable to peel them. This will remove the dirt (remember to wash them first) and remove most of the stains.
Step 3. Consider not peeling them if they come from organic crops
Peeling fruit and vegetables has become a habit due to the increasingly massive use of pesticides on food. When you grow your vegetables or buy them from certified organic producers, there is no longer any reason to remove the peel.
Step 4. Be lazy
Many people don't peel potatoes because they hate doing it and because it's an extra effort! Always wash them anyway, scrub them well to remove dirt and cut away any imperfections. In most recipes, peeled potatoes are just fine.
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Challenge the recipe book! Sometimes a recipe is prepared with peeled potatoes simply because it has always been done this way, in other cases it is the recipe itself that involves peeling them. However, follow your instincts and try to be a creative cook, try cooking that dish with potatoes in their skins and see the result!
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At the very least, taste a plate of potatoes in their skins before you say you don't like them! You can't know if you don't try!
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Step 5. Evaluate the preparation you will incorporate the potatoes into
This is the key aspect that determines whether or not it is appropriate to peel them. Here are some basic tips:
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Mashed potatoes: you have to peel them, unless the skin is very thin. The thick peel does not crush well, it only tears and forms lumps in the puree that are very annoying for the palate of the diners. If you are absolutely certain that the skin is thin and that it will disintegrate in the potato masher then do not remove it, but wash the tubers thoroughly. If you want a really smooth and homogeneous puree, always peel the potatoes.
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Roast potatoes: this preparation follows personal tastes. If possible, leave the skin on and it will become crunchy and tasty. However, many people prefer peeled potatoes (the crust will still form), so base your decision on the tastes of the diners. You can also cook half the potatoes with the skin and half without.
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French friesIn most cases, peeled fries are better in both flavor and appearance. However, even in this case, many people prefer peeled chips either out of habit or because in most cases they are seen without skin or simply for the taste. Both versions are fine.
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Soups: smooth ones like passata benefit from peeled potatoes. A soup where the potatoes are not completely mashed or homogenized can be easily prepared with unpeeled vegetables. Again it comes down to personal taste.
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Baked potatoes: no doubts, do not peel them!
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Steamed potatoes: in this case, if you use new potatoes, you can leave the skin intact, as it is thin and delicate. For older tubers, it is best to remove it.
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Potato salad: once cooked, the peel becomes soft and, if you have washed and scrubbed them well, you can safely cook this dish with whole potatoes. Some people prefer the peeled version, which is preferable for older, harder tubers.
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Stews, timbales, braised meats and so on: there is no hard rule in this case. If you wash the potatoes well and remove any imperfections, then you can avoid peeling them. However, in some cases, it is better to peel them to obtain a smooth and homogeneous consistency. You'll have to experiment and get it wrong before you find the solution that's right for you.
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Step 6. Use the peels
The skin of potatoes that has been cleaned and peeled of green parts and imperfections can be added to soups or to flavor a broth.
Advice
- If some family members prefer peeled potatoes and others like them whole, compromise. Evaluate together which dishes you prefer with peeled potatoes and which ones are better with unpeeled potatoes and respect this decision, or cook half a dish with the peel and half without.
- Always rub the peel very well if you decide not to remove it, except for new potatoes which need to be washed gently to remove dirt.
- The peeled potatoes give your dishes a more uniform look and perhaps more suitable for a formal dinner (such as potatoes au gratin). Those with the peel, on the other hand, are more rustic and in some ways more informal. Both solutions are adequate and the choice is entirely up to you and the type of presentation you want to offer.
- If you want to retain flavor and nutrients in steamed peeled potatoes, it is best to cook them first and then remove the skin.
Warnings
- People with sensitivity to plants in the Solanaceae family (to which potatoes belong) may experience signs of intestinal irritation due to the peel. Remember this in case you show some digestive tract reactions and see a doctor. Understanding which foods trigger intolerances is a rather difficult task and it is better not to think by hypothesis.
- Avoid peeling hot potatoes, you risk getting burned both with the steam that comes out of them and with the heat of the tuber.
