Roast Potatoes

[StarryStressyHead]

At (almost) 36 you'd think I'd have mastered roast potatoes but I always seem to mess them up. Anyway I have to roast the potatoes for Christmas Dinner at my sisters (do them here, then take them round).

As there is 11 for dinner, I don't want to mess them up.

Any tips anyone? (Have a fan oven).

If all else fails - have mash!!

All potatoes will roast ok, just some roast better than others. Look on the packet, it usually tells you what they are recommended for.

White spuds are fine in my experience. Boil for 5 minutes, drain and pour in some veg oil, shiggle the pan aroung, and cook in the oven. You need to get the oven nice and hot to crisp them up, so do that while the meat is 'resting'.

Sad to say they will 'never' be as good as the ones cooked aound the meat that soak up all the nice juices! Sorry Green Santa, sod the dry roasting it's Christmas!

this is exactly the sort of thing at which Delia excels.

other tips

• some people (i.e. Jamie Oliver) swear by goose fat, my top tip - don't bother
• when you take the meat out to rest, whack up the oven to gas 7/220 degrees c for 15mins to finish them off with a nice cripy outside

I always get lots of compliments for my crunchy roasties, I just do what my mum taught me..

Parboil them, then drain and leave in the saucepan covered with a clean tea towel for 5 mins. Then get the colander and toss the tatties between the colander and the saucepan until the outsides are really scruffy and fluffy.

Put in very hot oil in pan, turn over coating the whole potatoes in oil and then shake some herbs (i usually use dried oregano) and freshly milled salt and pepper over. Turn once or twice. I cook them at about 200 centigrade or gas mark 6/7 for about 40 mins.

I used to be rubbish at roasties but was told to switch off the gas as soon as they boil. Always use King Edwards or Maris Piper (MP are the best for chips as well, that's what chippies buy). Heat up the oil on the roasting tin before putting the potatoes in. Cook on about 6 and then whack up to 8 or 9 when they start to brown. They always take longer than I think they will though.

Good Luck - StarryStressyHead. I think you might have "infomation overload" here.

I'm going for the Aunt Bessie option

I never par boil roasties - just toss 'em into the roasting tin with the meat, cook for about an hour and a half.
Add a sprinkle of salt and baste/turn them over occasionally.
Perfect every time.

'heghog roasties' are also good (can't remember whose receipe)- courtesy of dh:-

Peel, then halve baking potatoes longways
Lay them on the flat side, slice down through them until 0.5cm from flat side - do this all along the rounded part of the potato. Top tip place a chopstick along both sides the potato to stop you going too far.
Sprinkle with oil, herbs seasoning or whatever

Roast flat side down

yum yum

I mean of course hedgehog - I can spell - I can't type

heghog sounds more fun!

I tried to make low fat roast spuds once,
DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME...
I heated a small amount of oil in a baking tin then poured a kettle of boiling water into it! Of course it caught fire, not a good idea!

par boil then drain in a colander but really fluff them up so that the outside go all ragged
roll gently in flour
put in baking tray with sunflower oil in at about 200 for about 40 mins then bang them up to 220 for a futher 15 mins or so
don't move them around at all for at least the first 30 mins....
5 mins from the end, tip out the oil....then add sea salt and fresh thyme or rosemary - stick back in for 5 mins.
yum!

oh and those red potatoes or maris pipers are best for roasting

Estima are good too and Sainsbos big economy bags often have them in - they taste nice and are fluffy, also make good mash and chips.

I read a suggestion recently to roll the parboiled spuds in Paxo mix before roasting - haven't tried it though.

My roast potatoes get compliments when I remember to do the following - Put water on to boil - heat sunflower oil tray in oven for 10 mins - parboil potatoes for 10 mins - they need to start fluffing up a bit and won't do this if cooked for much less - drain potatoes well - put in try - spoon the oil over them so they've pretty much all been covered a bit - roast at 200C, gas 6 for 45 mins. I use Maris Pipers btw and NO SALT!

Got to be Aunt Bessies, far superior to anything I could do.

I used Nigella suggestion of a couple of tbsp of plain flour sprinkled over when you are 'fluffing' them up in the colander. It certainly seemed to work for me, giving the real crunchy outside, without being like bullets.

How did your test run go Stressy ?

Just sneked back on as dh finally got out of bed. Have to be logged on in case I get a work message as supposed to be working today.

As for the potatoes, um, well never got round to it. We had salad with Thai chicken. Decided I'm just going to go for it. Sure they'll be fine. Sister is more stressed out as she is doing the rest of the dinner. I only have to do the potatoes!

Anyway, going to clean the house now before in laws arrive for lunch. (No roasties for them though)

that will be sneaked not sneked