Quickest way to peel spuds, carrots,parsnips etc please

Savvy_Sue

squeaky wrote:

I suspect that they've improved over the years but one of the parts of a holiday job in a local hotel was to "peel" the spuds.

In a machine.

It bounced the poor spuds all over the place (inside itself) while knocking/bashing/scraping the skin off. If you imagine the state of a spud after Tim Henman and Greg Rusedski had played a couple of sets with it...

..that's what you have to start cooking with.

When I was away at school, in order to ensure that at least some kitchen staff got Sunday off every week, the potatoes were dumped in the peeler last thing Saturday, and left overnight in water. On Sunday morning two girls from each house had to go and pick them over to get rid of any black bits etc.

Some weeks those potatoes had practically dissolved ...

loracan1

This thread brought back some old memories of mine - my mum hated peeling the spuds so much she had a contraption for them. It was a round bowl thing apparently lined with something resembling sandpaper, had a hose and you attached it to the cold tap, turned on the tap and it revolved. It removed half of the outer potato as well but it'd keep me entertained watching it.

I don't bother peeling them, chips are nicer with peel on, and for mash I bake them in the microwave - unpeeled, cut them in half and scoop out the flesh. Shove it in a potato ricer and it barely needs any butter or milk.

nearlyrich

Becles wrote:

I rarely peel anything. I've got a stiff veg brush, and everything just gets a scrub!

It's much quicker and better for you as many vitamins are just under the veg skin, and can be lost with peeling.

Me too, unless it's mash we never peel potatoes carrots etc. I have a kitchen devil paring knife with a little clip, actually I have two because the clip went missing but as it is about 24 years old I can't complain too much. I have a traditional Lancashire peeler, that's what we used at home when I was growing up but I get cramp using it.

I just cut the woody ends off sprouts, ends off carrots and slice with a sharp knife, cut caulie, brocolli into chunks.

shelly

dbs wrote:

Thanks for all the replies.

What about the vee slice gadgets? are they any good because I want to cut veg like carrots thinly because I want to steam them.

I only ever steam my fresh veg, never boil it and I chop my carrots quite chunky. I find they still cook quite quickly. (I use a hob top steamer)

rolpaula

We use one of these, a lot quicker than a normal knife

Gingham_Ribbon

I can't use them without slicing half my fingers off. I exagerate slightly...

I like the little ones that you hold like a knife. Mine's getting a bit blunt though cos I use it to shave thin slices of cheese.

gravitytolls

You could get the kids/OH to do it.

Haha.