Roasted English Potatoes

The five main food groups include everything for a healthy life, but in my opinion, potatoes should perhaps be in a group all their own. Consider that they are served baked, French fried, scalloped, twice-baked, mashed, roasted, grated, as a salad, on top of casseroles, as the base of casseroles, and can appropriately served at all three meals. I’m pretty sure that no other vegetable can do all that!

Over the Christmas season, I was introduced to a new potato side dish via a couple of British people I follow on social media. Enter the Roasted English Potato. They require quite a bit of hands-on, but it is worth every minute! They are par-boiled, then roasted in the oven in a bit of oil for close to an hour, turning them every 15 minutes. The result is a crispy outside and a fluffy, tender potato on the inside. Potato Heaven!

When I took them out of the oven I thought, “Oh great – we’re going to break our teeth biting into these!” HOWEVER, that was NOT the case! They were crispy, but not hard, and the inside was so tender!

How have I not heard of these delicacies until now? Here are the instructions –

Roasted English Potatoes
Ingredients

• 2.5lb Potatoes, Russet or Yukon Gold
• 2oz-4oz (¼-½ Cup) Oil, or enough to cover the bottom of roasting pan. (It needs a high smoking point, I use Olive Oil)
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Pepper

Instructions

1. Boil a pot to fill a large heavy-bottomed pot with water to boil the potatoes.
2. Peel and chop the potatoes. I think next time I’ll cut my potatoes in half, rather than smaller pieces. It will make turning them in the oven much easier.
3. Once the water is boiling, add the potatoes and parboil the potatoes for 10 minutes. Turn the oven on to 425 F° to preheat while your potatoes are cooking and place a large roasting pan with 2oz of oil inside the oven to warm up while the oven preheats.
4. Once the potatoes have been parboiled take them out and drain them very well in a colander.
5. Carefully take the hot pan out of the oven and add the potatoes. Place them in a single layer, not allowing them to touch each other. Roast for 20 minutes then carefully flip the potatoes. Let cook another 15 minutes, then rotate again. Repeat this process three or four more times. The potatoes should be quite golden brown and have thick roasted skin. Let the potatoes cool for five minutes before serving. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
   Roast potatoes are best eaten right away but leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

I made this meal for guests during the holiday, and I served the potatoes alongside Grilled Pork Chops with Herbed Butter, Corn pudding, cooked apples and Butter Dips. I will definitely be serving these potatoes again in the near future!

Have you ever had English Roasted Potatoes? If not, you must try this recipe! Also, if you’re a potato lover, you will not be disappointed!