Two weeks ago, Joanna returned from visiting her family in England and shared a ton of great photos with us: London! Swim in the ocean! POTATOES!!! The last one stopped me in my tracks; I immediately sent Jo a text message in all caps, demanding the recipe for her cousin Livvy’s magnificent roast potatoes. Luckily, I wasn’t the only one (I knew I could count on you, readers!). So the other day, I spoke on the phone with Livvy herself and got all the tips and tricks.
“I call them Dilly roast potatoes, because that’s how our grandfather, Dilly, made them when we were kids,” he told me. “I would spend hours peeling potatoes, while everyone was on the boat at sea. We would come back absolutely hungry and dive into a pile of potatoes.” dreamier roasted potatoes.” Here we explain how to make them yourself…
Step 1. Start with the right potato.
“It pretty much comes down to this,” says Livvy. “I use Maris Piper potatoes, which are a very British variety, but wherever you live, look for the type of potatoes used for crisps.” FYI fellow Americans, the best trades for Maris Piper are russet potatoes or Yukon Gold. Livvy adds: “I often buy the generic bag at the supermarket that just says ‘roasted potatoes’. You want the ones that get spongy on the inside when cooked – that’s how you get good roasts.”
Step 2. Peel, chop and parboil.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. While it is heating, peel and chop the potatoes into not very small pieces. “You want them pretty thick,” says Livvy. “For a medium-sized potato, maybe just cut it in half. For larger ones, cut them into quarters. Once the water boils, throw in the potatoes and let them parboil for 7 to 10 minutes.” Test them gently with a fork after about 7 minutes; They should be soft on the outside, with a hard and raw center. Once they are ready, drain them and let them rest in the colander.
Step 3. Preheat your oil.
“Here’s the trick. You need to heat the oil in the roasting pan before adding the potatoes. I fill an aluminum roasting pan with a good 1 to 1.5 centimeters of sunflower oil, turn the oven on to about 330°F (165°C), and let the oil heat in there for 5 to 10 minutes, until it’s piping hot. You may need to let it heat up longer if you’re using a thicker roasting pan, like a ceramic one. The key is that “I want the potatoes to melt when you put them in the oil.” Any oil with a high smoke point will do, and Livvy usually uses sunflower oil because it’s available. “My mother used goose fat at Christmas, because it’s something classic and festive. But it’s quite thick and has a very strong flavor, and I never have it on hand anyway. But don’t use olive oil, because it has a lower smoke point!”
Step 4. Grill low and long, turning frequently
Once the oil is hot, carefully pour the potatoes into the pan and let them “sizzle” in the oil. “That way they go back in the oven nice and covered. Let them roast for about an hour, turning them in the pan regularly (about every 15 minutes). Doing it this way, on low heat, for a long time, turning them frequently, is how you get that beautiful, golden roasted exterior. It’s almost like when you’re frying something and you turn it so each side cooks evenly.”
Step 5. Salt well and serve.
Check the potatoes after an hour. They should be very golden and soft in the center when pierced with a fork. “I put them in a bowl, so “Come out,” Livvy says. “I like a crumbly type of sea salt (rather than a coarser one, like Himalayan), because it adheres really well to hot potatoes.”
Thank you so much, Livvy (and Dilly)! I can’t WAIT to try this method! Do you have a family potato recipe (or other types of recipes) that you’d be willing to share? We love potatoes!!!
PS: Want something to accompany your pile of roasts? How about Lulu’s beloved carrot or salmon soup (for beginners)?
