Why do people rave about potatoes roasted in goose or duck fat? Because they get ridiculously crispy on the outside. Goose (and duck) fat has a very high smoke point which means that it can withstand very high oven temperatures without smoking. The hotter the oil the potatoes cook in, the crispier the result. Plus, goose fat has the added benefit of tasting good.
To make ideal roast potatoes, they must also be soft and fluffy on the inside. The parboiling step will achieve this here, as will using the starchy russet potato. To up the crunch factor on the exterior, I stole a play from my ultimate french fry recipe and added vinegar to the boiling water. It helps create a dehydrated layer of gelatinized starch. Then bash the potatoes around in the bowl to rough up/ increase the surface area of the potato- in other words, make little peaks and valleys that will crisp up in the hot fat.
I made these to serve alongside my roasted goose; the fat had not rendered from that goose yet so I bought goose fat for just this occasion. I had to order it from the same place I ordered my goose; I have had quite good luck finding duck fat from my local store regularly. If you don’t care to invest so heavily in one meal, I recommend checking our your grocery for duck fat.
To round out the meal, I made honey glazed carrots and a simple green salad. Simple, sweet and light- perfect to offsite the rich goose and the crispy/ fluffy roast potatoes. Enjoy!
Roast Potatoes:
4 1/2 pounds of russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
salt
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/4 cup goose fat (or duck fat)
freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Put the goose fat into a large baking sheet (large enough so the potatoes can be laid flat). Put the pan in the oven,
Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover them with water by 1 inch. Add the vinegar and 2 tablespoons of salt. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, reduce to a simmer and cook until the exteriors are tender, about 6 minutes. The potatoes will not be cooked through. Drain the potatoes and transfer to a large bowl.
Season the potatoes with salt and pepper, and toss repeatedly with a spoon to rough up the outsides of the potatoes.
Remove the roasting pan from the oven CAREFULLY; the fat will be screamingly hot. Spoon in the potatoes and toss in the hot fat. You ought ti hear sizzling straight away.
Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, flip the potatoes with a spatula and roast for a further 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are beautifully golden brown. Remove the potatoes to a plate and sprinkle with salt. Serve with the glazed carrots and ideally, roast goose.
Glazed carrots:
Ingredients:
1 pound of carrots, cut into 2 inch length
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper
salt
chopped parsley, for garnish
Method:
In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Generously salt the water, and add the carrots. Cook the carrots until tender, abut 5 minutes.
Drain the carrots and add them back to the pan with butter, honey, lemon juice and pepper. Cook until a glaze coats the carrots, about 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Enjoy!
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