Cornish New Potatoes
As the demand for seasonal British produce starts to grow now is the perfect time for Cornish new potatoes They’re seasonal, fresh and the UK’s first mainland new potato crop. They have a loose skin and a buttery texture due to the temperate climate and proximity to the sea.
Cornish farmers are able to plant some of their earliest potatoes in January on specially selected land on the coast. The milder coastal climate and the sea breezes help to keep the fields largely frost-free through the winter. And with nowhere in Cornwall more than 20 miles from the sea, spring comes that little bit earlier than the rest of the country.
Cornwall grow around 100,000 tonnes of potatoes, a lot of the land is just too wild for farming and the rugged peninsula is around 80 miles long with 400 miles of coastline so Cornish farmers have a range of different landscapes to work with.
Through the generations, they’ve learned how to select the best land for planting at different times so that they get the benefits of the microclimates across the county. The earliest, during the first few months of the year, tend to be the fields that slope up from the English Channel, catching the sun and benefiting from the Gulf Stream.
Cornish farmers grow carefully selected varieties of potatoes that are ideally suited to their land.
Fast-growing Rocket is one of the earliest, which tends to be popular locally, and you can see it for sale at farm shops as early as April. Next comes Jazzy, then Maris Peer, Gemson and Lady Christl. These are all perfect Early potato varieties, with a mild, slightly sweet taste and a firm texture that keeps its shape when cooked.
The farmers monitor their crops very closely as they grow, checking their progress regularly as the potatoes develop underground. They will be harvested just as soon as they are big enough, while the leaves are still green above the ground. This means that they retain their natural sweetness and have soft, fluffy skin that just rubs off gently. These lovely potatoes aren’t around for long though, so you need to make the most of them as soon as they’re available – from now until around mid-August.
For inspiration on how to cook with Cornish New potatoes, see below
New Potato Salad
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 45 mins
Serves 3-4
The Cornish New potato season is upon us and we think they’re absolutely delicious, the best in fact, either in a salad like this or simply served with lots of butter!
Source: Seasonal Spuds – Find variations of new potato salad recipes here
Ingredients
- 500g Cornish New Potatoes
- 8-10 small beetroot
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 2 tbsp capers
- 1 bunch of fresh dill, chopped
For the dressing
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 small garlic cloves, peeled & bashed
- 2 tsp cider vinegar
- 50ml sunflower oil
- 50ml olive oil
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Method
- First, make the dressing. Place all the ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake vigorously to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning, sweetness or acidity as required.
- Lightly scrub the Cornish New potatoes and cut them into bite-sized pieces. Place them in a pan full of salted water and bring to up to the simmer. Cook for 10–12 minutes or until they’re just tender. Drain and while still warm toss with 2 tbsp of the dressing, half the capers, half the dill and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Do the same with the beetroot, although they may need to simmer for a little longer or until they are tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the beetroot then peel them. When they are small and young the skins will slip off quite easily. Dress the beetroot with 2 tbsp of dressing, the remaining capers and dill and season well.
- Place a medium-sized saucepan full of water on the heat. When the waters boiling add the eggs and cook for 6–7 minutes. Drain and allow to cool, then peel the eggs and halve them.
- Choose a large shallow salad bowl or platter. Scatter out the dressed potatoes and beetroot. Place the eggs in and around these then finish the salad with a scattering of dill, some flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper and a good trickle of the remaining dressing.
Baked New Potatoes with a Blue Cheese Glaze
Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins
Serves 4
Deliciously easy cheesy to make…This tasty treat would make a great lunchtime dish, simply served with a green salad. A mild soft blue cheese is ideal.
Source: Seasonal Spuds, Find the recipe here
Mini Hasselback Cornish New Potatoes
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 40 mins
Serves 4-5
These diddy little Hasselback potatoes are much quicker to cook than their full-sized buddies. Rest each potato in the bowl of a spoon to make the cuts so that you don’t slice all the way through.
Source: Seasonal Spuds, find the recipe here
Chicken, Chorizo & Cornish New Potatoes Tray Roast
Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook time: 1 hr
Serves 4
This healthy one tray roast makes it super easy to cook a roast dinner any day of the week.
Source: Seasonal Spuds, find the recipe here
Cornish New Potatoes in a Chinese-style Stir Fry
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 12-15 mins
Serves 2
For a light Chinese-style meal without rice, this is the perfect way to use up leftover cooked chicken (breast or thigh) and potatoes. If you’d prefer a vegan version substitute the chicken for 60g unsalted cashew nuts.
Source: Seasonal Spuds, find the recipe here
