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Boiling Potatoes

Erken's basic method for boiling potatoes in their skins: wash and scrub the potatoes, set them over in cold salted water (2 tsp salt per liter), bring slowly to a boil and simmer 30–45 minutes, pour off all the water, steam them dry for a minute, and peel before serving.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 355 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

The introduction to the potato chapter in "Stor kokebok" gives advice on buying and handling potatoes, then goes on to the basic cooking method: potatoes boiled in their skins. Erken stresses that "a badly cooked potato completely ruins an otherwise well-prepared meal."

How to make it

  1. 1

    Wash the potatoes

    Rinse and scrub the potatoes thoroughly clean. Choose potatoes of the same size so they finish cooking at the same time. Do not cut them before boiling.

  2. 2

    Set over the heat

    Put the unpeeled potatoes in a pot with just enough cold water to barely cover them. Add salt, 2 tsp per liter of water.

  3. 3

    Boil slowly

    Bring the water slowly to the boiling point, so the cell walls do not burst too violently and the potatoes boil to pieces. Simmer on until they are tender, 30–45 minutes depending on size and variety.

  4. 4

    Pour off and steam dry

    Pour off the water at once, every last drop. Steam the potatoes dry for a minute over the heat, first with the lid on, then without, shaking the pot during the steaming.

  5. 5

    Serve

    Peel the potatoes and keep them warm until serving.

Changes from the original

Measurements have been converted to modern units (liter, teaspoon), and the method is divided into numbered steps in modern Norwegian. Only method 1 (boiling in the skin) is given as a recipe, as the other methods begin on the next page.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I recognize good potatoes?
According to Schønberg Erken (Stor kokebok 1914, p. 355), good potatoes should have a smooth, even skin without spots, and be firm, heavy, and rich in starch. Starch-rich potatoes become firm and "floury" when boiled, while poor potatoes turn soft and watery.
How much salt should I use in the cooking water?
2 teaspoons of salt to 1 liter of water.
Should the potatoes be cut before boiling?
No, do not cut the potatoes in two before boiling. Rather choose potatoes of the same size so they finish at the same time. If you must boil large and small together, boil the large ones a few minutes before the small ones are added.
How do I peel potatoes raw?
Rinse and scrub the potatoes thoroughly clean first. If they are to be raw-peeled, peel very thinly, preferably with a potato peeler – if you peel thickly, you remove the protein just under the skin.

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