It seems odd to consider the potato a seasonal item.

Bags and bins at grocers overflow with these dusty tubers year round, and people happily consume them regardless of the weather -- mashed during the holidays, roasted in deep winter and dressed with gobs of mayo in summer.

Yet there is a season: At farmers markets around the nation right now, fresh potatoes -- often in unique regional varieties and hues -- are showing up. But what do you do once you've had your fill of potato salad? Though fall is approaching, it's still too warm to fire up the oven for roasting, and mashed is simply wrong.

Perfect for the season is the often overlooked method of skillet roasting, in which potatoes are lightly sauteed, then covered and steamed in a bit of liquid. It's quick, easy, and it won't heat up the kitchen.

It's also an excellent way to season potatoes with ingredients one might not normally consider. As in this recipe, where new potatoes are cooked with fresh ginger, cayenne, cumin and garlic in a bath of water and white wine.

That combination is easily adjusted. Consider using light coconut milk instead of wine and substituting curry powder for the cumin and cayenne. Or keep the wine, ditch the original seasons and use an Italian or herbes de Provence blend.

This preparation also easily accommodates other produce. In this recipe, hard winter squash is added to the potatoes, but onions, leeks, carrots, peas, sweet potatoes and turnips would go well, too.

More delicate vegetables, such as leeks, should be added close to the end of cooking.

When selecting fresh potatoes, don't be turned off by flaking skin or clumps of dirt; both are signs of freshness. Also, dirt protects the potatoes, keeping them dry and acting as a barrier to bacteria that can speed their demise.

You must be logged in to comment.