#ewew cooks (Jamie Oliver Inspired) Roast Potatoes 3 Ways

With Christmas round the corner and, as promised in my previous post, I'd like to show you the best Roast Potatoes (done 3 ways) and, once you've tried this, it'll be a recipe that you'd use over and over again (trust me).

This version of the best Roast Potatoes (again inspired by Jamie Oliver) is a great side dish to your main course of Roast Chicken (or any other main).

Ingredients:

3 medium potatoes
A handful of fresh rosemary (or thyme)
3 - 4 cloves of garlic (unpeeled)
A knob (about 15g) of butter (or extra virgin olive oil)
Salt & black pepper to taste

Preparation:

Peel and cut your potatoes (roughly).  [#Tip: According to Jamie Oliver, Maris Piper potatoes are the best ones to use to make roasted potatoes...but I just use any potatoes that I can find coz I can't differentiate between them (the ones from the wet market are fine).]

Method:

Bring a pan of water to the boil and salt it.  Parboil your potatoes for about 10 mins.  [#Note: The timing very much depends on the type of potatoes you use, so just check by pricking with a fork.  If the fork goes through without any resistance, it's soft enough.]  Drain out the water (the potatoes will be steaming at this point and let it steam for a min as this will help crisp up the potatoes). 

Season well with salt and black pepper and chuff (ie. shake and toss) them up in the pan to rough up the edges.  The fluffed up edges make them crispy.  So, if you want them super crispy, chuffed them up real good :)

Add a knob of butter (how much or how little depends on your preference...I use about 15g) and mix them evenly.  Throw in the garlic cloves.  The potatoes are now ready to go into your oven, which has been preheated to 200C, for 30 - 35 mins. 

After it has been roasting for about 20 mins, add in the rosemary leaves that have been removed from the stalks (but don't waste the stalks, throw them in as well).  Mine is usually done in 30 mins (if you need a little bit more browning, leave it in a bit longer).

And my Roast Potatoes (with fresh rosemary) are ready and they smell great ;)

These are my fluffy Roast Potatoes (with Rosemary & Butter).  The rosemary gives a very pleasant (and strong) perfumery smell (and taste) to your roast potatoes.  If you like a little garlic flavour in your potatoes, you can squeeze out the soft garlic from their skins, otherwise just discard the garlic cloves (which have done their job already).

For those of you who can't take the strong smell of fresh rosemary, you can substitute it with fresh thyme....and it will taste just as amazing!

 

For a healthier option, use a good glug of extra virgin olive oil instead of butter.   Toss the potatoes in the pan (while they're still hot) so that their outsides get chuffed up and fluffy.

Again, throw in the fresh thyme leaves (stalks and all) in the last 10 mins.

The Roast Potatoes (with thyme) fresh and piping hot from the oven.

These are my crispy Roast Potatoes (with Thyme & Olive Oil)...soft on the inside with crispy edges on the outside....yumsss!!

I love roast potatoes with thyme.  The thyme adds fragrance to the potatoes and this herb will be more acceptable to those who don't like rosemary as much.
 

For my third and final option...the plain Roast Potatoes (with no herbs), follow the steps above and remember to scruff them up really well.  Just season with a good pinch of salt and black pepper and add a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil....and chuck it into the oven, that's all!

This is the lazy man or woman's version, which is the simplest and fastest method to do and one you can whip up whenever you have potatoes in your pantry.

These plain Roast Potatoes (with just salt, black pepper and extra virgin olive oil) is one that I make quite often, especially when I'm going on a 'carb' binge....it's a 'carb overload', people...mmm, so satisfying!

These Roast Potatoes are pretty simple to do...just choose the fat of your choice...butter or olive oil (sometimes even duck fat, which is the most sinful, but it's not easy to get duck fat here) and toss your potatoes in them.  Next, choose your preferred herbs.....rosemary or thyme and add them in.  You can cook as much or as little you want (in the same amount of time)...just make sure your potatoes are evenly spread out in one layer.

These are the best Roast Potatoes you can make (according to Jamie Oliver) and I concur.  I've done it many times and his is the only recipe I use and it has come out great each time.  Go on, give it a try...coz once you've tried it, you'll never need another roast potatoes recipe ever again :D  It turns out fluffy, crispy, bubbly, delicious spuds....every time.....it's that good!

P/S:  To friends & family, who have been asking for my recipe (courtesy of Jamie Oliver) and step-to-step guide for these roast potatoes and roast chicken, I'm glad I've finally put it in my blog....so, best of luck, and hope it turns out well for you too!!

Serves 2 - 3 (as a side to your main course)