Don’t be afraid. A fingerling potato may look gnarly, something like a bloated digit sprouted from the hand of a fairy tale witch. But what a fingerling lacks in beauty it makes up for in flavor and texture.
No doubt that’s why these tubers have become a mainstay on menus at chic restaurants. Their unique flavor profiles are part of the pleasure–some tasting buttery sweet, while others have a subtle chestnut flavor. A hold-together texture is enticing too. They keep their shape when cooked, and are generally more suited to moist cooking methods than roasting.
Slowly braised or quickly boiled, they soak up even more flavor, enriched in the process by wine or broth, olive oil, herbs and/or spices. Most often they are cooked and eaten unpeeled.
The varieties read like produce poetry: Ruby Crescents, Russian Bananas, Purple Peruvians and French Fingerlings. Each is about the length of an index finger, but varieties vary in shape and color.
Fingerlings are available at grocery stores as well as at farmers markets.
Store them unwashed at room temperature in a dark, cool, airy location, such as in a basket or open paper bag. Do not store in a sealed plastic bag.
Wash in cold running water and dry before using.
Here are delicious ways to enjoy them:
Simply boiled
Fingerlings are delectable simply boiled, drained and beautifully seasoned:
Place 1 1/2 pounds of skin-on fingerlings in a large saucepan. Add water to cover spuds by 2 inches; heat to boil on high heat. Lower heat to medium and cover; cook until fork tender, about 15-18 minutes (cooking time will vary depending on potato size). Drain well and return fingerlings to pan; cook on medium heat about 20-30 seconds (to remove excess water), shaking handle of pan to rotate contents.
Remove from heat and toss potatoes with 1 to 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons snipped chives or finely sliced dark-green portion from green onion stalks. Add salt (or seasoned salt) and pepper to taste; gently toss.
If preferred, omit chives or onion tops and substitute chopped Italian parsley or fresh basil.
Vino braise glaze
Slow braising in white wine leaves fingerlings with a silky glaze. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut 1 1/2 pounds fingerlings in half lengthwise.
In shallow roasting pan, toss spuds with 1 teaspoon salt (kosher preferred), 3 tablespoons dry white wine and 3 or 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Add leaves from a bountiful branch of fresh thyme (pull off the woody stems by cupping fingers around branch and pulling in the opposite direction of the way stems grow); toss. Potatoes should be crowded in a pan in a single layer. Cover and place in middle of oven 20-30 minutes or until very tender.
Serve immediately or reheat by placing cut side down on heated grill until a golden crust forms. (Adapted from “The Zuni Cafe Cookbook,” by Judy Rodgers.)
Fondue dippers
In addition to chunks of rustic bread and steamed broccoli florets, whole fingerlings make tempting scoops for cheese fondue. Boil them unpeeled until fork-tender and toss with a smidgen of olive oil, just enough so that they look irresistible. Provide fondue forks or bamboo skewers to aid dipping, and accompany fondue and dippers with bowls of pickled onions, cornichons and olives tossed with orange zest and ground fennel seeds.
Braised meat side dish
Along with carrots and other root vegetables, fingerlings will make a great addition to braised meat dishes, such as pot roast or a pork loin cooked with garlic and onions.
Finger salad
Potato salad made with fingerlings is incredible, especially when made in the French style dressed with garlicky vinaigrette. Crisp, pungent greens such as arugula add color and a welcome edge. Boil 1 1/2 pounds unpeeled fingerlings until fork-tender. To make vinaigrette, in a medium skillet heat 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil on medium heat; add 6 peeled and thinly sliced garlic cloves and cook until softened (do not brown). Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or raspberry vinegar. Cut fingerlings into 1/2-inch thick slices and place in heatproof bowl. Add vinaigrette and toss; cool. Toss with 3 cups arugula. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (Adapted from “The Greenmarket Cookbook,” by Joel Patraker and Joan Schwartz.)
Ligurian twist
This combination of pasta, green beans and fingerling potatoes is a variation of a classic dish from the Liguria region of Italy.
Boil several fingerlings until fork-tender. Cut fingerlings into bite-size pieces. Toss with warm cooked spaghetti and warm cooked bite-sized green beans. Add enough basil pesto (look in supermarket refrigerated deli section to find store-bought pesto) to lightly coat pasta and vegetables; gently toss. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. If desired, top servings with grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese.
Pork loin with balsamic-glazed onions and fingerling potatoes
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
3 large cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon each, fresh, minced: rosemary, tarragon
2 teaspoons minced lemon zest
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 boneless pork loin, about 3-4 pounds, trimmed
20 fingerling potatoes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken broth, plus more if needed
3 medium red onions, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine garlic, 1 tablespoon of the oil, thyme, rosemary, tarragon, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add meat, fat side down. Cook, turning, until meat browns on all sides, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat; rub meat with herb-lemon mixture. Place the potatoes around meat; carefully pour wine and broth over the potatoes. Roast 40 minutes.
3. Remove from oven. Add onions and vinegar to pan; toss to coat potatoes and onions. Season the meat and mixture with black pepper to taste and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Return pan to oven. Cook, checking every 10 minutes that pan doesn’t become dry (add chicken broth if needed) until meat is tender and an instant-read thermometer registers 150-155 degrees, about 40-45 minutes. Let meat rest 10-15 minutes; slice. Serve with vegetables and sauce. Garnish with parsley.
Nutrition information per serving:
395 calories, 47% of calories from fat, 20 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 90 mg cholesterol, 20 g carbohydrates, 31 g protein, 408 mg sodium, 3 g fiber
Fish chowder with saffron and fingerling potatoes
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Sometimes onions don’t caramelize enough during baking–they should be nicely browned and limp. If they aren’t, remove the meat from the pan and place the pan on high heat, stirring frequently. Cook until nicely browned. Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine.
2 thick-cut slices bacon, cut into thin crosswise strips
2 large leeks, white and some pale green
3 bottles (8 ounces each) clam juice
1 pound fingerling potatoes, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, or if small, halved lengthwise
1/2 cup dry white wine or water
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads
1/2 cup half-and-half or whipping cream
6 cod or halibut fillets, about 5 ounces each
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1. Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, about 6 minutes; transfer to a paper towel to drain. Add leeks to the pan. Cook, stirring, until leeks are tender, about 4 minutes. Add clam juice, potatoes, wine, thyme and saffron. Heat to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are just tender, about 7 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half and reserved bacon.
2. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper to taste; place fish in chowder. Cover; cook until fish is opaque in center, about 10 minutes. Transfer 1 fillet to each of 6 bowls; ladle chowder over fish.
Nutrition information per serving:
210 calories, 19% of calories from fat, 4 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 67 mg cholesterol, 15 g carbohydrates, 26 g protein, 579 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
