Consider the potato. Like onions, potatoes seem seasonless; as kitchen staples, we expect to be able to find them all year ‘round. And we can. But what we’re usually buying are storage potatoes, a far cry from the amazingly fresh and juicy specimens you’ll find at local farmers markets right now.
In Georgia, potatoes are planted in the very early spring and they're ready for harvest in June. Cecilia Gatungo of Oakleaf Mennonite Farm has been harvesting potatoes since early this month. The farm has more than ten 100-foot rows of potatoes growing in its field on Bouldercrest Road in the East Atlanta neighborhood of DeKalb County. The farm’s potatoes are sold at the East Atlanta Village Farmers Market on Thursdays, the East Lake Farmers Market on Saturdays and through the boxes of the farm’s community supported agriculture program.
“Our potatoes are Red Pontiac, a red skinned variety that does well in heavy soils like Georgia clay. They’re not bearing so well this year however, and the talk among the farmers is that our spring was just too hot,” Gatungo said. Potatoes go into the ground as seed potatoes, pieces of potato each with an eye, that little sprout you sometimes see on storage potatoes. Planted in February and March, the harvest starts in 80 to 100 days.
Harvesting potatoes is much more work than picking tomatoes or cucumbers. What we eat are the tubers the potato plant produces along its underground stems to serve as food storage for the plant. To encourage a plant to put out more tubers, farmers mound soil around the main stem. When it’s time to harvest, that soil must be carefully removed so the tubers hidden in the dirt don’t get damaged. The great thing about potatoes is that they can sit in the ground for weeks, so a farmer can harvest just what’s needed at one time. Gatungo expects to be harvesting potatoes into the beginning of July.
One reason potatoes are so popular is that they’re so versatile, and they absorb flavors so beautifully.
Gatungo likes her potatoes roasted in a hot oven with spring onions and herbs like rosemary and thyme. She’s recently become a fan of potatoes and turnips cooked and mashed together with yogurt, green onions and Trinidadian curry powder, and she loves baked potato soup.
Freshly harvested potatoes are full of moisture, juicy and tender. Celebrate early summer’s potatoes by giving them a role as more than a sidekick. To taste what one Atlanta chef will be doing with fresh potatoes, check out the chef demo at the Morningside Farmers Market this week.
At local farmers markets
Saturday, June 18, 7:30-11 am. Blueberry Festival. Morningside Farmers Market, Atlanta. Chef Ron Eyester of Rosebud will be serving blueberry pancakes. www.morningsidemarket.com
Saturday, June 18, 12:30-2 pm. Old-Fashioned Ice Cream Social, benefit for Slow Food Atlanta. Peachtree Road Farmers Market. Tickets required, advance purchase recommended. www.peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com
Cooking demos:
Thursday, June 16, 6 p.m. Chef Seth Freedman, Ruby Root Connections. East Atlanta Village Farmer's Market, Atlanta. www.farmeav.com
Saturday, June 18, 9:30 a.m. Chef Gary Donlick, Bistro Niko working with potatoes. Morningside Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.morningsidemarket.com
Saturday, June 18, 10 a.m. Chef Sheri Castle. Peachtree Road Farmers Market, Atlanta. www.peachtreeroadfarmersmarket.com
For sale
Vegetables and fruit: arugula, Asian greens, beans, beets, blackberries, blueberries, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, chard, collards, cucumbers, eggplant, fennel, garlic, herbs, kale, leeks. lettuce, mushrooms, onions, pea shoots, peaches, peas, potatoes, radishes, scallions, summer squash, tomatoes, turnips
From local reports
Aloo Ki Tikki (Potato Patties)
Hands on: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Makes: 12
This recipe comes from Gulshan Singh, a native of north India who teaches cooking classes at the Buford Highway Farmers Market among other places. Potatoes, peas and mild Indian spices make up the base of these easy-to-prepare patties. Add more cayenne if you want a spicier dish. Serve with chutney, either as an appetizer or as the centerpiece for a light meal.
2 pounds red potatoes, cubed
1/2 (half) teaspoon salt
3 slices whole wheat bread, pulsed in food processor to make crumbs
1 cup green peas, fresh or frozen
1 large red onion, chopped
2 green chilies, finely chopped
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon coriander
1 tablespoon cumin
8 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided, as needed
Tamarind chutney, see recipe
Chopped cilantro, for garnish
In a medium saucepan, cover potatoes with water and add salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain, peel potatoes and then put cubes in a large bowl and mash lightly. Stir in bread crumbs, peas, onion, chilies, lemon juice, coriander and cumin. Stir in 3 tablespoons oil and mix thoroughly. Taste for seasoning. Can be made up to 4 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate.
When ready to serve, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil until very hot. Form potato mixture into 12 round patties and carefully arrange in hot skillet. Do not crowd pan; cook in batches if necessary. Cook until golden brown on one side, about 4 minutes, then turn and cook until golden brown on second side. Drain and keep warm. Repeat with remaining potato mixture, adding oil as needed to the skillet. Serve hot with tamarind chutney.
Per serving: 177 calories (percent of calories from fat, 48), 3 grams protein, 21 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 10 grams fat (1 gram saturated), no cholesterol, 133 milligrams sodium.
Tamarind Chutney
Hands on: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes
Makes: 1 cup
1/2 (half) cup tamarind paste
1/2 (half) cup apple butter
Salt, granulated sugar, cumin and coriander
Cilantro, for garnish
In a medium bowl, combine tamarind paste and apple butter. Season to taste with salt, sugar, cumin and coriander. Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired. May be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 1 week.
Per 1-tablespoon serving: 27 calories (percent of calories from fat, 1), trace protein, 7 grams carbohydrates, trace fiber, trace fat (no saturated fat), no cholesterol, 9 milligrams sodium.
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