Jersey Royals

In praise of potatoes: Jersey Royals are a spud above the rest

In previous months I have looked to give praise to some often overlooked and maligned veg and attempted to mark the start of their seasons with a fresh perspective. Celeriac, purple sprouting broccoli and Brussel Sprouts have all had their limelight. Now I am choosing a potato for June’s ingredient of the month. But before I lose you completely, this potato happens to be the best in the world (in my humble opinion)! It’s the Jersey Royal – a perfectly petite, sweet and wispy-skinned spud. 

The Jersey Royal season runs from April to July with the best availability and quality in May and early June. That’s much earlier than other UK varieties are ready to harvest and when you combine this with the superlative flavour of these potatoes you begin to understand why they are so coveted. Key to the prestige of Jersey Royals is their point of origin – the Channel Island of Jersey. It has a uniquely warm microclimate and exceptionally fertile soil, especially along its steep, sloped fields near the coast. Known locally as ‘côtils’, these slopes are especially good for growing because they benefit from large deposits of the seaweed Vraic (which I am reliably informed by our very own Islander Helena is pronounced ‘Rack’). Much of the early season crop needs to be picked by hand because the hills are too steep for mechanical harvesters. 

Since the Jersey Royal variety was first discovered on the island 140 years ago, the potato has become a point of pride for the island and sparked a national obsession. It accounts for nearly 50% of Jersey’s agricultural income and the potato fields take up approximately 25% of the entire island. Jersey Royals have earned UK protected designation origin status in much the same way France has granted Champagne regional protection of its wine.  You could say Jersey Royals are the Champagne of potatoes! 

Like all great ingredients, Jersey Royals are best eaten simply and savoured while they’re available.  Lightly boiling them will bring out the natural nuttiness and sweetness that makes these spuds so unique. I love them with their skins still on, boiled until they are just tender before being tossed in some rich butter and a good pinch of sea salt. They are of course also delicious prepared any number of other ways; roasted alongside lamb or sliced finely and baked into a tart with some asparagus. This month Grace experimented with salt baking Jersey Royals alongside some seaweed butter with intriguing results and you can get the recipe in the next edition of the Leiths Letter.

However you like to enjoy a spud, give Jersey Royals a go this season and find out why they are Britain’s most sought-after potato.

You can get the recipe, demonstrated by our teacher Grace in a video, in the next edition of the Leiths Letter. Sign up here.