Best roast potatoes
SERVES 10 AS A SIDE PREP AND COOK TIME 2 HOURS CALORIES 216KCAL, FAT 7.6G, SAT FAT 2G, PROTEIN 4.2G, CARBS 35.4G, SUGARS 2.8G, SALT 0.2G, FIBRE 4.2G
Simple as roast potatoes are, there’s a handful of tiny, but important, details – picked up throughout my cooking career – that when combined give you this ultimate recipe, which I believe creates the perfect roast potato. What a luxury. 2.5kg medium Maris Piper potatoes (or other varieties such as King Edward, Desiree or Sebago)
3 tablespoons organic goose fat or unsalted butter olive oil
1 bulb of garlic
½ a bunch of fresh sage (15g)
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C. Peel the potatoes, keeping them whole, and ideally all about the same size (8cm). Parboil them in a pan of boiling salted water for 15 minutes – this will ensure that the insides become really fluffy. Drain in a colander and leave to steam dry for 2 minutes – this will help the fat to stick to the potatoes. Give the colander a few light shakes to chuff up the edges of the potatoes, giving you maximum surface area for a crispy exterior as they roast.
2 Place the goose fat or unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in your largest roasting tray. Tip in the potatoes, add a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then toss to coat, and spread out in one fairly snug, even layer but with small gaps between them. Squash the garlic bulb, then lightly crush each unpeeled clove and add to the tray – this gives you sweet, caramelized garlic and adds a gentle perfume to the potatoes. Roast for 1 hour, or until the potatoes are crisp and golden all over.
3 Remove the tray from the oven.
We’re nearly there, but we’ve got one last application of love and care, which is the game-changer. Gently half-squash each potato with a fish slice or masher so they kind of push into each other and fill the tray. Pick the sage leaves and – importantly – toss with a little oil (this will transmit the flavour and make them deliciously crisp). Sprinkle the sage over the potatoes and roast for a further 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and amazing. Heaven – you could even serve these on their own in a restaurant, they’re so good.
Get ahead
● Parboil your potatoes and dress them with the fat, garlic and seasoning a day in advance. Simply cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to roast.