roast potatoes
If you want to provoke a storm of vituperative replies on Twitter, just tweet 'I make the best roast potatoes in the world'. Countries have gone to war with less righteous fury than will rain down upon your head.
Par-boiling and fluffing the (floury) potatoes is crucial to this. As regards oil, I'm not sure that heating it first is at all necessary. I favour pouring cold oil over the spuds. Obviously, if you're using goose or duck fat, you're going to melt it in the oven first. I don't hold with roasting them in the same receptacle as your meat. They deserve the respect of a separate tray.
king edward or maris piper potatoes, in large chunks (usually quarters but it depends on the size of your spuds), dropped into simmering salted water for 10 minutes
groundnut oil
Drain the par-boiled potatoes and spread on a work surface to dry. Fluff each chunk all over with the tines of a fork. Drizzle with oil, making sure each chunk is completely coated. Place in a roasting tin curved side down. This will make them less likely to stick. Roast at 200C/180C fan. After 10 minutes, remove from the oven and carefully turn over the potato chunks. Baste. Repeat this every 10 minutes or so. They should take about 45 minutes. Golden, crunchy mouthfuls of joy.
Par-boiling and fluffing the (floury) potatoes is crucial to this. As regards oil, I'm not sure that heating it first is at all necessary. I favour pouring cold oil over the spuds. Obviously, if you're using goose or duck fat, you're going to melt it in the oven first. I don't hold with roasting them in the same receptacle as your meat. They deserve the respect of a separate tray.
king edward or maris piper potatoes, in large chunks (usually quarters but it depends on the size of your spuds), dropped into simmering salted water for 10 minutes
groundnut oil
Drain the par-boiled potatoes and spread on a work surface to dry. Fluff each chunk all over with the tines of a fork. Drizzle with oil, making sure each chunk is completely coated. Place in a roasting tin curved side down. This will make them less likely to stick. Roast at 200C/180C fan. After 10 minutes, remove from the oven and carefully turn over the potato chunks. Baste. Repeat this every 10 minutes or so. They should take about 45 minutes. Golden, crunchy mouthfuls of joy.
