Lots of garlic and thyme for flavoring, strategic cooking, and the foresight to turn the potatoes so they are evenly colored: Heston Blumenthal's tips.
The perfect roast potatoes? With thyme, not rosemary, and strictly double-cooked: first boiled, then browned in the oven until golden brown. All tips from the great three-starred chef Heston Blumenthal, taken from the book Is This A Cookbook?: Adventures in the Kitchen ( Bloomsbury).
Recipe for 4-6 people
Ingredients
- 2 kg of potatoes
- Oil or lard to taste
- 3 sprigs of thyme
- 6 cloves of garlic
Peel the potatoes and cut them into large, uniform pieces. Soak the potatoes in a bowl of cold water while preparing them to prevent them from blackening. Rinse them in a colander under cold running water until the water becomes clear, to remove excess starch.
Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and plunge the potatoes into it. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes until tender. Drain them very well in a colander, then place them on a large rack set on a tray. Allow to cool.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180°C fan/gas. Choose a large baking dish, large enough to hold all the potatoes, and spread them on the bottom in a single layer. Add enough oil (or lard) to the baking dish to create a thin greasy layer, about 5 mm thick. Carefully arrange the potatoes in the baking dish, including all the smaller pieces (they will turn into delicious ultra-crispy bites), and bake well for 20 minutes.
Turn the potatoes a bit and roast them for another 20 minutes, or until firm and lightly browned on all sides. Turn the potatoes once more, especially the sides that seem to need more time. Sprinkle with the thyme and use the back of a knife to crush the garlic cloves. Add everything to the baking dish and return to the oven for another 20 minutes. The potatoes will be golden brown and crisp. Season with salt and serve immediately to maintain their crispness.
