3 days ago
Paula McIntyre welcomes the arrival of the iconic Comber Early potatoes and a well done breast of duck
One of the great moments in the food calendar is the arrival of early potatoes, and in particular Home Guards from Co Down. The Comber Early potato was granted Protected Geographical Indicator status in 2012, aligning it with foods like Parma ham and Stilton cheese that can only come from that particular region. There's a food festival dedicated to this local delicacy annually in Comber (the last Saturday in June) where you can taste them, watch how to cook them and generally celebrate their iconic status. The potatoes are available now and what a joy they are.
The skins are thin and I love how easily the muck brushes off them to reveal their pale golden loveliness. Never peel an early spud — the skin is part of the appeal. Place them in cold water and cook gently until just done. Normally at this stage, I'd say put them in a bowl, toss in a good amount of butter and enjoy. However this is a cooking column and I feel I should elaborate on this.
