FAQs
Wash your potatoes and parboil until almost tender, then drain. Pick and bash the rosemary leaves. Drizzle with just a little touch of oil and roll in a teaspoon of sea salt, a little freshly ground black pepper and the rosemary. Put the potatoes in a roasting tray and cook in the oven for 25 minutes until golden.
How to cook new potatoes in Jamie Oliver? ›
Cook the potatoes in a large pan of boiling salted water for 20 minutes, then drain and steam dry. Tip into a large roasting tray and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil, then add a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Bash and add the unpeeled garlic cloves to the tray, then roast for 20 minutes.
Which cooking method is especially good for new potatoes? ›
They're small with thin skins, and their flesh is smooth and creamy when cooked. New potatoes taste best when they're roasted or boiled, rather than fried.
What happens if you don't soak potatoes before roasting? ›
Soaking potatoes in water helps remove excess starch. Excess starch can inhibit the potatoes from cooking evenly as well as creating a gummy or sticky texture on the outside of your potatoes.
Should you boil potatoes first before roasting? ›
Do I have to boil potatoes before roasting? Not necessary but this can help get the perfect consistency and crispiness. Make sure you boil them but leave them a bit al dente and they will crisp up perfectly in the oven.
Why do you boil water before adding potatoes? ›
For most potato dishes it's important to add the potatoes to cold water and allow the water to come to a boil with the potatoes in the water. The potato starch can react as soon as it comes in contact with hot water, which will promote uneven cooking and mealy potatoes.
Why do you oil potatoes before baking? ›
A: Adding oil to potatoes before baking is perfectly fine, just a personal preference. Without oil the Idaho russet skin bakes up crispy, with oil the skin will carry a lot of the flavor of the oil so some people have a preference for using olive oil or peanut oil.
What is the difference between new potatoes and baby potatoes? ›
Waxy potatoes such as Jersey Royals and Charlottes tend not to grow so big, come to harvest earlier, have thin skins that easily rub off, and are harder and denser. So they're referred to as new potatoes or baby potatoes and are best just simply boiled. They're also the best for a potato salad.
What potatoes are best for new potatoes? ›
The best potatoes to plant for new potatoes are 'Vivaldi', 'Accent', 'Charlotte', 'Jazzy', 'Casablanca', Lady Christl's, and 'Winston'.
Should you put salt in water when soaking potatoes? ›
Covering in water helps the potato from turning a dark color. Adding salt to the water to form a brine mixture may seem helpful and can impart a flavor to the potato strips, however, salt is a major contributor to the fry oil breaking down prematurely, so I don't recommend it.
We tasted the potatoes and agreed that post-salting is better than pre-salting. Salting before or after clearly makes a difference. The outside of the post-salted potatoes is more crispy and has a nice bite to it, whereas the outside of the pre-salted potatoes is tough and leathery.
Why do you need to soak potatoes before baking? ›
Give them a cold water bath: Once your potatoes are chopped, toss them into a large bowl. Then cover the potatoes completely with cold water and let them soak for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight). This will help to rinse off the excess starch and help the potatoes crisp up beautifully in the oven.
Which potatoes are best for roasting? ›
Russet potatoes will produce crisper crusts and fluffier centers. Yukon Golds will be slightly less crisp and have creamier centers, with a darker color and deeper flavor. You can also use a mix of the two. The potatoes should be cut into very large chunks, at least 2 to 3 inches or so.
What happens if you don't boil potatoes before roasting? ›
Boiling your potatoes for a little bit before roasting helps make sure that you get that beautiful crisp crust on the outside. If you don't parboil your spuds, the outside skin will remain quite tough, meaning that whatever fat you use will not be able to get inside the cracks.
What does adding baking soda to boiling potatoes do? ›
I love it when cooking involves a bit of a science experiment. In this case, research suggested adding baking soda to the pot when parboiling potatoes; having water of higher alkalinity than usual helps the outside edges of the potatoes break down more, opening up the possibility of a crisper outside texture.
How do you boil new potatoes without them falling apart? ›
Gently Boil
Once the water reaches a boil, carefully add the potatoes and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Boiling the potatoes too vigorously can cause them to break apart.
Do you cut new potatoes before boiling? ›
potatoes in a large pot (if using baby, small, or medium-size potatoes, leave whole; if using large or sweet potatoes, peel if desired, and cut potatoes into 1" cubes). Cover potatoes with 3 qt. water. Add 1 cup Diamond Crystal or ½ cup Morton's kosher salt to the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
What is the most efficient way to cook potatoes? ›
You can steam potatoes to speed up cook time.
The steam gets hotter than boiling in water, allowing the potatoes to cook faster. After about 15-20 minutes the potatoes should be fork-tender and ready for mashed potatoes.
