The conqueror Pedro Cieza de León recounted in his chronicles about Peru, that it was in 1538 when in the Andean highlands , where corn could not be cultivated, they discovered that the native Indians ate something “in the manner of turmas from the land, which later when cooked, it is as tender inside as cooked chestnut ”. They took it out of the ground and called it potatoes. This tuber was not very successful upon arrival in Spain because it was bland. It competed and lost with the sweet potato, although at first their names were easily confused. But time worked in his favor. Who was going to tell the discreet potato that it would go from being cattle feed to feeding the great mass of workers who sustained the European industrial revolution? Now, it was difficult for him to gain prestige. So much so that it is even said that he stopped calling himself potato to definitively adopt the name potato in the 18th century because the indigenous word referred to the Pope of Rome and the comparison was irreverent.
Over time, the values of solanum tuberosum were imposed, and today it is part of global cuisine. That does not mean that we know the thousands of varieties that exist in the world . Sometimes, we don't even distinguish the ones that are closest to us, or what culinary uses they have. Therefore, today we focus on that fruit that likes to live in the dark.
"For me the color does not determine its use, it counts the variety and its state of maturity "
Núria Bonet,
Head of Patatas Bonet SA
We ask experts to know what mistakes we make when we choose them. Why are they too hard or too soft ? Is buying them old advisable? What is a green potato? And a conservation one? Are there violets and pinks? What variety is better for frying? And to make potato omelette?
1. Confuse the different varieties
There are thousands of varieties of potatoes, although in Spain the most common is that we settle for just one type, especially versatile, to do almost everything. Now, if we take a look at the supply that surrounds us, it is very likely that we will find potatoes with different skin tones , some wrapped in soil, with more or less exterior marks and with different meat of color, maturity, hardness, wateriness ... “Each one has its properties, there are more floury, smoother or softer… With more starch , hard or soft meat. Some fry better, others are more suitable in stews… ”, says Xavi Sancho, executive chef of the Ametller Origen group. Some are whiter in color and others are more yellowish inside. "For me the color does not determine its use, it countsthe variety and its state of maturity ”, points out Núria Bonet, head of the trading company, a pioneer in washing and selecting potatoes, Patatas Bonet SA, located in Mercabarna.
Among the most common varieties that we have on hand we find the Monalisa, with an attractive appearance and very versatile , it is usually semi-early, with light skin, it contains a large amount of starch, but also little water . Agate is quite similar to it, oblong or rounded, with fine, smooth skin and a light color. Its meat is firm, and it is considered highly consumed, although it is a little less versatile and sweeter than Monalisa .
The Kennebec potato, with light brown skin and white flesh, has a Galician geographical indication and is also cultivated and is well known in Catalonia. Its flavor is intense and it is sold uncleaned , as is the case with Agria, a late variety, dark, large and dry, with intense yellow flesh, which is the queen of fried foods.
The Red Pontiac is red on the outside and white on the inside, with deep eyes etched into the skin and waxy flesh. As easy to identify as the Spunta, elongated with a pointed end and sickle-shaped. It has a very fine skin and a mild flavor .
It is not as wide a range as the one that occurs in France, for example, or in Latin America, but enough to need to know what are the best culinary uses that we can give to each of them.
2. Do not differentiate between new, mid-late and old
One thing is the varieties of potato and another the moment of maturity of that potato when it is harvested. A new or early potato is considered to be one that is harvested at the right point of maturation from which it is already edible -usually spring-, and which is marketed in season. That makes it more brittle, watery and cooler . It is also smaller, with a firm texture, clear and fine skin, and it is kept for less time although it has more vitamin C and fewer calories than the rest .
" general, we find conservation potatoes on the market from November to May "
Ferran huguet
Ametller Origen agricultural technician
Mid-late are those that are harvested at the peak of their maturation. They are somewhat larger and drier than the new ones, but not as much as the old ones, which are those that were traditionally left to mature longer on the plant or were collected and stored in silos.
Nowadays, more and more preservation potatoes are consumed, which are preserved in cold rooms for months and when they are marketed they have an appearance similar to the new ones without being so. If you buy a bag in the supermarket, it is advisable to read the collection label since potatoes that have been through the cold chambers due to their appearance may seem new even if they are from the previous season.
"In general, we find conservation potatoes on the market from November to May, " says Ferran Huguet, agricultural technician at Ametller Origen. During confinement, sales of potatoes increased, and they were conservation potatoes.
The old potatoes or late , which are usually collected at the beginning of the autumn- are larger, thick - skinned, dark and slightly wrinkled, with yellow flesh. But that does not mean that they are of poor quality. They are more cured and settled than the others. In fact, "in the darkness of the attics of the country houses they were kept for a whole year", recalls the cook of the Semproniana restaurant, Ada Parellada, although nowadays Spanish growers call on the consumer to buy more national new potatoes compared to imported conservation.
3. Confusing culinary uses of new and old potatoes
“Old potatoes are used in certain elaborations. If they are well preserved, they can be very good ”, says Huguet, who cites how in a first-class restaurant some time ago they always asked him for late potatoes to turn them into sufflé . "It is the only way to create something very complex like a bubble inside," says Lluís Massanés, professor of pre-production and conservation at the ESHOB hospitality school. These cured potatoes, as they have lost water over time, are drier and have more starch. "That texture makes them very suitable for making stews because they absorb all the flavor and are very tasty", says Xavi Sancho, adding: " That does not happen with the new, which is less mature and harder ”. They are also great in creams and purees.
On the other hand, with new potatoes the opposite occurs. Being young and smooth, they are very good in Russian salad , omelette, steamed, also for garnishes and salads. They do not fall apart when cooked. “But they are not the best to fry . They will jump us in the pan due to its amount of water, it can remain as a puree… it is preferable to use a drier, later and more structured one ”, explains Lluís Massanés.
" En February there may already be new potatoes, for example of the Spunta variety, in Cádiz, although it is between April and July when the bulk of the new potato crops are harvested in Andalusia "
Ferran Huguet
Ametller Origen agricultural technician
Mid-late potatoes are the most versatile in terms of uses and preparation because the starch and water ratio is the most balanced. There are those who consider them ideal for frying because the old ones, depending on how, can be a bit soft and a little crunchy from having been in a cold room.
4. Not understanding the importance of the area and the time of year
To understand the world of potatoes, it must be clear that in each growing area there are different varieties and also have their own harvest time . Although we have the whole year, "you can have early varieties of an Agria type potato in Andalusia -called Frisia-, which is different from the Agria that I find later in Burgos or in France", says Ferran Huguet.
The weather is a fundamental factor, which also marks the times. “In February there may already be new potatoes, for example of the Spunta variety, in Cádiz, although it is between April and July when the bulk of the new potato crops are harvested in Andalusia; between August and September the first ones arrive from Segovia, Burgos and also those from the Basque Country, while it is already in September-October when most of it is harvested in France ”, adds the agricultural technician from Ametller Origen. In addition, the potatoes cross and coexist. "In April you can have old potatoes from France or Segoviafor sale, or new potatoes just arrived, for example from Andalusia ”. Galician gastronomer Jorge Guitián explains that in Galicia, a land famous for its cachelos, the harvest is twice a year, in March (“it's a bit like the tear pea, it's a new and tender potato”), and at the end of the summer.
"In Spain we have national new potatoes from April to July, and from August to May of the following year the French ones arrive", says Núria Bonet, from Patatas Bonet, who describes the very first French ones at the end of August as very tender and good potatoes.
5. Not using the right variety for frying
“The variety that is preferred in catering for frying is undoubtedly the Agria potato, which does not melt and withstands heat well ”, explains Núria Bonet, who practically only distributes it in that sector.
ESHOB professor Lluís Massanés confirms the values of this dry and late variety for professional frying. New potatoes have a lot of water and therefore absorb too much oil in frying . “ Whether you make chips with a fine cut or if you make French fries or patatas bravas for which you require thick cuts, this variety suits us very well because its low sugar content and its high dry matter content will make it withstand the high temperatures of the frying ”, says Massanés:“ It will be soft on the inside without darkening, and crunchy on the outside ”. The cook gives us some basic advice: “Before frying it is convenient to have it cut and peeled in water one day, cut and peeled in the fridge to reduce the starch content.and make it crispier ”.
" Whether you make chips with a fine cut or if you make French fries or patatas bravas for which you require thick cuts, the Agria potato suits us very well "
Lluís Massanés
ESHOB teacher
La Agria, a potato with few sugars, good weight , compact meat with a good balance of starch and water, is also used by the industry for fourth-range preparations, such as chips or potato tortilla. At a domestic level, Xavi Sancho reassures us: “In frying the difference is not so noticeable when an Agria is used, or for example a Monalisa, or if a newer or later one is chosen. It is a more professional matter ”. In fact, Monalisa contains a large amount of starch, but also little water, so it fries well and retains little oil .
6. Not knowing the most versatile varieties
When in the first point we talked about the thousands of existing varieties of potatoes, we also pointed out that in Spain we ended up buying very few, and some especially, because we have verified that they are tremendously versatile in the kitchen . The same is used to make an omelette, a stew or - with permission from the Agria variety - to fry.
The queen of this versatile category, according to all the experts consulted, is the Monalisa. This potato with light and thin skin , with a regular shape, absorbs little oil, does not break when cooked and is very well roasted. "Open in the middle and baked, it is very good", Lluís Massanés advises us, who also recommends it for creams because it is buttery , and for making potato omelettes.
In stews the Monalisa thickens without falling apart or breaking and preserves its color. “It is a very perfected potato, I would say that it is a true wild card”, Xavi Sancho points out: “It is very soft, it absorbs oil to a certain point, it is quite resistant to frying and it is good in an omelette -with a sweet touch-, purees, al steam…".
"It is not excellent in everything, but it is a potato for mass consumption , and you can find many that look like it without being so", adds chef Lluís Massanés.
Ferran Huguet confirms that it is a highly chosen variety, although the one that is sold the most as washed white potato is the Ágata variety, "less versatile and not as complete, although it is beautiful because it has few black spots". There is Spanish and French. In Ametller Origen they have it when the Monalisa is finished. "Agata has a relative humidity that makes it equally useful for cooking and frying" , says Núria Bonet, who widely distributes this type of variety.
7. Not distinguishing those that are better for stews and cooking
When it comes to cooking and stewing, the Kennebec potato is a good bet. Firm and consistent in the mouth, it has little amount of water so it absorbs the juices very well and does not melt when fried. It is perfect with a lamb shoulder or even for a potato omelette. Xavi Sancho describes it as a semi-late potato that holds the fire well and works very well in stews and stews . Ferran Huguet points out that it is not as sweet or as sold as the popular Monalisa, although it is a highly appreciated variety in Catalonia and Galicia. Not by chance it is the potato of the famous Galician cachelos, which accompany octopus and meats, and which also has other quality geographical identities, such as the Prades potato, which is grown in the Serra de Prades (Tarragona) and the Pyrenees trumfos.
A variety that is very suitable for cooking - the potatoes must be soft and compact - in the oven or even in the microwave is the Red Pontiac. Ferran Huguet recommends this potato, red on the outside and white on the inside, also for baking, but not for frying. Lluís Massanés likes to make Russian salad and cooked potato salad. "When you cook it, it has a waxed finish and a very pleasant meat texture, which is not the case with Agria, which dissolves all if you prepare it in a stew or salad." Xavi Sancho also uses them in stews, "because they absorb the liquid well ”.
" A potato cannot be said to be better than another because its skin is dirty, with dirt "
Ferran Huguet
Agricultural technician of the Ametller Origen group
The Spunta also cooks well, preserving its texture, quite soft. Common in the north of Spain, it is widely used for Russian and potato salads . They are good as well in tortilla.
8. Don't buy them for their looks
"One potato cannot be said to be better than another because it has dirty skin, with dirt," explains Ferran Huguet, who has verified that in recent years dirty potatoes (in quotation marks, of course) are the least chosen by consumers because they are uncomfortable or look ugly, to the point that they appear less and less in stores. “There are very good varieties such as Kennebec or Agria that we cannot wash before selling because they would rot,” he explains. Little by little, the varieties that can be washed have been imposed, or those with fewer marks, such as Agate. "We like more those that are round, uniform and perfect, without folds or curved shapes because they are easier to peel", adds Lluís Massanés.
The Monalisa, the Ágata or the Red Pontiac do not have that problem. But in the case of the red-skinned potato, for example, it does have very marked eyes on its skin that can spoil its appearance, regardless of the quality of its interior. "Although it is very rich, it is grown less and less here and in France because it is not attractive," explains Bonet.
The president of Asaja Sevilla, Ricardo Serra, recalled in the last campaign of the Andalusian new potato the preference of large commercial chains to sell washed potatoes with a clean and shiny appearance, although this does not improve “neither the quality of the product nor much less its conservation ”.
9. Poison us if we eat them green
It is important to be clear that a green potato "has to be thrown away immediately, it should not be eaten," says Huguet. That it does not occur to anyone to think that it is half ripe and save it so that it takes consistency. It is a mistake that can cost us our health . A potato is green because it has been exposed to the sun and has generated chlorophyll and a high level of solanine. The solanine is a toxic substance with a bitter taste in high doses can provoke diarrhea, dizziness, vomiting and in some cases delirium, paralysis and even death from poisoning. Therefore, they should always be in dry and shady places.
Although nowadays it is difficult for us to find grilled or poorly preserved potatoes on the market, "if they have sprouts, they have not been stored correctly", says Ferran Huguet. Something that we must also do at home when we buy them. All experts are clear that you should never give them light, neither fluorescent nor the sun. It is ideal to store them in a dark and dry pantry, with a low temperature. "Although potatoes are a tuber with durability, it must be clear that they must be consumed in a reasonable time", adds the technician from Ametller Origen. “A grilled potato has already aged, and has lost strength and nutrients”, Lluís Massanés reminds us, adding that it is worthwhile when choosing them to also check that they do not have bumps. Instead,the size does not define its quality , "it depends on the variety and even on the maturation, although in the case of the Agria potato I have detected that the very large ones sometimes have a blackened hole, as if they had exploded from the inside", he adds the chef.
10. Close to news due to ignorance or prejudice
There are thousands of varieties of potatoes. "Some are of a higher quality than those we are used to consuming in Spain that we find difficult to introduce because people do not know them and do not buy them" , says Ferran Huguet. The expert enthusiastically points out the creamy and tender Ratte, which he plans to release next month.
Ratte, also known as Asparges potato, is a small and elongated variety with fine skin and yellow hue , highly appreciated by French haute cuisine chefs for its delicate flavor. It is the potato that chef Romain Fornell chooses to make his tasty vichyssoise in his Caelis restaurant, “for its essence, reminiscent of hazelnut and chestnut”. Xavi Sancho recommends it for making salt, wrinkled potatoes, mashed potatoes, in salad. "There are some spectacular parmetiers." A very French elaboration with which the Vitelotte or violet potato also fits, a soft variety, with an intense flavor and buttery texture “that gives color to dishes, for example a trinxat or a puree”. And if we talk about colors, what is more exotic than a potato with pink skin and fleshlike Mulberry, with a slight toasted nut flavor?
Something similar to the Ratte is the Amandine potato, " tender, light and tasty, with thin skin and creamy flavor", explains the executive chef of Ametller Origen.