Ingredients
- 2 kg Maris Piper Potatoes
- 1 Chicken Stock Cube Crumbled Up
- 2 tbsp Fine Semolina
- 1 tbsp Cornflour
- 150 g Goose Fat
- 75 g Vegetable Oil
- 1 Bulb Garlic
Herb Butter
- 100 g Butter
- 2 tsp Rosemary Leaves Finely Chopped
- 2 tsp Thyme Leaves Finely Chopped
- 2 tsp Sage Finely Chopped
Instructions
Potato Prep
- First, peel the potatoes & cut into evenly sized pieces (into quarters if the potatoes are large, 2-3 pieces if smaller).
- Add the potatoes to a large saucepan then give them a rinse under cold water. Drain the potatoes then fill the pan back up with fresh water.Leave to soak for at least an hour.
- Preheat your oven to 220°c/200°c fan (428°f/392°f).
Par Boiling
- Drain the water off the potatoes & replace with fresh, cold water. Add in the stock cube & a pinch of salt then place a lid on the pan.
- Place the saucepan over a high heat & bring to the boil. Turn the heat down slightly then simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the outside of the potatoes have started to soften.
- In the meantime, place the goose fat & vegetable oil into a large roasting tray. Once the potatoes are boiling, place the tray in the preheated oven & leave to get smoking hot.Next, separate the garlic cloves from the bulb, crush with the side of a knife then set aside. Don’t worry about peeling them.
- Once the potatoes are par boiled, pour the potatoes into a colander & leave to drain for 2 minutes.
Roasting
- In a bowl, combine cornflour, semolina & a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Return the potatoes to the saucepan they were cooked in. Sprinkle over the semolina & cornflour, place the lid back on the pan & give the pan a good shake.
- Take the roasting tray out of the oven & using a pair of tongs, carefully transfer the potatoes into the fat, turning them so that they completely coated in fat.
- Add the crushed garlic into the tray then return to the oven & cook for 40 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Next, melt the butter (on the stove or in a microwave) then stir in the chopped herbs.
- Take the potatoes out of the oven then pour the herb butter all over.Season the potatoes with salt & pepper, give the tray a good shake/stir then return to the oven & cook for another 10 minutes.
- Once cooked, transfer the roast potatoes to a serving dish & finish with a sprinkling of sea salt.
Notes
1. Cooking In An Aga – Par boil the potatoes on the boiling plate & roast them in the roasting oven on the second from bottom set of runners.
2. Potatoes – In my opinion, Maris Pipers are the best potatoes for roasting but you could also use King Edwards or Russet potatoes.
3. Goose Fat – If you haven’t got any goose fat, you can use duck instead. To make these potatoes vegetarian, leave out the fat & replace with half the amount of oil.
4. Making Ahead – Once the potatoes have been peeled, chopped & covered in water, they can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days. The par boiling & roasting steps are best done on the day.
5. Soaking – Make sure to soak the potatoes for at least an hour in cold water. This rinses the starch off, which is key for making crispy spuds!
6. Par Boiling – It’s important to not overcook the potatoes when they’re par boiled because they will fall apart. Only the outside should be soft, the inside will finish cooking in the oven!
