10/10 'Markies' for Pauline's Roast Potatoes
Mentioning roast potatoes or Yorkshire puddings in a pub can start a debate that'll go on for hours! Oven temperature, parboil or not, type of fat, they'll be argued back and forth ad infinitum. And yet, in the case of roast potatoes, it's less likely to be the way you're cooking them, as the variety of potato you use that makes the difference. Something that the bar-room chefs often overlook.
Some potatoes just don't make good roasts (or for that matter chips!). In fact, most potatoes don't make good roasts. Until recently, I'd have said that the best potatoes for roasts that were readily available were Maris Piper, King Edward's and Desiree. Use these, parboil them for 5 - 7 minutes, cook them in preheated fat (lard, goose fat, vegetable oil etc) at 190°C - 210°C, and you won't usually go far wrong.
However, at this time of year there's a break in our supply of last season's local main-crop potatoes. We've resorted to the supermarket for 'spuds' which usually means Maris piper, but recently they've made awful roasts. You see, what can happen as a potato ages is that the starches in them can turn to sugars and they then make the worst roasties imaginable! Such was the case this year and I thought I'd either got to forgo my Sunday roast taters, or resort to 'Aunty So and So's' (please believe that I'm made by a little old dear, not in a mahoosive factory) frozen ones.
However, a new variety of potato called Markies has come to my rescue. They may have a daft name, but they're a great potato for frying and roasting. We got them from ALDI; I hope they still have them when we go again, 'cos they make one of the best roast potatoes I've ever had. If they can do this so late in the season, what must they be like earlier?
If you get a chance, try them for yourselves - and don't forget to let me know what you think.
Damnation! Blast! And other naughty words like that. I made a special trip to ALDIS to get some of those spuds (roast tatties are one of my weaknesses) and the bas…… sods hadn’t got any, but “not to worry sir, we will have some more next week”, I was assured. (Mutter, mutter, mumble, groan ……that Phil probably bought the lot!)