New Potatoes

Just as tulips, blossom and green shoots are harbingers of spring, so are new potatoes.

The appearance of these diminutive, thin-skinned beauties – the most flavoursome of all the potatoes – in supermarkets and greengrocers holds the promise of much delicious al fresco eating to come.

Unlike fully grown potatoes, these young ones have firm waxy flesh because much of the sugar they contain hasn’t yet turned into starch. This means they keep their shape when cooked and cut, and their flavour is much sweeter. Add to these virtues the fact that their skins are tender, delicate and tasty, new potatoes are the perfect foundation for warm and cold salads and other side to enjoy in the warming spring sunshine.

In Britain, Jersey Royals are the best-known variety of new potatoes, and have been grown on the island of Jersey for more than 140 years. Many farmers there still use seaweed – known on the island as vraic – as a natural fertiliser for their crops, and this could account for their sweet nutty taste and unusual firmness.

Aside from being delicious, new potatoes are supremely easy to prepare because they don’t need peeling. Just scrub them gently with a soft cloth or brush, and cook whole. They can be boiled until tender in salted boiling water – this probably won’t take more than ten minutes.

Or new potatoes are exceptionally tasty roasted, when their skins turn crispy and golden, and the flesh soft and sweet. To do this, tumble them into a roasting tray in which you some very hot oil or fat, and roast away, shaking the pan now and then. Another delicious option is to make smash your new potatoes; boil them until tender first, pop them into the roasting tray with hot oil or fat, and crush lightly with the bottom of a mug before roasting. The result will be roast new potatoes with especially crispy crunchy edges.

Because they keep their shape when cooked – unlike floury varieties that are readily pummelled into mash, for example – new potatoes are terrific added to other dishes. Chop into chunks and tumble into stews and curries or slice thinly for boulangère or dauphinoise potatoes.Alternatively, boil until tender, then slice thickly and add to tortillas, frittatas or as a pizza topping (with fresh rosemary and blue cheese).

New potatoes are, arguably, at their best when given the limelight in a salad.

The key to a perfect potato salad is to cook new potatoes in their skins so they retain their flavour. After boiling, halve or slice, and then gently coat them in your favourite potato salad dressing while they’re still hot, so they absorb all the flavour. A good quality mayonnaise dressing is lovely of course. To the mix, add herbs – try mint, chives, basil, tarragon, chervil, parsley and thyme – and extras like chopped hard boiled eggs, sliced ham or bacon, baby spinach or tender cooked asparagus spears. If you want to ring some changes to the dressing, especially if you find straight mayo a little cloying, stir some sour cream or Greek yoghurt into the mix. For a dressing that’s even lighter and fresher, just use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can lay your hands on and a whisper or freshly grated lemon zest.

To be honest, the best way to make the most of this superb ingredient during its short season is to do very little. Boil new potatoes in their skins, pour over melted butter and add a sprinkling of good flaky sea salt. Then, just pair with other hero ingredients, ideally ones that are also in season. Boiled new potatoes make a very happy marriage with fresh asparagus (boiled or grilled on the BBQ), or scallops fried off until golden on both sides.Or boil, slice and fry the potatoes gently until crisp and golden and pair them with poached eggs, grilled seafood (how about fish, prawns or octopus?), roast chicken pieces or a hot salad made with chorizo and/or bacon and bitter leaves.

The golden rule to remember when cooking new potatoes is to make more than you think you will need. If you don’t have a bowlful left over, to eat cold from the fridge the next day spread with good butter and flaky sea salt, you haven’t done it right.

New potatoes marry beautifully with mayonnaise and aioli, fresh soft herbs (especially basil, mint, parsley and chives), spices (paprika and black pepper), grated lemon zest, garlic, seafood (octopus and fish), asparagus and baby spinach.