The potato has overcome remarkable odds to achieve its current culinary status. Considering its lowly history -- it was relegated to the ranks of peasant food for centuries -- it is amazing that the potato has become as popular, even fashionable, as it is today.
The story of the potato begins more than 4,000 years ago, in the Andes Mountains of Peru, where the ancient Incas first cultivated the tubers (contrary to popular thinking, they aren't actually roots). When they were brought to Europe, potatoes were met with suspicion: Like all members of the nightshade family, which includes tomatoes and eggplants, they were widely believed to be poisonous.But by the 16th century, their hardiness and ease of cultivation earned them acceptance as an important food crop -- so important, in fact, that the Irish potato famine of the mid-19th century had a devastating effect on the population.
Today, potatoes are a popular vegetable throughout the world, and there are thousands of cultivated varieties, distinguished by their size, shape, texture, flavor and, most notably, color. White, gold, pink, red, blue, purple, even candy stripes are all available.
CHOOSING POTATOES
Look for firm potatoes that feel heavy for their size and are free of green patches. Keep in mind that not all potatoes are good for all preparations. Starch content is the most important factor to consider.
High-starch varieties, such as the common Idaho baking potato and the blue-skinned Caribe, make perfect, airy mashed potatoes but won't hold up in recipes in which they will need to keep their shape once sliced. Low-starch varieties, such as red new potatoes and the yellow Ruby Crescent, have waxier textures that make them ideal for steaming, roasting and salads. In the middle are all-purpose potatoes with medium starch content, such as the buttery Yukon Gold and most fingerling varieties.
New potatoes, by definition, are young potatoes of any variety. Because they haven't yet matured and converted their natural sugars to starch, they always have a low-starch content and waxy texture. The fingerling varieties, also called finger potatoes, are generally mid-season, white or yellow-fleshed potatoes that are named for their long, finger-like shape.
KEEPING POTATOES
Don't store potatoes in the refrigerator: The cold will quickly convert the starch to sugar, resulting in an odd, sweet flavor. Instead, store them in a cool, dark place, such as in a windowless pantry, and use them within two weeks. New potatoes should be used within a few days of purchase.
Never store potatoes and onions together; each will hasten the other's spoilage.
POTATO GLOSSARY
Here are some potatoes well worth seeking out for their distinctive colors, shapes and flavors. Look for them in farmers markets and gourmet-food stores, or consider growing them yourself.
All Blue: A medium-sized, mid-season potato with deep blue skin and flesh. High in starch, it makes good mashed potatoes.
All Red: A mid-season potato with bright red skin and reddish flesh. Its waxy consistency makes it a good choice for salads.
Butterfinger: A mid- to late-season fingerling variety with a yellow, buttery flesh.
Candy Stripe: This unusual, flavorful mid-season potato has red stripes running through its white flesh.
Caribe: An excellent early-season choice, this blue-skinned variety produces large crops, especially in southern climates. Its light, starchy white flesh is perfect for mashed potatoes.
French Fingerling: This tasty fingerling has purple skin and yellow flesh.
Katahdin: A late-season, Northeastern classic with brown skin and white, starchy flesh. It is disease-resistant and stores well.
Lehmi Russet: A large, late-season variety with brown skin and white flesh, good for baking as well as frying.
Ruby Crescent: A flavorful, waxy mid- to late-season potato with rosy skin and yellow flesh; good for steaming, baking and frying.
Yukon Gold: A small, early-season variety with yellow skin and flesh, and a distinctive, buttery flavor. Good for boiling, roasting, frying as well as mashing. This popular variety is available in most grocery stores.
GROWING POTATOES
Growing potatoes in your own garden is a fun way to try out some of the lesser-known varieties. Consult your local nursery or a good vegetable-seed catalog for advice on which potatoes will grow best in your climate and the most effective growing techniques.
Regardless of your choice, you will start with "seed" potatoes, which are actually small tubers that have been specially tested and certified to be disease-free.
To grow potatoes, you'll need well-drained, nutrient-rich soil in full sun. Ideally, you'll have a rather large garden, since you'll get the best results if you rotate your crops from year to year.
Potatoes grow best in cool, moist weather, so plant early cultivars three to four weeks before the last frost in northern climates. In southern climates, plant in late winter. Mid- and late-season potatoes can be planted a few weeks after the early ones.
As with any vegetable, potatoes require attentive care to keep them healthy, but your crop will more than repay you for your efforts. Your first harvest of potatoes should come about 55 days after the first planting; the main harvest will be ready when the potato leaves and vines begin to wither.
ROASTED STUFFED NEW POTATOES
This dish can be prepared with your favorite variety of small, new potatoes. It's an excellent, healthful choice for an appetizer or side dish, with only 30 calories and just a trace of fat per piece.
(Makes 36)
22 very small red potatoes
1/2 cup low-fat large-curd cottage cheese, or 4 ounces low-fat goat cheese
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped chives, plus 1 teaspoon more for garnish
1. Heat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. On a baking sheet, roast potatoes until tender, turning two to three times, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool.
2. Halve 18 potatoes. Cut a sliver off bottom of each. Scoop flesh from potato halves into a bowl, leaving a shell 1/4 inch thick. Peel remaining potatoes and discard peel; add flesh to bowl. Mash coarsely with a fork. Mix in cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Mix in egg white and 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped chives.
3. Spoon filling into potatoes. Place on baking sheet. Bake until golden, 15 to 17 minutes. Garnish with remaining chives.
(Prep time: about 20 minutes. Cook time: 40 minutes.)
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