Potato

Cut potatoes into similar-sized pieces and simmer them in salted water until a knife slides in easily: small chunks often take 10–15 minutes, while whole medium potatoes can take 20–30 minutes. Drain well, then leave them in the hot pan for a minute to steam dry.

Start whole or cut potatoes in cold, salted water and bring it to a gentle simmer. They cook more evenly from the outside to the centre than when dropped straight into boiling water.

Parboil peeled chunks for about 8–10 minutes, drain and shake them in the pan to roughen the edges. Roast in a preheated tray with hot oil at 200–220 °C for 45–60 minutes, turning once.

Cut away small sprouts and any green patches generously before cooking; peel the potato if the green covers much of it. If it is very green, heavily sprouted, shrivelled or tastes bitter, discard it rather than eating it.

Keep them unwashed in a cool, dark, dry place with good airflow, such as a paper or open sack. Avoid sealed plastic and keep them away from onions, which can encourage sprouting.

Potatoes are the base of dishes such as mash, chips, roast potatoes, gratin and potato salad. For a crisp top on cottage pie or shepherd’s pie, spread mash over the filling and rough up the surface with a fork before baking.

You can swap them in mash, wedges and many tray bakes, but sweet potatoes cook faster and turn softer and sweeter. For roast wedges, start checking them after about 25 minutes at 200 °C.

Yes. Potatoes are the starchy underground tubers of a plant in the nightshade family, rather than roots like carrots.