Ghee-roasted potatoes

Name: Ghee-roasted potatoes
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 4-6
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1kg regular, brushed potatoes; sea salt; pinch of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda); 80g ghee* or clarified butter or duck fat; flaky sea salt

Danielle Alvarez

December 2, 2022

easyTime:1-2 hoursServes:4-6

I was once at a Christmas gathering with some Australian and English friends. The Englishman jokingly asked to see the passport of the person in charge of the potatoes, insinuating that only a compatriot would do them justice. I'll give it to them, the Brits certainly do know their way around a roast potato: creamy on the inside, crispy on the outside and completely moreish. This is my go-to recipe.

Ingredients

1kg regular, brushed potatoes
sea salt
pinch of bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
80g ghee* or clarified butter or duck fat
flaky sea salt

Method

1. Peel and dice your potatoes, leaving them really chunky. Place them into a pot and cover with cold water. Add a generous amount of sea salt and a pinch of bicarb soda and bring to a boil. Boil until completely tender.
2. Preheat your oven to 200C fan-forced (215C conventional).
3. Drain potatoes through a sieve or colander and bash them about a bit to make edges rough.
4. Put ghee on a baking sheet and place it in oven to preheat. When it's nice and hot, tip the potatoes onto the sheet and toss them around until well-coated. Bake for 45-60 minutes. Exactly how long will depend on the kind of potatoes. You want them to be golden brown and crispy all over, so stir them around and rotate your pan every 20 minutes or so.
5. When done, remove them from the oven, toss with flaky sea salt and serve hot.
*Note: Ghee can be purchased already prepared. To make your own, simply place 150g butter in a pot and melt and simmer until all the liquid has evaporated and the butter is just beginning to brown. Quickly strain it through a fine sieve and store in the fridge to use as needed.
This recipe features in Good Weekend's festive feast