KNIFE SKILLS:
How to Cut a Potato
Potatoes are heavy and unwieldy, with a
lumpy round shape that makes them hard to
hold steady.This is bad news if you want even cuts—and
all your fingers. The trick is to first slice off
one side, creating a stable base to rest the
potato on.
To dice a potato, start by peeling it with a
Y-peeler, if peeling. Rinse under cold water
and use the eye-remover to gouge out any
eyes. Hold the potato firmly on a cutting
board and slice a ¼- to ½-inch-thick slab off
one side. Turn the potato cut side down and
slice lengthwise into planks of even
thickness. Working with a few planks at a
time, stack them and slice lengthwise into
even batons. Then, for dice, hold a few
batons at a time and slice across them to
create dice of even width. Cut potatoes will
discolor, so cook immediately or store in
cold water.