Essential Kitchen Kit For Cooking Crispy Potatoes

75% of Americans love to eat potatoes; they are one of the most versatile of all vegetables. Of course, potatoes can be cooked in numerous ways, including mashed, boiled, roasted and fried. One of the most enjoyable things about a well cooked potato, however, no matter how you are cooking it, is to get your potato fluffy and light on the inside, but crispy on the outside. There are several ways you can do this, as long as you have the right equipment in your kitchen. 

The saute pan

A saute pan is deeper than a frying pan or skillet pan, and retains heat beautifully. This makes it ideal for cooking food that you are going to move around quickly, such as sautéed potatoes. The saute pan is a versatile kitchen essential that you can also use for high temperature tasks such as browning meat, or quick-frying fish fillets. For delicious, crispy potatoes, use a floury variety, like the Maris Piper. Peel your potatoes and par-boil them for ten minutes. When they are cool, cut them into slices or cubes and sauté them in your pan, turning frequently. You will get a lovely crispy exterior and a soft inside to your potato. Serve them hot with a sprinkle of kosher salt. 

The frying basket

You don’t need a specialist deep-fat fryer to be able to cook fries: you can do this in an ordinary heavy saucepan. It is a good idea, however, to invest in a frying basket to fit inside your pan to hold the food. These are available online or in most cookware stores for as little as $10. You can use your frying basket to cook fries that have been premade, or ones that you have prepped yourself. A basket will make far less mess than trying to use a slotted spoon to remove fries. 

A cast iron roasting dish

The best roast potatoes have a delicious crunch when you bite into them. You can achieve this with a cast iron roasting dish because it will get hot enough to form a crispy outside on your potatoes. All you need to do is make sure that you fully preheat your cooking oil in the dish before you add the potatoes. This will stop them from sticking to the bottom of your roasting dish. 

Crispy potatoes are always a crowd-pleaser. With a few essential pieces of kitchen equipment, you can cook delicious potatoes all year round. 

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