Craggy, crisp outsides and fluffy middles, with soft roast garlic in the tin. Three small tricks do all the work.
King Edward potatoes. Peak season: autumn and winter. King Edwards are floury, so the edges break up into a rough crust that crisps like nothing else. A pinch of bicarb in the water roughs them up even more. Then very hot fat, and leave them alone.
Serves 4 · Prep 15 min · Cook 75 min
You'll need
- 1½ kg King Edward potatoes, peeled, cut into large chunks
- 4 tbsp goose fat, or sunflower oil
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 4 garlic cloves, unpeeled, lightly crushed
- 2 sprigs of rosemary or thyme
- flaky salt
Method
- Heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Put the goose fat in a large roasting tin and put it in the oven to get very hot.
- Put the potatoes in a pan of cold, well-salted water with the bicarbonate of soda. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are soft but the middles are still firm.
- Drain well and leave in the colander for 2 minutes to steam dry. Tip them back into the dry pan, put the lid on and shake hard for 10 seconds, until the edges look rough and fluffy. Those rough edges are your crust.
- Take the hot tin out and carefully add the potatoes, turning each one in the fat. Spread them out with space between them. Roast for 30 minutes.
- Turn every potato. Add the garlic and herbs to the tin. Roast for another 30 to 40 minutes, until deep golden and they sound hollow when tapped.
- Lift into a warm dish, leaving the garlic and herbs behind, and scatter with flaky salt straight away.
Serve with: any Sunday roast, with plenty of gravy.
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