Christmas How To... Make Perfect Roast Potatoes

The holy grail... perfect roast potatoes: crisp and crunchy on the outside, light and fluffy on the inside. Worth fighting your Dad for!

If you're cooking goose for lunch, take all that excess fat, pop it in a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and shove it in the oven at least half an hour before you intend to put the potatoes in. 
You can also buy goose fat in jars or simply cook your roasties in another fat, such as olive oil.

While the fat is heating up, cut up your potatoes into thirds or quarters, depending on their size. Allow at least four potato peices per person, five to be on the safe side and six or seven if you want leftovers. Put them in a large pan and parboil them for about 15-20 minutes until fairly cooked on the outside but still firm inside.

Drain the water from the pan and sprinkle semolina over the potatoes. Put the lid on and give them a gentle bashing, to rough up the edges.

When the fat is hot, put the roasting tray on the hob, with the heat on if your kitchen is cool, and place the potatoes into the fat where they should start to sizzle.

Bung back in the oven for about 45-mins to an hour, turning them halfway through and draining off excess fat if necessary.

Roasties must be hot, so pre-warm the serving dish and keep them hot in a low oven until you're ready to eat.

Go to the Christmas Dinner (2011) post