Bob's Ultimate Roast Potatoes

As served at Christmas every year.

There are three crucial things that I think make the difference: the first is the heat of the fat - if it's not searingly hot, you don't stand a chance, and since goose fat has a very high smoking point and tastes good, it is my annual choice here; the second is the size of your potatoes - you want them relatively small, so that the ratio of crunchy outside to fluffy interior is optimised and, finally then really rattling the pan around to make the potatoes a bit mashed on the surface so they catch more in the hot fat, is a major aid.

Make ahead tip: Peel the potatoes the day before. Keep submerged, whole, in cold water in a cold place. Drain, cut and cover with fresh, salted water to parboil and then roast as directed.

Serves 10-16 as part of the Christmas feast, or 8-10 if not.

INGREDIENTS

2.5kg potatoes, such as King Edward's, Maris Piper or Desiree.

320g? goose fat (you don’t need to use too much as the spuds will steam. Just a thin layer on the pan)

Note: You might find that you need to use two roasting tins to accommodate 2.5g potatoes as it is important not to crowd them together too much.

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 250C/gas 9. If you don't have a double oven, you will have to do this as soon as the turkey is out of your single oven so, in effect you need to allow at least one hour for them to roast. See Note below. During this time your vegetables can be cooked and timed in such a way that they will all be ready to be served when your roasties are finished cooking.

2. Put the fat into a large roasting tin(s) and then into the oven to heat up, and get it frighteningly hot: 20-30 minutes should do it. This is the secret as low heat results in undercooked and soggy roasties.

Note: In view of this warming procedure it is advisable to put the tin in the oven with the turkey 30 minutes before the turkey is finished cooking. If you forget to do this it will take at least an hour and a half to roast your potatoes.

3. Peel the potatoes, and cut each one into 3 by cutting off each end at a slant so that you are left with a wedge or triangle in the middle.

4. Put the potatoes into salted, cold water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil, letting them cook for 12/15 minutes. Check with a fork and if they are still hard then add more time until slightly soft.

5. Drain the potatoes in a colander, then tip them back into the empty, dry saucepan.

6. Shake the potatoes around and give the pan a good rotate and the potatoes a proper bashing so that their edges fuzz and blur a little: this facilitates the crunch effect later. I leave them to rest at this stage. If you don't, you'll need to have preheated the oven earlier!

7. When the fat is as hot as it can be, tip the potatoes carefully into it (they splutter terrifically as you put them in) and roast in the oven for an hour or until they are darkly golden and crispy, turning them over halfway through cooking.

8. If the oven's hot enough, they may well not need more than about 25 minutes a side; but it's better to let them sit in the oven (you can always pour off most of the fat) till the very last minute.

9. Never remove them from the oven until they are crispy brown. This is where so many people go wrong. If a roastie is pale and yellow it needs more time in the oven and your guests will thank you. Have another tipple as you have got this far and everything else is ready so be patient.

	<=== Not cooked enough
	<=== Perfect

9. When everything else is served up, transfer the potatoes to a large (warmed if possible) serving dish and bring to the table with pride in your heart.

Tip: Heating plates: Put your plates in the microwave and a mug half filled with water on top - switch on for about 3-5 mins. Voila - hot plates! Plus the steam does the microwave good as well - just wipe it round with kitchen towel afterwards to get rid of any dried on bits of food.