THIS STARCH CAN BE A STAR
Potatoes come in thousands of varieties suitable for countless types of delectable dishes
Where would the steak be without the frites, the roast without the mash, the baked ham without its potatoes au gratin?
Humble as it is, the potato is the earthy companion we crave alongside our heartiest fall dishes, the perfect vehicle for butter, cream, salt and savoury sauces.
But not all potatoes are suitable for all purposes, which is handy to know when you consider that some 5,000 varieties of them are grown worldwide. Mind you, you’d be hard-pressed to believe that if you’re standing in the produce section of your local grocery store where you’ll simply find “red,” “white,” “yellow” and “baking,” as well as nugget potatoes, if you’re lucky.
Here’s a handy guide to potatoes and the delicious ways you can prepare them.
KNOW YOUR POTATOES
The potato is the edible tuber of the nightshade vegetable family (Solanaceae). Despite some myths making the rounds, it’s not related to deadly nightshade, but to eggplants, peppers and tomatoes. However, because it grows underground, it can easily absorb pollutants in the soil, making it one crop where going organic is a good idea.
(More myth busting: Sweet potatoes are not actually potatoes, though they’re distantly related; nor are yams. To complicate things further, the orange-fleshed vegetable labelled “yam” at the grocery store is probably not a yam, but a soft sweet potato.)
Potatoes were first cultivated in the Andes Mountains of Chile and Peru more than 10,000 years ago. In the 16th century, the conquistadors brought them to Spain; from there, the potato slowly travelled through Europe and then to North America.
Worldwide, potatoes are the fourth most widely grown crop and are the most consumed vegetable in North America. And despite what you may think, they’re good for you!
A medium-sized potato contains only 110 calories and is a good source of vitamins B6 and C, as well as several minerals and dietary fibre.
LOCAL POTATOES
Here in southwestern B.C., farmers grow several varieties of potato. Aside from basic red, white and yellow commercial potatoes, you’ll find Kennebecs, which are typically used for fresh french fries, and russets, which are your go-to for mashed potatoes, as well as commercial frozen fries. These tend to be available from July through December.
From March through July, though, you can also find the kinds of new potatoes that chefs and gourmet diners adore: long, waxy French fingerlings; creamy, pinkflecked Warba nuggets; pretty Peruvian purple potatoes that make such a striking addition to picnic salads; and the luxurious German Butterball potatoes, which actually taste like butter.
ONE POTATO, TWO POTATO ...
There are basically three types of potatoes — starchy, waxy and in between — and each has its own purpose in the kitchen.
For fluffy mashed or baked potatoes, you want starchy potatoes. These are the brown, thickskinned ones with names like russet, Idaho or baker. They have a soft flesh that falls apart when cooking, fluffs up when mashed and absorbs butter and cream like nobody’s business. They are ideal for gnocchi and other dumplings, and make a terrific french fry as well.
However, if you want a potato with a firm texture that holds its shape when cooked, you’ll want a waxy potato.
That’s most of the potatoes you’ll find in the store, especially the basic white and red ones.
They’re ideal for potato salads, stews, soups, casseroles or gratins, but tend to turn into a gluey potato paste when mashed.
Similarly, the small size and firm flesh of nugget potatoes make them ideal for roasting, steaming or boiling.
If you’re looking for an allaround potato that will work as well in a mash as in a salad, that’s your inbetweener, the Yukon Gold.
It has a richer taste than highstarch potatoes, so one handy trick is to use half russets and half Yukon Golds for a fluffy mash that also has loads of flavour.
PRESERVE YOUR POTATOES
Say you’ve picked up a bag of potatoes and by the time Sunday dinner rolls around they’ve begun to sprout little green growths. What to do? Those growths are called eyes and while they won’t kill you, they do contain small amounts of toxic compounds that won’t make you feel great, either.
Just cut them out, along with any green patches, and cook the rest of the potato.
More importantly, learn to store your potatoes properly.
Do store them in a cool place,
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around 10°C (50°F).
Do not store them in the fridge
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or the starches will convert to sugar.
Do not store them in warm spots
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(next to the oven, under the sink) or they will start to sprout.
Do store them somewhere dark;
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for instance, in a drawer, basket, paper bag or, ideally, a root cellar.
Do not expose them to light or
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leave them on the counter or they will sprout.
Do not cut off airflow or they will
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rot.
And whatever you do, don’t store
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them next to the onions; both vegetables emit gases that make the other spoil faster.
Basically, potatoes are the Goldilocks of vegetables, and conditions have to be just right to make them last.