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Irish Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- General
- Irish Daily Mirror
Chef's trick to make sure roast potatoes are 'crispy and fluffy' every time
There's nothing quite like savouring scrumptious roast potatoes. When they're crispy, fluffy and bursting with flavour - there can often be nothing better. However, perfecting this dish can be a bit of a challenge. Achieving that ideal crunch can be a daunting task, and sometimes they can even turn out a bit soggy. Fortunately, you no longer need to fret over potential cooking mishaps, as a chef has revealed how to cook up incredible roasties - and it might just be a lot simpler than you initially thought. The secret lies in adding a crucial ingredient to the roasting tray to make them exceptionally tasty. Nanna Tate, an exciting new potato brand from Branston that boasts hundreds of followers on Instagram, has recently shared some top tips for creating the perfect roasties. By adhering to these guidelines, you should find your potatoes taste significantly better. Chef Stuart at Nanna Tate has disclosed precisely what you need to do to create delicious roasties, and it's not that hard to achieve, reports the Express. The professional cook stated: "Cut the potatoes into evenly sized chunks and simmer gently until tender but not soft. This helps the inside stay moist and fluffy during roasting. "Preheat your oven and roasting tray. Add oil to the tray, letting it heat up for four to five minutes. Drain the potatoes and steam dry for a few minutes. Shake the pan to roughen up the edges for extra crispiness." Chef Stuart shared his top tips for the perfect roasties: "Carefully tip the fluffed-up potatoes into the hot oil and turn to coat them evenly. Ensure the oil stays sizzling to create a crispy layer. Season generously with salt for the best crunch. "Turn the roasties regularly as they cook, aiming for golden and crunchy edges. Season with salt, pepper and any herbs or spices on the final turn before serving." Crafting impeccable roast potatoes is an art that many try, yet often stumble at due to common blunders which can spoil the batch. These rookie mistakes sometimes throw home chefs off their game, preventing them from achieving that perfect spud. Among the cardinal sins in roastie preparation are using past-their-prime spuds, drowning them in an excessive amount of oil, and overcrowding the roasting tray. Furthermore, some cooks don't give their potatoes enough oven time to reach that ideal level of roast. Experts frequently recommend parboiling followed by thorough drying and seasoning as a game-changing step towards acing crispy roast potatoes. It's critical to let them cool properly post-parboiling and before advancing to the roasting phase. For those looking to master roast potatoes, aficionados suggest going for larger potato pieces. This ensures more surface area meets with the heat of your pan or tray, turning up the crunch factor. The goal is a roastie that's fluffy within and satisfyingly crisp without. Chopping them too finely will leave you with a hard crunch rather than sublime crispiness. Moreover, the parboiling phase should only last until they soften just enough. Next, you can give them a good toss with oil, or perhaps beef drippings, to roughen their surface and infuse some flavour. Roast them until they're crispy and mouth-watering. The key stages are the boiling and roughing-up. Master these techniques, and you'll be on the path to creating superb roasties.
Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Chef's secret to perfect roast potatoes is by adding one key ingredient
A top chef has shared his expert tips on how to make the perfect roast potatoes - and it's all about adding one key ingredient to the tray to make them extra crispy and fluffy There's nothing that beats the joy of savouring scrumptious roast potatoes. When they're perfectly crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and bursting with flavour, they're simply irresistible. Yet, achieving that ideal crunch can be a bit of a challenge, with the dreaded risk of them turning soggy. Fear not, as a culinary wizard has spilled the beans on crafting the ultimate roasties - and it turns out to be simpler than you might think. The secret lies in adding a crucial component to your roasting tin to elevate the taste. Nanna Tate, a vibrant new potato brand from food giant Branston with a hefty Instagram following, has recently divulged some insider tips just for readers. By following these guidelines, you're bound to notice a significant improvement in your potato game. Chef Stuart from Nanna Tate has let us in on the tricks of the trade for creating mouth-watering roast potatoes, and it's surprisingly straightforward. The chef imparted their wisdom to British home cooks, reports the Express. The culinary expert advised: "Cut the potatoes into evenly sized chunks and simmer gently until tender but not soft. This helps the inside stay moist and fluffy during roasting. "Preheat your oven and roasting tray. Add oil to the tray, letting it heat up for four to five minutes. Drain the potatoes and steam dry for a few minutes. Shake the pan to roughen up the edges for extra crispiness." Chef Stuart advised: "Carefully tip the fluffed-up potatoes into the hot oil and turn to coat them evenly. Ensure the oil stays sizzling to create a crispy layer. Season generously with salt for the best crunch. "Turn the roasties regularly as they cook, aiming for golden and crunchy edges. Season with salt, pepper and any herbs or spices on the final turn before serving." Many home cooks mistake when whipping up roast potatoes, which can sometimes lead to less-than-perfect results. Some cardinal sins in the art of preparing roasties include utilising old spuds, an excess of oil, or overcrowding the roasting tin. Additionally, not giving the potatoes enough time in the oven is another common pitfall faced by many. Experts often recommend parboiling the potatoes first, followed by a thorough drying, cooling, and seasoning to achieve maximum crispness during roasting. When it comes to crafting the ideal roast potato, some suggest going for larger cuts, so there's more surface area against the heat of the pan or tray, ensuring they crisp up nicely. A dreamy roastie should have a soft centre but a robust, crunchy exterior. Be cautious not to chop them too small; otherwise, they may end up not only crunchy but overly hard. Furthermore, when parboiling, it's crucial to cook only to the point where they're tender. Next, you can coat them with oil, or perhaps beef drippings, to texturise their surface and enhance the taste. You should then roast them until they're crispy and scrumptious. The boiling and roughing-up stages are the crucial steps to master. Perfect these techniques, and you'll be well on your way to crafting superb roasties.
Business Mayor
05-05-2025
- Health
- Business Mayor
Potatoes will stay fresh for up to three times longer when kept in this one place
Potatoes are a kitchen staple used in a number of plates. Whether you enjoy them as a meal on their own, baked and loaded up with your topping of choice, they can also be roasted or simply boiled to make for a tasty side. But when it comes to cooking them, you might notice that your potatoes have turned green and begun to sprout, and while this isn't necessarily dangerous, it can be unpleasant and leave you feeling sick. Leaving them in the plastic packaging they come in can in fact lead to them going bad faster. Potatoes need proper ventilation and a dry storage environment, but plastic packaging simply traps moisture, spoiling the vegetable. It's not just moisture that can spoil potatoes, but heat too, and with summer fast approaching, knowing how to keep potatoes fresh in warm weather is essential. Generally, it's advised to store potatoes in a cool place, but even if you do keep them in a shady and cooler spot in your kitchen, it can be hard to maintain this in the warmer months. Potatoes should ideally be stored in a place that doesn't reach more than 10C in order to preserve their freshness and quality, but you might want to try keeping them in a different spot in the kitchen over the warmer months. Lucia Washbrook, sales and marketing director at potato brand Nanna Tate, has shared advice on how to preserve the 'freshness and quality' of potatoes over summer, preventing any 'sprouting' and ensuring you can use them in your favourite recipes. Warm environments with a lot of light exposure can quickly spoil potatoes. To avoid this, Lucia recommends that you 'keep them in a dark place, or use a cotton or hessian storage bag that blocks the light.' Surprisingly, the sales and marketing director also shared that keeping potatoes in the vegetable section of the fridge is 'a great option during the warmer months if a cool cupboard isn't available'. Previous advice has warned against keeping potatoes in the fridge as this can cause cold-induced sweetening and increase the formation of acrylamide, a potentially harmful substance, but new research suggests otherwise. The Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) has found that storing potatoes in the fridge below 5C can extend the shelf life of potatoes, and keep them fresh for up to three times longer. The peer-reviewed scientific research also found that storing potatoes in the fridge doesn't increase acrylamide anymore than keeping potatoes in the cupboard. With an estimated 180,000 tonnes of fresh potatoes going to waste every year according to WRAP, knowing how to store them properly can prevent unnecessary waste and help you get more out of them in the kitchen. READ SOURCE
