Digging up the potential of the potato

Digging up the potential of the potato

The latest issue of Cuisine celebrates the potato, with a host of recipes and features that propel the humble staple back to the centre of the plate.

Cuisine food writer Fiona Smith shares six favourite dishes, all with variations on a theme, that showcase the potato’s versatility. Her selection includes refined takes on old favourites like Potato Mash, Roasted Potatoes and Thick-Cut Hot Chips, as well as Potato Galette and a Swedish classic, Jansson’s Temptation. With Fiona’s advice on the right type of potato - waxy or floury, Jersey Benne or Agria - and why they work, the perfect potato dish becomes a breeze.

“This root vegetable has been a kitchen staple for centuries. Incredibly, we have 11 main varieties widely available here, plus a slew of lesser-known niche varieties. This makes it even easier to create delicious dishes with this versatile vegetable,” she says.

Not technically related but like a first cousin anyway, the also versatile kumara is food editor Ray McVinnie’s muse in this issue. Ray presents dishes that make the most of the kumara’s sweet flavours - the sweetest after long baking, he tells us - like his Kumara, Coconut and Macadamia Tart.

And while it’s hard to imagine, David Burton tells us in his feature article that 44 per cent of New Zealanders have cut down on potatoes. He details the results of a 22-month Horticulture New Zealand research project, examining who eats potatoes and why, and how the once-iconic potato has been getting a bad rap from consumers. However, the study finds that despite the growing diversity of our diets, 99 per cent of New Zealanders still eat potatoes, and over half of us eat them at least four times per week.* David also lists the top five varieties of waxy and floury spuds, when they are in season and how shoppers can identify them.

Thirsty work digging over potatoes? See Cuisine’s aromatic wine tasting where Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Viognier are tested by the panel of highly respected wine judges. Along with their top picks for each variety, readers will find wine pages filled with helpful advice and a brand new look. And food editor Lauraine Jacobs has designed a special dinner-party menu with aromatics in mind.

For more on potatoes see the May issue of Cuisine, on sale at all good bookstores and supermarkets throughout New Zealand from Monday 16 April.

Top five waxy potatoes:

1. Jersey Benne
2. Tiffany
3. Draga
4. Frisia
5. Red King Edward

1. Agria
2. Red Rascal
3. Russet Burbank
4. Fianna
5. White Delight

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