My granny swore by goose fat, which turned out deliciously crispy roast potatoes, the best roasties I remember, but then I was a child and anything that crunched was alright in my books. A lot of chefs still swear by goose fat or beef dripping and chicken fat, but the more health conscious amongst us, you might want to try a healthy alternative. Olive Oil, extra virgin to be precise.
What!!! you can do good roasties in Olive Oil I hear you cry.. well you can and with the right oil you will never go back to animal fat again.
I’m not a professional foodie and I can’t provide restaurant quality food (my brother in law is the professional chef) but I can do roast potatoes and this is my recipe i’m going to share today.
Ultimate Xmas Roast Potatoes.
The 2 most important things to begin with.
1.) The Olive Oil.
I only use Positively Good For You, Rosemary Infused, Single Estate, Extra Virgin Olive Oil. (Currently on special offer at just £2.60 (plus p+p) saving £3.89 – Click here to purchase).
Picked and bottled within hours and infused with fresh rosemary, this is one of the nicest olive oils I have tasted and the rosemary elevates it and makes this the perfect oil for adding flavour elements to otherwise bland potatoes and pastas.
2.) The Potato.
Only the best Maris Piper potatoes work for me, they can get a fantastic crispy outer layer but still remain really light and fluffy inside. They also make absolutely the best mash too.
You can prepare the Potatoes ahead of time and leave in the fridge overnight or even freeze them but make sure they are defrosted before cooking to avoid too much water in the potato.
Peel and quarter the potatoes if large or just peel if medium to small (all depends on how you want them).
Pre-Heat the oven to 190ºc / 170ºc fan.
Take a large saucepan and place the potatoes in and cover with cold water and bring the water to the boil. Let them boil for about 2-3 minutes (you want them just beginning to turn soft), take off the heat and drain with a large colander.
When the potatoes have drained thoroughly, give them a really good shake in the colander to break up the surface a bit (we call this the “ruffle”), place to one side. If you want, you can coat the potatoes with flour and your favourite spices to add a Zing (paprika gives a nice smoky taste). It is important to make sure all the water has drained and the potatoes are dry before the next step. (Oil and water don’t mix and you want the oil to properly coat the potatoes).
Next, take a large and sturdy roasting tray, (this is the secret to a super crispy outer layer) and place over a high heat, pour in the olive oil, the bottle contains 250ml which is enough for a large pan and let the oil heat until just starting to shimmer or sizzle. VERY carefully, place the potatoes in the hot oil and brown for around 5 minutes, make sure to turn the potatoes to get an even coating of oil.
Place the tray in the oven and leave to roast completely undisturbed for 20 minutes. (DO NOT open the oven door, it’s vital the heat in the oven is maintained). After 20 minutes, remove the tray from the oven and return to the hob on a high heat, this maintains the heat of the oil whilst you turn the potatoes. return to the oven for a further 20 minutes of undisturbed roasting.
After another 20 minutes, remove from the oven and turn again whilst over a high heat on the hob to keep that oil as hot as possible. Return to the oven for a final 20 minutes of roasting.
After the final 20 minutes, remove from the oven and sprinkle over sea salt flakes to season and serve immediately.
The best roast potatoes you will eat and because they were cooked in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, they have all the heart healthy benefits it provides.
Imagine that, Roast Potatoes you don’t have to feel guilty about and perfect for the veggie crowd as well.