Potato

The potato is easy to cook: put it in a pan of cold, lightly salted water for mash and soups; soften it in a little fat for sautéed potatoes, or in a dish alongside meat or fish. It’s obliging, and goes with all sorts of dishes.
A word of caution, though: there are three kinds of potato for different uses. Pick the right variety:
– for salads, steaming, gratins, baked, rissolé or sautéed potatoes: waxy potatoes. The best-known varieties are Charlotte, Chérie and Amandine, but there’s also Ratte, Pompadour, Annabelle…
– for big stuffed baked potatoes, soups, mash or chips: floury potatoes. The best-known is Bintje, but there are others like Artémis or Victoria…
– for all-rounders: smooth-fleshed potatoes such as Monalisa or Samba.
It really matters to check you’ve got the right potato. Mash will be gluey with a Charlotte and wonderful with a Bintje. It would be a shame to spoil your dish just because you didn’t have the right variety. Don’t hesitate to ask your grower for advice!