Prettiest little potatoes...

[FlipTX]

I've been experimenting with growing potatoes in containers. I filled the 5+ gallon container about halfway with a mix of peat moss, pine bark fines, fertilizer, and so on, plant the Huckleberry potato pieces then mulch with hay as the plants grow.

Well, it's been so humid and rainy here that my hay started getting slimy and moldy. The potato plants looked kind of sad. I poked around in the hay, saw no potatoes, and decided it was a failed experiment. "Oh well," I thought, "at least it was a learning experience!"

Then, as I dumped the pot out, I saw these...

And they really are that bright!

[shelleybean]

What a great surprise! They're a gorgeous color! Enjoy!

[duajones]

fantastic, that gives me hope with my container experiment

[FlipTX]

I've decided to cook them for Easter dinner. I'm going to steam them, then saute with a little butter, salt, and cracked pepper. Dill and sour cream on the side.

Duane, I thought of your container potatoes when I dumped out my pot. I bet you'll have some nice big spuds at the bottom and then yummy little new potatoes towards the top.

[feldon30]

Originally Posted by FlipTX

I've decided to cook them for Easter dinner. I'm going to steam them, then saute with a little butter, salt, and cracked pepper. Dill and sour cream on the side.

This is my favorite method of cooking small or medium whole potatoes like that. Steam or simmer in water, then switch to a saute in half butter, half olive oil, with salt, pepper, and rosemary. Wonderful.

When I have more time, I will post some secrets to avoiding gloppy, gluey mashed potatoes. I learned most of them from America's Test Kitchen but they bear repeating.

[Spatzbear]

Fantastic haul! And what a wonderful surprise they must have been.

Are they purple inside, too? Do they stay purple when cooked?

[FlipTX]

When I have more time, I will post some secrets to avoiding gloppy, gluey mashed potatoes.

For years, I thought this was how mashed potatoes are supposed to be, based on how everyone in my family cooked them. Then one day I volunteered to make the mashed potatoes, and they turned out strangely fluffy. All I did was start them in cold water instead of dropping them into boiling water, as was my family's tradition. After that, I got pegged to make the mashed potatoes for every dinner.

I'd love to hear more hints. You can never have too many ways to cook potatoes, as far as I'm concerned.

Are they purple inside, too? Do they stay purple when cooked?

Huckleberry potatoes are pink and white inside. I hope they keep their color when they're cooked. I think steaming or roasting would be my best bets for keeping them nice and pink inside.

[feldon30]

You've touched on one of the main points.

Starting COLD potatoes SKIN ON in COLD WATER and then not bringing them to a violent boil but a gentle boil breaks down the potatoes in a much better way that prevents that gluey, starchiness. Also, when you drain the potatoes, save about a cup of the water that you cooked the potatoes in. With some salad tongs and quick work, you should be able to slip the peels off the potatoes if you want to do that.

When you do add butter, cream, milk, etc. microwave them first so they do not cool down the potatoes. I try to have at least 50% of what I am adding be fat -- butter or cream -- to go with the milk and water to prevent the potatoes from "breaking". If the potatoes start to get too thick, add the reserved hot potato water to thin them out.

It's entirely optional, but I do like to toast some garlic cloves in a dry non-stick frying pan for about 7 minutes, then put them on a cutting board and flatten them with a broad knife and hitting it with the palm of my hand so the cloves slip out of their skins. Then I roughly chop the garlic and add it to the potatoes, along with salt, cracked pepper, and freshly chopped Italian parsley.

[garnetmoth]

wow Flip! those look like lil Easter eggs too :-) good job

[FlipTX]

I've just eaten them (well, some of them!) and they were delicious! I've never had really new new potatoes before. By the times you get the ones in the store, they're often dinged up and a little dried out.

[feldon30]

By the way, for baked potatoes: no aluminium foil, no holes with a fork, no plate, just put them in an oven at 450 for 1 hour and 15 minutes. They will completely fluff up and develop a perfect texture, and the skin will be crispy and dry. Cut an X on the narrower side of the potato and push the ends in so it opens like a volcano. From America's Test Kitchen.

[gardenmaniac]

FlipTX, I grew Huckleberry last year. I always buy my potato seed from Milk Ranch. The kids at the pre-school loved them because they are so colorful. I also wanted a variety that was lighter in color on the inside in case some of the kids decided they didn't want to eat them because they were strange looking on the inside. My worries were not needed, however, they loved them all!

This year I am not growing Huckleberry, but chose some other new ones to experiment with. Yours look great!!!!

Tiffanie

[bizzarbazzar]

Gorgeous potatoes

They are a fabulous color

[gardenmaniac]

I went outside to water the plants AGAIN because we haven't had rain for two months and I noticed four of my potato plants were wilted. It's been a rough growing season for container potatoes. I decided to get the kids to see if they could find anything, and here is what they found. They are tiny, but cute and all that matters is that the kids are very excited. I am dissapointed by the yield and none flowered, but the small potatoes are extra yummy! We will eat them roasted with old bay seasoning and olive oil tomorrow night. Mmmmmm...

I didn't want to start a new post with a similar message as this one.

Tiffanie

[FlipTX]

They are a fabulous color

They were pretty inside, too. A very light pink. I didn't take a picture, though, as I was too busy eating them

Tiffanie - My plants haven't been flowering either. They have little buds on them but the buds never mature and open. I'm waiting to harvest the next pot of potatoes when my first crop of green beans is ready. Probably next week sometime. One of my favorite dishes is new potatoes sauteed with fresh green beans and a little olive oil.

Also, I love the pic. The potatoes and your kids make quite the picture!