Foods of England - Lancashire Potatoes

Lancashire Potatoes

Fruit and Vegetables
Lancashire

Boiled potatoes shaken in the pan with salt and butter, so that the surface is broken and fluffly. (Acton 1845, etc) This method, with butter, produces a kind of sticky sauce on the potato surface and is highly to be recommended [Ed.]

Lancashire Potato

Original Receipt from 'Modern Cookery for Private Families' by Eliza Acton (Acton 1845);

TO BOIL POTATOES. (The Lancashire way.)
Pare the potatoes, cover them with cold water, and boil them slowly until they are quite tender, but watch them carefully, that they may not be overdone; drain off the water entirely, strew some salt over them, leave the saucepan uncovered by the side of the fire, and shake it forcibly every minute or two, until the whole of the potatoes appear dry and floury. Lancashire cooks dress the vegetable in this way to perfection, but it is far from an economical mode, as a large portion of the potato adheres to the saucepan; it has, however, many admirers.

Alternative Receipt from www.cooksunited.co.uk
Lancashire boiled Potatoes
This method breaks all the rules but the results are delicious, marred only by the thought of dealing with the saucepan!
Ingredients:
1 kg potatoes
100 g butter
salt
Method:
Thinly peel the potatoes, cut into even-sized pieces and soak in very salty cold water for a couple of hours. Drain and put the potatoes into a saucepan with fresh, well-salted water. Boil and when nearly done, add a little cold water to lower the temperature and make the potatoes floury.
Drain and return to the pan, cover with a folded tea towel and complete the cooking over a low heat. Lumps of potato will stick to the pan: scrape these off and mix in with the rest of the potatoes. The half-scorched flavour is essential. Mix carefully with butter and serve.

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