The Roast Potato Mistake Chefs Never Make

Roast potatoesI like to consider myself a potato proficient. I make decent mash, adequately fluffy chips, and crispy-enough roasties (the secret’s as much in the cooling as it is in the cooking).But if I’m being really honest with myself, I wish the latter were a little crunchier. I want the first bite of a roast potato to be near-deafening, and I’m not there yet.Good news, though: after reading the advice of Nigella Lawson, Gordon Ramsay, and Mary Berry, all the experts seem to agree on a simple technique for shatteringly crisp skins. And they all skip a step I’d grown up using, too.Add semolina to your roasties All three chefs place semolina on their roast potatoes after par-boiling and “chuffing” them (or shaking them in a colander). I’d grown up hearing that a dash of regular wheat flour is the best option at this point. But as Nigella said, “I think dredging the potatoes – and this is a family practice, inherited through the maternal line – in semolina rather than flour after parboiling, then really rattling the pan around to make the potatoes a bit mashed on the surface so they catch more in the hot fat, is a major aid”. For Mary’s part, she said “the semolina adds an extra crunchy coating” for “ultra crispy and golden” spuds. And Gordon’s site shared that “shaking up the edges, coating in semolina and getting the fat really hot first all help ensure crispy, golden outsides while the middles remain fluffy”.Looks like it’s pretty consistently beloved, then. Why does semolina make roast potatoes crispy?Semolina absorbs the moisture from the outer layer of the potato.And when it comes into contact with hot oil or fat, Food Republic explained that it turns into a crispy matrix that’s a little like the exterior of fried chicken.But it won’t do all the work. Leaving your parboiled potatoes in a colander long enough for most of the steam to evaporate – even letting them sit in the fridge overnight – is key, too. Related...The Common Mistake Chefs Never Make When Roasting VegetablesSo THAT's Why Restaurant Pasta Is So Much BetterSo THAT's Why Restaurant Risotto Tastes So Much Better

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