Garlic Roasted Potatoes
Part 1 of what you need to make for Christmas dinner this year!
Ever since moving to the UK, I feel that I have become newly qualified to take on the, frankly, immense task of putting out a roast potato recipe.
The Brits have some questionable food traditions, but one thing they have nailed all the way down is their roast potatoes. Understandably, since the potato is one of their favorite vegetables and can be found on almost any table on a Sunday lunch.
My version is extremely crispy, fluffy in the middle, and coated in a gorgeous roasted garlic aioli with parsley. The latter part seems to be controversial according to my latest TikTok video. Commenters are split right down the middle between “these are the most perfect potatoes” or “why would you put that disgusting stuff on it, you’ve absolutely ruined it”. SO, it’s up to you whether you’d like to add the aioli but I personally love it.
Ingredients:
1 bag of floury potatoes (maris piper, king edward, russet)
1/4 cup neutral oil or duck fat
2 tsp salt
roasted garlic aioli
1 head of garlic
1 tsp mustard
2 egg yolks
300 ml neutral oil
squeeze of lemon
salt to taste
2 tbsp chopped parsley
Method:
Cut the potatoes into large chunks- you’d rather it be bigger than smaller.
Cover them in 2 tsp of salt and cold water.
Preheat oven to 220 C or 425 F.
Bring to a boil and par-boil for around 10 minutes. You want your fork to go in 1-2 cm.
Drain and then let steam dry until the moisture evaporates.
In a deep roasting pan, pour the oil in and make sure it completely covers the bottom. Put in the preheating oven until the oil is almost smoking. This is what helps get the potatoes so crispy.
By this time, the potatoes should be drier. Rough them around the colander by shaking them vigorously. You want them to get fluffy around the edges as this will help them get crispy.
Slice your head of garlic lengthwise and put in some foil. Drizzle oil and a pinch of salt and seal into a foil package.
Take the hot pan with the oil CAREFULLY out of the oven.
Take the potatoes and carefully put them in the hot oil- they should be sizzling. Turn them around so they’re coated in oil and put them in the oven. They can take 45-60 minutes depending how big you cut them. Make sure you’re turning them every 15 minutes to get them evenly golden brown. Put the package of garlic in as well.
Once the potatoes are golden brown and crispy, take them out of the oven and sprinkle with some salt. They will be super hot, so make the aioli in the meantime.
In a blender, squeeze out the roasted garlic and blitz until smooth. Then, add in the egg yolks and mustard. Blitz again until smooth. Then, with the blender running, slowly drizzle in the oil. You don’t want to add it in too quickly as it will cause it to split. Once half of the oil has been added it should start emulsifying and getting thicker. You can add the oil in quicker at this point.
When all the oil is added, it should be thick and creamy. Congrats, you’ve just made mayo!
Season with salt and lemon juice.
Toss the hot potatoes with chopped parsley and the garlic aioli. Enjoy!