Cocktail Camotillo Potatoes
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Cocktail Camotillo potatoes are small in size, averaging 1 to 3 centimeters in diameter and 2 to 7 centimeters in length, and have an elongated, oblong shape with curved and tapered or blunt ends. Some tubers, with grooves and indents, may be more irregular in shape than others, depending on the growing environment, including factors such as soil type and climatic conditions. Cocktail Camotillo potatoes are often sold in markets still covered in soil, giving them a brown-grey hue. Once washed, Cocktail Camotillo potatoes range in color from red-brown, red, to red-pink, and the skin is thin, taut, and relatively smooth, occasionally covered in brown markings and lightly textured patches. Underneath the surface, the cream-colored to yellow flesh is dense, firm, and slippery when raw, becoming tender, creamy, fine-grained, and smooth when cooked. Cocktail Camotillo potatoes are not edible raw and must be cooked, showcasing a mild, buttery, subtly sweet, and earthy taste.
Seasons/Availability
Cocktail Camotillo potatoes are typically harvested at the beginning of the dry season, spanning from mid-May through June.
Current Facts
Cocktail Camotillo potatoes, botanically classified as Solanum tuberosum, are a commercial descriptor for small-sized tubers belonging to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Cocktail is a term used to describe potatoes that are small in size or harvested earlier than the standard tubers. The descriptor is a general label and has different connotations depending on the grower and company promoting the item. Cocktail can also refer to a mix of varieties or a single type collectively sold in similar sizes. In reference to Cocktail Camotillo potatoes, the tubers are packaged as an individual variety and are marketed as an everyday culinary ingredient. Cocktail Camotillo potatoes are a type of native potato, or papa nativa, sold in Peru. The small tubers are of the Camotillo type, a category of potatoes traditionally grown at high elevations in the Andean highlands. Camotillo potatoes are still relatively small in size when fully grown, but Cocktail Camotillo potatoes are even smaller, favored for their ease of preparation and fast cooking times. Cocktail Camotillo potatoes can be cooked whole with intact skins and develop a soft, tender, and creamy texture. The variety is marketed commercially in select local markets, distributors, and grocers, and the tubers are utilized in savory, cooked preparations.
Nutritional Value
Cocktail Camotillo potatoes have not been studied for their nutritional properties. In regional potato catalogs featured in Peru, Camotillo potatoes, in general, have been noted as a source of calcium to build strong bones and teeth, fiber to regulate the digestive tract, and potassium to balance fluid levels within the body. Potatoes also provide some phosphorus to repair tissues, magnesium to control nerve functions, vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, and other nutrients, including iron, zinc, manganese, and vitamin K.
Applications
Cocktail Camotillo potatoes have a mild, subtly sweet, and earthy taste suited for cooked preparations. The small tubers are marketed for their fast cooking times and are typically used in dishes whole. Cocktail Camotillo potatoes can be cooked and eaten with their skin intact, or the skin can be peeled after cooking, but it is typically thin and difficult to remove. The variety is popularly boiled and served as a simple side to roasted meats, cooked and covered in sauces and melted cheeses, or sprinkled in salt and fresh herbs. Boiled Cocktail Camotillo potatoes can also be added to potato salads, mashed to develop a creamy consistency, or parboiled and sauteed to enhance the tuber’s natural sweetness. In the Peruvian highlands, Camotillo potatoes are often roasted whole in pachamanca and hautia, two traditional cooking styles using underground and outdoor ovens. The tubers are also sliced and fried into chips and are valued for their ability to absorb less oil than other varieties. Try adding Cocktail Camotillo potatoes into soups, stews, and chowders or roasting as a side. Cocktail potatoes are often promoted as a dish to accompany grilled chicken, a popular dish in Peru. Several local markets throughout Lima sell potatoes as a side when selling chicken, especially in July when the national day of grilled chicken is celebrated. Cocktail Camotillo potatoes pair well with corn, legumes, peas, tomatoes, squash, asparagus, other types of native potatoes, meats such as veal, poultry, beef, and pork, and spices including garlic, cloves, cumin, and paprika. Whole, unwashed Cocktail Camotillo potatoes have a shorter shelf life than the standard tubers and are eaten relatively soon after harvest. The tubers will keep in a cool and dry location for a few weeks, but the starches in the flesh degrade over time.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Camotillo potatoes are a native Peruvian variety used in the traditional dish carapulcra, one of the oldest Andean dishes still made in the modern day. Carapulcra is thought to date back to the Inca Empire and is a stew-like meal comprised of dried potatoes, chile peppers, aromatics, and meat, mainly alpaca or llama. Dried potatoes were a food source that could be stored for extended periods and were made among families in the Andean highlands for food security. Native potato varieties, including Camotillo, were peeled and dried in the sun, and when they were used in dishes, they were rehydrated. Carapulcra is derived from the Aymara word “qala phurk’a” and roughly translates to mean “cooking on stones.” The dish was typically cooked in clay pots over hot stones and was an easy meal to make for large gatherings, especially during special events and celebratory feasts. As Peruvian culture began blending and evolving with the arrival of new cultures, including Spanish and African influences, carapulcra also changed as new ingredients were added to the recipe. Variations of the traditional dish included pork or poultry, peanuts, spices, and cassava. Historically, carapulcra was a simple and traditional homemade dish, but in the 17th century, the meal briefly became associated with poor families. In the 19th century, the dish shed its homely reputation and was labeled as a treasured comfort food. Carapulcra is prepared by restaurants and home cooks throughout Peru in the present day and is especially popular in the Ica region in southern Peru. The dish even has its own nationally recognized day called Carapulcra Day, annually held on February 10th, to promote the traditional meal.
Geography/History
Cocktail Camotillo potatoes are native to South America and are descendants of wild varieties that grew naturally throughout the highlands of the Andes mountains. Much of the history of Camotillo potatoes, in general, is unknown, as little written records were left before the arrival of the Spanish, but it is believed they are one of the traditional cultivars called native potatoes in Peruvian agriculture. Camotillo potatoes are typically grown between 2,800 and 4,100 meters in elevation, and the tubers were once used as barter and trade among communities in the Andes mountains. Historically, native potatoes were localized to the highlands, but in the modern day, native varieties, including Camotillo, are being promoted for increased cultivation across the country. The smallest Camotillo potatoes are also being marketed as Cocktail Camotillo, a commercial descriptor used to attract consumers to the petite tuber’s size, flavor, texture, and ease of preparation. Today, Cocktail Camotillo potatoes are primarily grown in Huancavelica, Pasco, and Junín departments and are also planted on a smaller scale in Cusco, Ayacucho, Huánuco, and Apurimac. The tubers are sold throughout their growing regions and are also transported to commercial markets throughout Peru for culinary use. The Cocktail Camotillo potatoes featured in the photograph above were sourced through markets in the district of Miraflores in Lima, Peru.
