What is it?

Yellow Finns (medium starch) have the best flavor of the all-purpose potatoes. These golden-yellow, creamy-textured potatoes are great for gratins or roasting.

Kitchen math:

1 medium potato = 5 oz. = 1 cup medium (1/2 inch) dice

Don’t have it?

Yukon Gold potatoes; boiling potatoes

How to choose:

Choose those that feel heavy and firm. Avoid those that are soft, wrinkled, or blemished. And try not to buy potatoes in plastic bags since it?s hard to evaluate them. Refuse to buy potatoes that show even a hint of green. They?ve been ?lightstruck.? The green indicates the presence of solanine, which is produced when potatoes are exposed to light, either in the field or after harvest. This mildly poisonous alkaloid has a bitter flavor that can cause an upset stomach. If your potatoes turn green after you get them home, peel off all traces of the colored flesh before cooking.

How to prep:

Wash well and remove any blemished with a paring knife. Peel or not as your recipes advises. Potatoes cooked in their skins will be more flavorful, hold their shape better, and absorb less water. Also, the skins come off much easier once the potatoes have been cooked.

How to store:

Store potatoes away from light in a place that?s cool (but not cold) and dry. Any potato that?s stored too long at such a low temperature will take on an unpleasant sweetness as the starch converts to sugar.

Recipes

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  Recipe

  Mustard, Sage & Maple Glazed Pork Roast with Garlic-Roasted Potatoes

  A sweet-and-pungent glaze gives this pork roast the flavors of winter, and make it special enough for a holiday meal. Play up the seasonal flavors by pairing it with Sweet-Sour…

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  Recipe

  Potatoes Boulangère

  This dish is like a potato gratin but without the cheese and cream; the pancetta (Italian cured bacon) adds rich flavor. It would make a great side dish for roast…

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  Recipe

  Roasted Baby Squash, Carrots & Potatoes

  One of my favorite ways to dress up a Thanksgiving turkey platter—and offer a vegetable that everyone likes—is to roast a selection of baby vegetables. They’re easy to prepare because…

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  Recipe

  Potato, Corn & Tomato Salad with Fresh Herbs

  The pairings in this salad match the short but bountiful summers of Maine, where I live. I like to serve this salad on a bed of arugula along with slices…

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  Recipe

  Leek & Potato Soup

  Part of this soup is puréed to add body, but it remains chunky and chowder-like and is also good chilled. If you make it ahead and reheat it, you may…

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  Recipe

  Roasted Potatoes & Turnips

  Adding a bit of broth at the start of roasting gives these vegetables a creamier, softer texture than dry-roasting—more like potatoes that have been roasted alongside a hefty cut of…

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  Recipe

  Lucia’s Best Mashed Potatoes

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  Recipe

  Tangy Potato Chaat (Aloo chaat)

  For those concerned with the fat content of most potato salads, this Indian chaat is ideal. Potatoes are steeped in a fat-free lime dressing and tossed with chiles, cilantro, and fresh ginger.…