La Ratte Potatoes

La Ratte takes its name from its shape, the small, elongated fingerling that French growers in the Lyonnais and Ardèche regions nicknamed after the rat when it first appeared in the late nineteenth century. It was never an easy variety to grow: low yielding, delicate and hand harvested, and by the mid twentieth century it had nearly disappeared. In 1962, a single surviving plant was found and regenerated at Le Touquet by grower André Hennuyer, and the entire modern La Ratte supply traces back to that one plant.

From there, Hennuyer sent sacks of La Ratte to some of the best starred kitchens in France, one of them belonging to Joël Robuchon. Robuchon adopted La Ratte as the non negotiable foundation of his signature pomme purée, chosen specifically for its chestnut like flavour and its silky texture, which holds together under the food mill without turning gluey. The New York Times described that flavour as hinting richly of hazelnuts and chestnuts, a note no other fingerling variety quite matches. Still hand harvested and still low yield, La Ratte remains as difficult to find today as it has always been, which is exactly what makes it worth seeking out.

La Ratte is a particularly good source of potassium, supporting healthy blood pressure and cardiovascular function, along with a meaningful contribution of vitamin C, especially when boiled skin on, since the skin limits nutrient loss during cooking. That same thin skin, eaten in most preparations, contributes meaningfully to dietary fibre. As a low starch waxy variety, La Ratte produces a lower glycaemic response than starchy varieties for more sustained energy, and cooked then cooled, as in a classic potato salad, its resistant starch content rises further, feeding beneficial gut bacteria and lowering the glycaemic response again. It is naturally gluten free. Boiling La Ratte whole and skin on, Robuchon's method, is also the most nutritionally efficient way to cook it, since the skin keeps water soluble vitamins from leaching into the cooking liquid.

Grown in Victoria, La Ratte is a delicate variety that requires careful handling, hand harvested and dispatched fresh.

La Ratte is in season from April to June, the short window when this delicate French fingerling is at its best.

Boil La Ratte whole and skin on in cold salted water, without peeling first, so the skin keeps moisture in and prevents waterlogging. When just tender, drain immediately and peel while still hot, then pass the flesh through a food mill or fine ricer rather than a blender, which would overwork the starch and turn it gluey. Dry the milled flesh over a low flame for a minute, then work in cold cubed butter bit by bit before finishing with a thin stream of hot milk. The result is silky, golden and intensely flavoured, exactly why Robuchon chose this variety specifically.

La Ratte's small size makes it ideal for roasting whole. Toss in good olive oil, season generously and roast at 200C for 25 to 30 minutes. The thin skin blisters and crisps while the interior stays dense and silky, finished with sea salt and fresh thyme or a squeeze of lemon.

Start in cold salted water and bring to a gentle boil, cooking for 15 to 20 minutes whole depending on size and testing with a skewer. The flesh holds its shape perfectly, making La Ratte the finest salad potato in the range, and it is best dressed warm for maximum flavour absorption.

Boil whole until just tender, then tip onto a board and crush lightly with the flat of a knife or the back of a fork, breaking it open rather than mashing. Dress immediately with good olive oil, fleur de sel and fresh herbs, letting the warm flesh soak up the dressing. Supremely simple, and disproportionately good.

Wash gently but do not peel before cooking, since the thin skin protects the flesh and contributes to the flavour. The knobbly, irregular shape is characteristic of the variety rather than a quality issue, and once cooked the flesh becomes uniformly silky. Check for green tinge before cooking, easy to spot against the pale golden skin, and handle gently, since La Ratte bruises more easily than thicker skinned varieties.

Store in a cool, dark and ventilated spot such as a pantry or cupboard, treating La Ratte with more care than most varieties in the range. Do not refrigerate, since cold temperatures convert starch to sugar and affect the distinctive chestnut flavour more noticeably here than in any other variety. Use within 1 to 2 weeks, as La Ratte has a shorter shelf life and is best eaten close to harvest. Keep in the paper bag rather than sealed plastic, and handle gently, since the thin skin bruises more easily than thicker skinned varieties. Check the golden skin for any green tinge before cooking and cut away generously if found. When your order arrives, unpack gently and move it straight to a cool, dark spot. The irregular, knobbly shape is characteristic of La Ratte and not a quality issue.