English Style Roast Potatoes

Before we get to the recipe is it ok if I just bitch for a minute. I’d like to say I have a Mother’s instinct, but really, it’s just that my kids are so damn predictable that I KNOW when life is about to go tits-up. Last night was one of those nights. I ran myself down last week reorganizing half of the house, because I’m a fool. Toss in a few late nights, and I knew I’d be getting sick this week (again, I’m a fool, because I’m the one that booked a getaway for next weekend). Last night though, tucking the kids into bed, seeing their red, runny eyes, hearing the start of a cough, and feeling their temperature creeping up… I knew today wasn’t going to be good.

A photo posted by Kitchen Trials (@kitchen_trials) on Jan 18, 2016 at 4:55am PST

It isn’t. I’ve got three sick kids, all coughing, all looking like crap, all laying down under blankets and watching Charlotte’s Web (thank the lord for movies on demand!). And the best part to this – On Friday we head out for a waterpark weekend to celebrate Sophie’s second birthday. That leaves me with four days to get us all feeling better. I basically have an orange grove in our kitchen right now, and it’s all they’re allowed to snack on for the next 36 hours.

That’s not why you’re here though (although my witty and sarcastic banter really should be enough of a pull on a Monday morning). You’re here for the food, and today, I’ve got an easy, hands off, classic, and yummy side dish for you. This is the kind of thing I love to make when I’m not feeling great, because it’s easy, and plain.

Your first question is probably what makes a roast potato “English Style”. Well, it’s a peeled potato that’s par-boiled for a few minutes then baked until the inside is soft and fluffy, but the outside has developed a crisp crust (all thanks to that quick par-boil). You can do a ton of these at once, and they’re a great alternative to a typical roast or baked potato.

That thin and crisp crust on the outside is everything. It just kinda snaps when you push your fork into it, and you can’t not be excited about eating it once you hear that sound. I like to break it open and throw some butter, salt, and pepper on it. Bo likes to add some sour cream to the mix. Really, you can go as simple or as crazy as you want to. These are absolutely perfect with any kind of roast that you’re making (beef, chicken, or pork), and a great change to your typical roast potatoes, you know, the ones that cook in all that fat from the meat and turn out super greasy (obviously, I’m not much of a fan of that kind).

English Style Roast Potatoes

Yield: 6 potatoes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes

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Ingredients

• 6 medium potatoes, peeled (yukon gold or russet are my favourite)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper

Instructions

1. Put a rimmed baking sheet into your oven while you preheat it to 375ºF. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
2. While the water is coming to a boil, peel the potatoes. Drop the potatoes into the salted water for just 5 minutes.
3. Remove the potatoes with a slotted spoon to a large bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.
4. Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper to the bowl, then toss with a wooden spoon until the potatoes are all coated in the oil. It's ok to be a little rough when you're doing this. The spoon will rough up the exterior of the potatoes, and that will make them more crispy.
5. Take the baking sheet out of the oven, put the potatoes on, then pour on the oil left in the bowl.
6. Bake for 90 minutes, but turn the potatoes every 20 minutes to make sure they crisp up evenly on all sides.
7. Serve with butter, salt, and pepper (and sour cream if you like it).

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