The Many Faces of Potato

About author / Amy Powell

World traveler; gourmet 30 minute meals; lover of exotic ingredients; winner on FoodTV's Chefs vs City; graduate French Culinary Institute. Her recipes will tantalize your taste buds.

Can Thanksgiving happen without potatoes? I suppose it could, in theory. But it wouldn’t be much of a Thanksgiving, would it, without at least two dishes of America’s favorite tuber?

To give you an idea just how all-American the potato is, consider this: we eat on average 42 pounds of potatoes per person per year (not including sweet potatoes). And that’s down almost 20 pounds per person from the peak in the '60s. True, about half of those potatoes are eaten in the form of French fries and ruffled chips. But the remaining 21 pounds per person, that’s where the creative cooking comes in. Baked, roasted, mashed, boiled, fried--potatoes can be cooked and served up in almost any way imaginable.

Now you are probably most familiar with these two: Russet (or Idaho) and sweet (not closely related to each other or the similar looking yam). What’s more, you know that at Thanksgiving, Russet potatoes are boiled and mashed while the sweet potatoes or yams are made even sweeter in casseroles. But to limit you to just these two options on Thanksgiving seems a great tragedy. For indeed, over 4,000 varieties of potatoes are known to be in existence. In this land of plenty, just two varieties and two methods of potato adoration seems very, well, un-American.

It is true that for all thousands of varieties of sweet and standard potato only certain ones will be within commercial reach. But a few are making more regular appearances. For your Thanksgiving table consideration this year, I offer up a few contenders for those coveted potato roles.

Purple potatoes: There are more than a few varieties of purple potatoes descending from the ancient birthplace of the potato in Peru. These potatoes have purple skin and purple flesh often with a halo or streaks of white. These potatoes are not high on moisture content, so roasting runs the risk of a dried out end product. Try boiling them whole, peeling them, then mashing with cream and butter or a simple mixture of herbs and garlic.

Japanese sweet potatoes: I remember being on a layover in Taiwan, thrilled to find a giant steamer basket in the airport lounge brimming with Japanese sweet potatoes in their jackets. I peeled back the papery skin and ate the potato in its pure, unadulterated form. It was the best thing I ate that day. These sweet potatoes are so sweet they need little else. Try using these in place of regular sweet potatoes or yams. Or for a savory twist, cut them in chunks and roast with duck fat, sage, sea salt and coarse pepper.

Red potatoes: These are fairly readily available with red, waxy exteriors and creamy pale insides. These mostly small potatoes walk the line between roasting and boiling. Try a mixture of techniques. Roast the potatoes in halves or quarters with crushed garlic cloves and sage or rosemary. When halfway through, add heavy cream. Serve as is, coated in the reduced cream, or lightly smash for a creamier, mashed potato effect.

The fact that potatoes hold several places on the typical Thanksgiving menu is a testament to their role in the pantheon of classic American foods. But a potato is not just a one trick pony. Part of what makes a potato so special is its versatility. So make like a potato this year and be flexible! There are colors, cooking methods, and plenty of delicious taste combinations waiting to be discovered.

Serves/Makes: 8

• 3 pounds Japanese sweet potatoes
• 3 tablespoons duck fat
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 8 sage leaves