jamie oliver roast potatoes
Regular readers may know that I pride myself on bloody good roast potatoes, somewhat boastful but I’ve put the hours in. But I’m never complacent, always on the lookout for tips and pointers to gild the already-golden lily. Nigella gave me the idea to use polenta, Heston put forth the idea of using potato peelings in the boiling liquor, now Jamie comes forward with more ideas. Here’s Jamie Oliver Roast Potatoes.
I’ve distilled all these ideas into my perfect roast potato recipe. Check it out here!
His recent mini-series, Jamie’s Family Christmas has dealt with all manner of festive food, and it didn’t take long for him to try working up the humble roasties. He offered a formula: half way through roasting add a combo of garlic, vinegar and herb to the mix. At this point also give the half-roast pots a slight squidge with a potato masher – not mashing them you understand, but squeezing them to open them up. More exposed surface area equals more places for the potato to soak up fat. He also trialled using three different fats: olive oil, butter and goose fat. Predictably, they increased in flavour and crispiness as they decrease in healthiness. But it’s the addition of an acid that intrigues me. I went all into the method, eschewing all my usual steps I followed the Jamie technique. I used some pork fat, orange peel, red wine vinegar and rosemary.
This is the first time in a long time I haven’t used polenta; I’d almost forgotten what roasties were like without. There was certainly plenty of crunch to go around, and the pleasing licks of other flavours drifted in. The rosemary was predictably perfumed and slightly crisp, garlic was welcome, and the occasional spud that cosied up to orange peel had an interesting twist. The red wine vinegar had permeated little but I’d like to try a splash more next time. There’s lots to enjoy here.
So have I reached the perfect roast potato yet? Yes! Read it here. Have you tried Jamie Oliver Roast Potatoes? How did you get on?
Jamie Oliver’s perfect roast potatoes:
500g maris piper, peeled and chunked
4 tablespoons fat
Peel of 1 orange
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 rosemary sprig, leaves picked
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Boil the potatoes for around 10 minutes, until they are very well done. After 5 minutes put the fat in the pan and whack in the oven.
- Drain the potatoes and shake about to chuff up the edges. Add to the pan.
- Roast for 30 minutes, then using a potato masher, lightly press each spud to encourage them to split.
- Meanwhile toss the garlic, rosemary and orange together in the vinegar with a splash of olive oil.
- Add this to the pan and put back in the oven. Continue to roast for another 20 – 30 minutes, until done to your desired crispiness.
- Season liberally with sea salt and a dash of white pepper. Eat like gods.
Jamie’s recipe in his own words can be seen here at his website.
Fantastic that your trying to find the best roast potato going. Best results Ive ever had were using the recipe in ‘Roast Chicken and other stories’.
Incredible that such similiar methods can produce different results.
The never-ending quest for perfect pots continues to intrigue me. I’ll be making two more batches over the Christmas week so a couple more iterations in the pan…
I’m not familiar with that book. Got a blog about those famous roast potatoes?
The vinegar is definitely an interesting addition, I will have to give that a whirl. The slight mashing of the spuds reminds me of crash hot potatoes (potatoes boiled in their jackets, then pressed lightly with a masher and roasted with lots of olive oil, excellent stuff). Have you tried roasting with groundnut/peanut oil – apparently it’s one that Hugh Fearnsley-Whatever-He’s-Called recommends, though I’ve yet to try. The quest for the perfect roastie continues 🙂
I haven’t tried nut oil, it’s not an oil I’ve ever worked with. However I could see that a nutty coating would amp up the earthy notes of a really good spud. But then where would the glory of animal fats go?!
The quest for the perfect roastie continues 🙂
May it never end.
Those of you truly interested in the pursuit of perfect potatoes may be interested in this article on The Guardian, comparing Nigella, Delia Hugh FW and Heston’s techniques.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2009/dec/17/best-roast-potato-recipe
I have the recipe for the best roast potato. No kidding. Through trial and error I worked out how to do it. First simmer maris piper potatoes (start from cold water) in their skins until they are soft throughout (about 40 minutes).Failing that use any other floury spud. Peel while still warm and chop up very carefully into chunks. You could just break them open in your hands to produce more surface area and therefore more crispiness. Place onto roasting tray and spoon over a good amount of light olive oil, duck fat, butter etc whatever takes your fancy (no need to preheat oil). Season with salt. Put into preheated oven top shelf at 200 degrees c. Turn the spuds gingerly after about half an hour and within about an hour you should have the best fluffiest, crispy roast potatoes that work every time, keep turning to attain crispness all over. You can even cook the spuds the day before and just put into a preheated oven the next day, they still go wonderfully crispy and fluffy. I implore to please try this recipe!
Hi Patrick
Thanks for the suggested method. Parts of it don’t seem to logically work in my head the way you’ve described it: chop after boiling? This won’t give you as many rough edges and corners to hang oil off of – you’re creating a smooth surface after roughing them up outside. And not pre-heating the oil? The first thing that will happen is that the potatoes will simply sit in cold oil, hardening while the fat warms up.
This ideas fly in the face of all the roast potato knowledge I’ve accrued, but you’re writing with such passion how can I ignore it? I will definitely try your method next time, and let you know hot they turn out.
Gary
Hi Patrick
I gave them a go – you can see the results here.
Gary
http://roastpotato.wordpress.com/2010/01/27/yet-more-roast-potatoes/
Two asides here I have overheard from Michel Roux Jr. on the subject:
“Definitely parboil – always. You need to precook the potatoes but it’s crucial not to overdo it – you want there still to be a bit of bite. How long you parboil them depends how big you’ve cut them. Next you want to shake them about to break up the exterior, which then crisps up beautifully. But the most important thing is to choose the right potato in the first place. I always use roosters, which are an up-and-coming variety and a great all-rounder. You won’t find them in every supermarket but they’re readily available – and have bags of flavour. You can’t go wrong.”
and
“Don’t boil the potatoes too harshly – just simmer gently to stop them breaking and the water getting in.”
Both taken from this article:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/you-ask-the-christmas-food-and-drink-questions-1839707.html
Pingback: yet more roast potatoes « grubblog
Pingback: heston blumenthal’s triple cooked chips « roast potato
Pingback: sweet-glazed mustard gammon « roast potato
Pingback: pinot grigio potatoes | Big Spud
These are truly impressive ideas in about blogging.
You have touched some fastidious factors here. Any way keep up wrinting.
I do not even understand how I finished up here, however I believed this submit used to be good.
I don’t realize who you’re however certainly you are going to a well-known blogger
should you aren’t already. Cheers!
Hmm it seems like your website ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I had written and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog.
I too am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to the whole thing. Do you have any tips for newbie blog writers? I’d genuinely
appreciate it.
Pingback: 『高級すいか糖』W·M·P完全無農薬すいかを使用!さらに栄養の高い種子
Pingback: DULTON ダルトン 【レビューを書いて5%OFF】『キーホルダー Key holder』 HO-701H / 鍵 カギ dulton dalt
Pingback: サージフィックス 伸縮ネット包帯 No.2 大人/手首、子供/腕(8-5734-02):え
Pingback: 【103時間限定★エントリーでポイント最大20倍も】HARIO ハリオ V60 メタルドリッ
Pingback: 【送料無料】美食メニューおいしいごはん170g×4缶×12個 CB-170【RCP】【e-netpet】【0
Pingback: ◎アークテリクス 12157?ガンマロックパンツ Men's(Anvil Grey):登山用品とアウトド
Pingback: 【2014年モデル】【8.7Ah】【整備士が自転車の組立整備をして発送します】2014-2
Pingback: 【あす楽対応】 【送料無料】 山善(YAMAZEN) キャスター付 押入れ収納ラック(幅4
Pingback: 【送料無料】 西川リビング/mee 枕カバー 43×63 対応 ピローケース 【日本製】 ME
Pingback: 【楽天市場】【メール便可】JACKALL /ジャッカル SUPERPIN-TAIL/スーパーピンテール