I read this article today and it reminded me of the myriad ways in which I can spoil roasted potatoes.
http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/how-to-ruin-roasted-potatoes-and-other-spuds
The text from the article, which is germane here –
1. Roasting raw potatoes. “Simply tossing raw potatoes into the pan before roasting will guarantee tough results because the high water content will steam out over the course of a long cooking time. “You feel more like you’re eating the skin, because the structure just collapses inside,” says Hanson. “It also gets too hard. There’s crispy, and then there’s tooth-shattering.” To achieve that perfectly crispy exterior and creamy interior, parboil potatoes until 3/4 cooked, when a knife tip can pierce the potato, but it will not slip off when picked up. Drain before roasting for about 20 to 30 minutes at 425 degrees.”
I was guilty of throwing a perfect batch of small red potatoes right in the oven at 400 degrees. They were cooked in 30 minutes but they were dry as hell. Parboil! Parboil! Parboil!
2. Starting with a cold pan. Putting potatoes in a cold roasting pan increases the likelihood that they’ll stick. Hanson and Nasr suggest heating a pan in the oven then adding oil. Let that heat to just before smoking before dropping in the potatoes.
I roast potatoes on a tin foil on the baking sheet. Preheat!
3. Crowding the pan. Leaving space between the potatoes helps them cook evenly, so it is best to keep them in a single layer.
4. Micromanaging. It’s important to let potatoes brown completely on one side before turning them over. “As with most food,” explains Hanson, “potatoes are just not as good if they’ve been handled over and over.”
5. Adding tons of oil. Only use enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan; otherwise, they’ll have a fried quality. “I prefer using duck fat, but I understand that can be hard to obtain for most folks, so olive oil or clarified butter works well too,” says Hanson. For an extra layer of flavor, the duo likes to add a few sprigs of rosemary or sage to the oil.
I oil the potatoes beforehand with some spice.
6. Using the wrong variety. Don’t try to roast a waxy potato like red bliss. It’s better to stick to Yukon golds. Otherwise, the chefs like German butterballs or even fingerlings.
20 small red potatoes ( Which you must parboil and cut in half)
1 tsp. coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, dried mango powder each
Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper to taste
2 tbsp. olive oil
Mix all ingredients and heat in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes. Garnish with coriander powder. I also added a dash of hot and sweet maggi sauce.
http://www.foodandwine.com/articles/how-to-ruin-roasted-potatoes-and-other-spuds
The text from the article, which is germane here –
1. Roasting raw potatoes. “Simply tossing raw potatoes into the pan before roasting will guarantee tough results because the high water content will steam out over the course of a long cooking time. “You feel more like you’re eating the skin, because the structure just collapses inside,” says Hanson. “It also gets too hard. There’s crispy, and then there’s tooth-shattering.” To achieve that perfectly crispy exterior and creamy interior, parboil potatoes until 3/4 cooked, when a knife tip can pierce the potato, but it will not slip off when picked up. Drain before roasting for about 20 to 30 minutes at 425 degrees.”
I was guilty of throwing a perfect batch of small red potatoes right in the oven at 400 degrees. They were cooked in 30 minutes but they were dry as hell. Parboil! Parboil! Parboil!
2. Starting with a cold pan. Putting potatoes in a cold roasting pan increases the likelihood that they’ll stick. Hanson and Nasr suggest heating a pan in the oven then adding oil. Let that heat to just before smoking before dropping in the potatoes.
I roast potatoes on a tin foil on the baking sheet. Preheat!
3. Crowding the pan. Leaving space between the potatoes helps them cook evenly, so it is best to keep them in a single layer.
4. Micromanaging. It’s important to let potatoes brown completely on one side before turning them over. “As with most food,” explains Hanson, “potatoes are just not as good if they’ve been handled over and over.”
5. Adding tons of oil. Only use enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan; otherwise, they’ll have a fried quality. “I prefer using duck fat, but I understand that can be hard to obtain for most folks, so olive oil or clarified butter works well too,” says Hanson. For an extra layer of flavor, the duo likes to add a few sprigs of rosemary or sage to the oil.
I oil the potatoes beforehand with some spice.
6. Using the wrong variety. Don’t try to roast a waxy potato like red bliss. It’s better to stick to Yukon golds. Otherwise, the chefs like German butterballs or even fingerlings.
20 small red potatoes ( Which you must parboil and cut in half)
1 tsp. coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, dried mango powder each
Salt, pepper, cayenne pepper to taste
2 tbsp. olive oil
Mix all ingredients and heat in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes. Garnish with coriander powder. I also added a dash of hot and sweet maggi sauce.
