Member-only story
Potatoes, 12 Ways
Variations on baked, braised, mashed, and fried
The recipes below will feed about four, but adjust up or down as necessary. The first recipe in each category is the main recipe, then the two that follow are variations. Salt and pepper are assumed.
Mashed dishes are best made with russet varieties, and new potatoes are better for cooking in fat. (Use the latter type of potato for the labor-intensive Tater Tots, which are little short of a revelation.) You can peel the potatoes in these recipes or not; thin-skinned potatoes, especially, are just fine with a good scrubbing (use a brush).
BAKED
1. Pommes Anna
Heat the oven to 400°F. Peel and thinly slice 2 pounds all-purpose potatoes (consider using a food processor). Toss with 3 tablespoons melted butter or oil and neatly layer in a 10- or 12-inch ovenproof skillet. Bake for 30 minutes; slide the cake out onto a plate, cover with another plate, invert it, and slide it back into the skillet, with a little more butter or oil if necessary. Continue cooking until potatoes are done and top is browned, 20 to 25 minutes; cut into wedges.
2. Anchovy and Pesto
Heat the oven to 375°F. Slice the potatoes up to 1 ⁄ 4 inch thick. Skip the butter. In a food processor, combine 2 cups fresh basil leaves, 1 garlic clove, 2 tablespoons pine nuts, 4 anchovy fillets, 1 ⁄ 4 cup olive oil, and 1 ⁄ 2 cup grated Parmesan; pulse until blended, adding another 2 to 4 tablespoons oil until smooth. Toss with the potatoes; layer in an 8 by 10-inch baking dish and bake until the top is browned and the potatoes are done, about 55 minutes.
3. Gratin
Heat the oven to 400°F. Slice the potatoes up to 1 ⁄ 4 inch thick; layer in an ovenproof skillet. Dot with 2 tablespoons butter; add enough half-and-half to come three-fourths to the top (2 to 3 cups). Place the skillet on the stove and bring to a boil; simmer for 10 minutes. Put in the oven and bake until the top browns, 10 minutes; reduce the heat to 300°F and cook until tender and browned, 10 minutes. Garnish: grated cheese (sprinkled on in the last 2 minutes of cooking) and nutmeg.
BRAISED
4. Simple
Cut 2 pounds potatoes into chunks. Heat 3 tablespoons butter in a deep…
