1. Start with a sharp paring knife and a large russet potato weighing about 12 ounces.Todd Coleman
2. With the knife positioned about 1/2" into the potato, slice off a piece.Todd Coleman
3. With the knife positioned about 1/2" in from the potato's end, slice off another piece.Todd Coleman
4. With the knife positioned about 1/2" into the potato, slice off a piece.Todd Coleman
5. With the knife positioned about 1/2" in from the potato's other end, slice off another piece.Todd Coleman
6. Rest the potato on one of its long sides and, with the knife positioned about 1/4" into its flesh, slice off a piece.Todd Coleman
7. Repeat step 6 with the other long side of the potato so that it takes on a rectangular shape.Todd Coleman
8. Starting at the short end of the rectangle, slice a diagonal piece off one corner.Todd Coleman
9. Continue slicing diagonally on the three remaining corners of the rectangle.Todd Coleman
10. You should now have a potato shaped roughly like a diamond.Todd Coleman
11. Round off the sides of the potato.Todd Coleman
12. You should now have a potato shaped roughly like a football.Todd Coleman
13. Using a plastic Japanese-style mandoline, slice the potato lengthwise into 1/8"-thick slices and transfer them to a bowl filled with cold water.Todd Coleman
