While the meat is one of the most hotly-debated topics when it comes to Christmas dinner, and some of us don’t really find ourselves getting necessarily excited about vegetables, there’s one thing we can all agree on — roast potatoes are often the star of the plate.
Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, perfect for stacking up with other bits of the dinner and great for soaking up gravy, roast potatoes really are what brings the entire dining experience together.
However, if you really want to nail the spuds and impress your loved ones this Christmas, the variety that you cook with is essential, and who better to learn from than Gordon Ramsay himself?
Now, while it may be tempting to pick up any old potatoes in the Christmas rush, on his website, everybody’s favourite sweary chef shares that there’s only one type you should go for, and that’s ‘floury’ potatoes. These are the ones that ensure the delicious fluffy taste we all know and love.
Floury potatoes include Maris Pipers and King Edwards, which can both be found in your local supermarket (though I wouldn’t wait much longer to do the Christmas food shop) and when cooked at 200°C in your chosen fat are perfection.
According to the experts at Professional Secrets, the reason that we go for floury potatoes beyond the texture is their versatility when it comes to adding flavour. They say: “Floury potatoes need to be cooked to come into their own. They can be boiled, oven baked, or add their mild, slightly nutty flavor to gratins, soups, casseroles, mash and purées.
“Their flouriness means that they do fall apart easily but it also means that they absorb flavours better than waxy potatoes.”
My mouth is watering at the thought...
