Cooking up a storm at Potatoes in Practice
For the first time ever, Potatoes in Practice, Scotland’s largest field-based potato event, featured a live cookery demonstration, bringing to attendees the journey from field to fork. It was led by Sarah Rankin, former MasterChef finalist, food writer, broadcaster and private chef, whose enthusiasm for potatoes proved as infectious as it was inspiring.
Potatoes in Practice is hosted by the Hutton through the National Potato Innovation Centre (NPIC) in partnership with SRUC and Agrii. The annual event brings together growers, researchers, processors and industry experts to share innovations that can help drive the industry forward.
Throughout the demonstration, Sarah showcased an impressive range of dishes that celebrated the versatility, flavour and value of one of Scotland’s most important crops. In front of an appreciative audience, she prepared a creamy potato risotto alongside potatoes with fennel and courgette, with visitors given the chance to sample both dishes for themselves.
“The audience took away some great recipes but, importantly, also learned how different varieties behave in different dishes, how important potatoes are to our diet, and how industry and science working together are developing the next generation of potatoes.”
Professor Ian Toth, Director of NPIC
Sarah also demonstrated how even potato peelings can have a culinary purpose. In a classic “here’s one I prepared earlier” moment, she produced a bowl of crispy potato skins, proving that every part of the potato can be transformed into something delicious and that there is no need for waste.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the session came when Sarah revealed a plate of traditional Scottish macaroons made not from coconut, but from potatoes. Using the variety Elland, a dry, floury potato developed at The James Hutton Institute, she combined potato and icing sugar to create the much-loved Scottish sweet.
Potatoes in Practice, Scotland’s largest field-based potato event, is hosted by the Hutton through the National Potato Innovation Centre (NPIC) in partnership with SRUC and Agrii. The annual event brings together growers, researchers, processors and industry experts to share innovations that can help drive the industry forward.
NPIC Director, Professor Ian Toth, said, “Potatoes in Practice is such a fantastic event and we are always looking for ways to widen its appeal for the industry, but also to engage others in the world of, and appreciation for, potatoes. The audience took away some great recipes but, importantly, also learned how different varieties behave in different dishes, how important potatoes are to our diet, and how industry and science working together are developing the next generation of potatoes”.
A key theme throughout the demonstration was the importance of choosing the right potato variety for the right dish. All the varieties Sarah used were bred and grown at the Hutton, allowing her to highlight the remarkable diversity that exists within what many people think of simply as “a potato”.
For her potato risotto, Sarah selected Gemson, a variety bred from Maris Peer in the early 2000s. Gemson produces a uniform crop of small to medium-sized potatoes and offers the ideal balance of texture and starchiness. According to Sarah, it responds beautifully to stirring while retaining its shape, making it perfect for a risotto-style dish.
For a vibrant potato salad, she turned to Anya, a popular waxy variety developed at the Hutton in the late 1990s from a cross between Desiree and Pink Fir Apple. With its distinctive long oval shape, creamy white flesh and nutty flavour, Anya is prized by both chefs and home cooks. Its creamy texture makes it ideal for salads, while it also roasts exceptionally well.
Meanwhile, Elland, also bred at the Hutton during the 1990s, demonstrated its versatility beyond traditional potato dishes. A reliable all-rounder with a long oval shape, it is equally suited to baking, mashing and producing excellent chips, while also proving itself surprisingly useful in Scottish macaroons.
Sarah was delighted to have the opportunity to share her knowledge with visitors, including many of the breeders and growers responsible for producing the potatoes themselves.
“We’ve become de-skilled as consumers and are not really aware of what different varieties can do,” she said. “Sharing this kind of information can give breeders and growers more information that they can use to help sell their products better.”
Her passion for potatoes was evident throughout the session.
“Potatoes are so good for you,” she said. “They are Scottish-grown, full of nutrients and much more versatile than we give them credit for.
“I was thrilled to be asked to come and to be given a bit of a challenge to do something exciting with potatoes. My goal was to show their versatility, particularly the varieties grown at the Hutton.”
The enthusiastic response from visitors suggests she achieved exactly that. From risotto and salads to crispy skins and even macaroons, Sarah’s demonstration encouraged growers, researchers and consumers alike to look at potatoes in a whole new way.
Sarah’s recipes are available here
