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The potato (/ p ə ˈ t eɪ t oʊ /) is a starchy tuberous vegetable native to the Americas that is consumed as a staple food in many parts of the world. Potatoes are underground stem tubers of the plant Solanum tuberosum, a perennial in the nightshade family Solanaceae.. Wild potato species can be found from the southern United States to southern Chile.Genetic studies show that the cultivated ...
Potatoes are types of starchy root vegetables called tubers. They are high in nutrients like potassium and vitamin C, and have many health benefits.
Other early potatoes, including waxy salad varieties, start to appear in May. Duke of York (1942) come into season in September and last through to April, but the main potato season begins in October.
Waxy potatoes hold their shape and have a firm bite, so they’re great for salads or simply boiled and dressed with butter. Floury potatoes, on the other hand, fluff up when they’re cooked, making them perfect for chips, roast potatoes or baking. But there are varieties that fall in the centre, holding both waxy and firm qualities.
Maincrop potatoes take the longest to mature and are harvested from late August to October. They are suitable for baking, roasting and mashing, and can be stored for a few months.Floury potato varieties are good for baking and mashing, whereas waxy potato varieties make good additions to a salad.
Smaller new potatoes, like those seasonal gems, Jersey Royals, are delicious in summery salads, while larger, fluffier Maris Pipers and King Edwards make the best roasties and mash. Keep reading for our complete potato guide, including the best types of potatoes to use in cooking, where we source our potatoes, and seasonal varieties to try.
Crispy baked potatoes. Preheat oven to 450 F. Wash and dry Russet potatoes. Poke each about four times with a fork. Place potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet and cook until skins are slightly ...
Potato, annual plant in the nightshade family, grown for its starchy edible tubers. The potato is native to the Peruvian-Bolivian Andes and is one of the world’s main food crops. Potatoes are frequently served whole or mashed as a cooked vegetable and are also ground into potato flour.
New potatoes just need a scrub in cold water – the skin is too thin to warrant peeling. If any area of an old or new potato is tinged with green it should be scraped or cut off, as it is mildly toxic. How to cook potatoes. Bake whole (50 mins-1¼ hours) Chop into big chunks and roast (45-60 mins for old, 30-40 mins for new)
The second way that potatoes are classified is according to how ‘floury’ or ‘waxy’ they are. A floury potato will usually look whiter inside, with a dryer flesh that mashes and roasts well. Waxy potatoes stay more firm after boiling, and usually have yellower flesh. Potatoes can be graded 1‐10, where 1 is waxy and 10 is floury.