Fingerling potatoes, with their unique shape and diverse varieties, have become a popular choice for home cooks and chefs alike. This guide will delve into the world of fingerling potatoes, exploring their characteristics, popular varieties, culinary uses, and where to find them.
What are Fingerling Potatoes?
Fingerling potatoes are small, elongated potatoes that resemble fingers, hence their name. They are typically 1-3 inches long and have a smooth, thin skin that ranges in color from yellow and pink to purple and red. Fingerlings are a type of heirloom potato, meaning they have been cultivated for generations and retain their unique characteristics.
Popular Fingerling Potato Varieties
- Russian Banana: This variety is the most popular fingerling potato, known for its smooth, tan skin and fluffy, yellow-tinted flesh with a nutty and buttery flavor.
- Austrian Crescent: These potatoes have a smooth, yellow to tan skin and light yellow flesh. They are firm and waxy with a straight to crescent shape.
- La Ratte: This French variety boasts a uniquely nutty flavor and has a smooth, buttery texture with hints of hazelnuts and chestnuts.
- Purple Peruvian: These potatoes have dark purple, ink-colored skin and flesh. Their coloring can be opaque or marbled throughout the flesh. Purple Peruvians are usually dry, starchy, earthy, and sport a slightly nutty flavor.
- Ruby Crescent: This variety offers a slightly more knobby look than the popular Russian Banana. Its pinkish/tan skin conceals a firm, waxy yellowish flesh.
- Chilean Red: This popular South American variety grows very elongated tubers with dark red skin and white to pink flesh.
- Red Thumb: The smooth, brightly colored pink/red skin of this fingerling conceals a fluffy and pink flesh.
- French Fingerling: More round than many fingerlings, this variety’s smooth and shiny pink to red skin has a dry, fluffier yellow flesh with streaks of reddish pink. It offers a creamy texture and slightly nutty flavor.
- Purple Majesty: These earthy-flavored potatoes are purple all the way through with violet to wine-colored skins and succulent purple flesh.
- Marbles & PeeWee Fingerlings: These tiny versions of round red, white, and purple potatoes are perfect for adding a pop of color and flavor to any dish.
Culinary Uses of Fingerling Potatoes
Fingerling potatoes are incredibly versatile and can be enjoyed in various ways. Their small size makes them ideal for roasting, pan-frying, or grilling. They can also be added to salads, soups, and stews for a burst of flavor and texture. Here are some popular ways to prepare fingerling potatoes:
- Roasted: Toss fingerling potatoes with olive oil, herbs, and spices, then roast them in a preheated oven until tender and golden brown.
- Pan-fried: Pan-fry fingerling potatoes in a hot skillet with butter or oil until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
- Grilled: Grill fingerling potatoes over medium heat until tender and slightly charred.
- Salads: Add roasted or pan-fried fingerling potatoes to salads for a hearty and flavorful addition.
- Soups and stews: Fingerling potatoes can be added to soups and stews for a creamy texture and earthy flavor.
Where to Find Fingerling Potatoes
Fingerling potatoes are becoming increasingly available in supermarkets, farmers’ markets, and specialty food stores. You can also find them online from various retailers. When selecting fingerling potatoes, look for those that are firm, smooth, and free of blemishes.
Fingerling potatoes are a delicious and versatile addition to any kitchen. With their unique shape, diverse varieties, and culinary versatility, they offer endless possibilities for creating flavorful and satisfying dishes. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a home cook looking to experiment with new ingredients, fingerling potatoes are sure to impress.
About Fingerling Potatoes and Fingerling Varieties
There are many variations in the flesh, color, flavor, and shape of potatoes, which lead to a wide range of preparation methods for fingerlings. It is possible to find precisely the right look and flavor for any gourmet potato dish thanks to the amazing variety of specialty potatoes, which can have flesh that ranges from pale yellow to deep purple, flavors that range from nutty to buttery, and textures that range from waxy to smooth. Discover the main distinctions between the varieties that Greater Tater grows and supplies to foodservice providers.
Among all the varieties of fingerling potatoes, this one is the most widely used. This variation has smooth, waxy, tan-colored skin. This beloved potato boasts fluffy yellow flesh that tastes buttery and nutty.
Austrian Crescents have pale yellow flesh and smooth, yellow to tan skin. a waxy, firm tuber that varies in shape from straight to crescent
This type has a smooth, buttery texture with undertones of hazelnut and chestnut, and it has a distinctively nutty flavor. In the late 19th century, the La Ratte fingerling first appeared in Europe.
Purple Peruvians have dark purple, ink-colored skin and flesh. Their coloring can be opaque or marble throughout the flesh. Purple potatoes typically have an earthy, starchy, dry taste with a hint of nuttiness.
Compared to the well-liked Russian Banana, this favorite variety has a slightly more knobby appearance. Its pinkish/tan skin conceals a firm, waxy yellowish flesh.
Chilean Red is a popular variety from South American. Chileans grow extremely long tubers with white to pink flesh and dark red skin.
This smooth, vividly colored pink/red fingerling’s skin hides fluffy pink flesh beneath. A fine tasting member of our family of products.
This variety is rounder than many fingerlings, with smooth, shiny skin that ranges from pink to red. Its yellow flesh is dry and fluffier, with reddish pink streaks. It offers a creamy texture and slightly nutty flavor.
These earthy-flavored potatoes have a deep purple color, with skin that ranges from violet to wine and succulent purple flesh.
Growing 3 Types of Fingerling Potatoes
FAQ
What is another name for fingerling potatoes?
Are fingerling potatoes similar to Yukon Gold?
What is a substitute for fingerling potatoes?
Are fingerling potatoes just baby potatoes?
What is a fingerling potato?
Also known as fingerling potatoes. Like many potatoes, fingerling potatoes are baked, boiled, fried, steamed as a side dish and are also used in salads. Choose firm and thick potato shoots that have wrinkled skin, avoid eye sprouts, soft spots, blemishes and green spots. Store potatoes in a cool dry place.
What else is mallet finger called?
The thin tendon that straightens the end joint of a finger or thumb is injured in mallet finger. Although it is often known as “baseball finger,” this injury can occur to anybody when an unyielding item (such as a ball) contacts the tip of a finger or thumb, forcing it to bend farther than it was designed to go.
How to choose the best fingerling potatoes?
To choose top-quality fingerling potatoes, go for smooth, firm ones. You should also avoid those with: As fingerlings are dug up from the ground, it’s natural for the potato skins to be covered with dirt. If you’re looking for fresh produce delivery, you can easily shop for fingerling potatoes via Instacart.
What does A fingerling potato look like?
They also tend to be elongated and slightly knobbly, making them very finger-like in shape. The unusual looking, flavorful potatoes can be used just like regular potatoes in an assortment of roasted, broiled, baked, grilled, or boiled dishes. Many grocers stock fingerlings in season, and they can also be grown at home, in temperate climates.