Pink Potatoes and Posh Beans

Once again, the world’s favourite root vegetable, the humble potato, makes its short journey from the Heligan Kitchen Garden and into a creative and mouth-watering dish at the award winning Idle Rocks, St Mawes; this time with its summer companion the Climbing Bean.

The ‘Pink Fir Apple Potato’ is no ordinary potato, with its unconventional long irregular form and pink knobbly skin, it can be a bit of a trial to peel!  It was however the most widely grown salad potato in the Victorian Kitchen Garden; being cultivated before 1850. Its saving grace being its delicious yellow flesh and waxy texture, making it a very welcome addition to the plate whether served hot or cold!

Accompanying this month’s offerings are two aristocratic sounding climbing beans by the names of ‘Painted Lady’ and ‘Scarlet Emperor’. First introduced to Britain as an ornamental from Virginia, the climbing bean was quick to be established as a garden crop by the end of the 1700s. Today, they remain a gardener’s favourite due to them requiring little ground area, being highly productive and easy on the back when cropping! Their summer abundance makes them synonymous with the flavours of a British summer.

This month’s ‘Heligan Garden’ dish combines the afore-mentioned crops with sour grape puree, nectarines  and the culinary expertise of Head Chef Guy Owen to become this month’s Heligan’s Garden dish.

Why not take a trip down to St Mawes and treat yourself to lunch at the Idle Rocks!