I had heard that new potatoes fresh from the ground are way, way better than supermarket newbies. I’d heard it, but I hadn’t really believed it. I thought this was probably a grower’s saying – not a cook’s. I have come to appreciate the fact that vegetables you’ve grown yourself make a way better supper than shop-bought ones. You take more care in scrubbing them, gently lowering them into a pan, standing beside the cooker to catch them at the just-right moment. And it feels more, hm, true, I suppose. The miracle of growing your own food, right?
So with this in mind, I was nervous about our first crop of potatoes (last Friday). I thought they would be an anticlimax. And even now, I am not going to climb on my chair and shout about them, even though maybe I should. Have we grown the world’s most fabulous potatoes? I mean, is there a prize for these things, because I think we would win?
Because they were s-t-u-p-e-n-d-o-u-s. Please grow some to taste this love for yourself (and send some by first class post to me as thanks). The end.
Oh hang on. That’s not the end. I also wanted to tell you about Jane Grigson’s way for delicious Stoved Potatoes. This sounds the same as boiling and buttering, but it REALLY isn’t. Try it out and you’ll want to buy her Vegetable Book to find out what other secrets she has.
‘Stoved’ from the French etuve, meaning stewed, in this case potatoes stewed in their own juices, with only a tiny amount of water and butter to prevent them sticking in the first stages. With gas or asbestos cookers, an asbestos mat helps to keep the temperature evenly low [Note: I just use the lowest heat, and it works fine. Definitely not asbestos]. Keep the lid of the pan, which should be aluminium, jammed on tightly with foil. They must be good potatoes to begin with. Peel them [no need with new potatoes] and put them in a pan with about 2 tablespoonfuls of water. Sprinkle them with salt and add a tiny bit of butter here and there. Cover close and simmer til soft and melted [keep a VERY close eye on the potatoes at this point - they could take anything from around 15-30 minutes].”
