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The humble potato: whether mashed, fried, baked or roasted, there are many different ways to cook one. However you prepare it though, one thing's for sure – it’s hard to beat a spud as a comfort food.
Most of us who like to cook at home know the basics when it comes to cooking potatoes: we can knock up a crispy roast potato, sure, or work up a creamy mash and we all know that when it comes to potatoes, fat is your friend.
However, if you’re looking to take your potato cooking up a level, you’ll love these recipes from chef Adam Smith of Michelin-starred Woven restaurant at Coworth Park in England. He’s got the ultimate recipes for chunky chips, mash, loaded potato skins and much more. Enjoy!
1. Beef fat potatoes
At Woven, Adam Smith serves his beef fat potato (top right) with Hereford beef, onion, tendon and tongue
Serves: 2
Equipment needed
2 x 9cm/3.5-inch x 4cm/1.6-inch pan
1 greaseproof paper cartouche, 9cm/3.5-inch diameter
Japanese mandolin
35mm/1.4-inch round cutter
Large sauté pan
Pastry brush
Ingredients
800g/1.8lbs peeled Agria potatoes (as large as possible)
250g/0.5lbs beef dripping
2 cloves of garlic
Salt and pepper
Method
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Place the dripping into a saucepan to slowly melt.
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Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F.
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Slice one potato 3mm thick on a Japanese mandolin.
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Stamp out 15 discs using the cutter.
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Slice another potato 2mm thick on the Japanese mandolin.
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Cut these into 2cm/0.8-inch-wide strips keeping them as long as possible (you will need at least 16 strips).
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Ensure to keep all of the potato trimmings.
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Reserve all of the cut discs and strips to one side.
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Any leftover potatoes should be sliced 3mm thick.
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In a large sauté pan add roughly ½ the beef dripping before adding the potatoes.
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Cook these slowly for 6-8 minutes on a low heat.
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While the potatoes are cooking, finely chop the garlic cloves before adding to the potatoes along with salt and pepper.
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Continue to cook for a further 6-8 minutes until the potatoes are evenly cooked and without colour.
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Brush the bottom and sides of your pan with beef fat and gently warm.
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Arrange the discs on the bottom of the pan, starting with one disc at the centre and the rest slightly overlapping around that to form a perfect galette.
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Take the strips of potatoes and start to place these up the sides of the pan ensuring there is a slight overlap on the galette at the bottom and that they overhang the top rim of the pan. Continue until all sides are covered.
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Press the cooked potatoes and garlic into the middle of the pan until 4/5 full.
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Fold the overhang of potato strips into the centre and then cover with the greaseproof paper cartouche.
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Place the second pan on the top as a weight.
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Spoon over 3 tablespoons of beef dripping before putting the pan onto the stove on low heat. Cook for around 10-12 minutes, be careful the fat will start to bubble over.
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Keeping the pan on top, place into the oven at 175°C/350°F for 40 minutes.
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Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 8-10 minutes before turning out (the potatoes should be beautifully golden brown and crispy).
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Season with a little sea salt and serve.
Note: the type of potatoes will vary throughout the year, however in general if a potato is good for roasting or chips (fries) it will work.
2. Chunky chips
3. Crushed Jersey Royals
Crushed Jersey Royals, similar to Adam Smith's recipe. Photo: iStock
Serves: 6
Ingredients
1kg/2.2lbs Jersey Royal potatoes
2 banana shallots
Handful of mint leaves (plus stalks)
1 lemon
100g/3.5oz salted butter
200ml/6.8 fl. oz rapeseed oil (best quality possible)
Sea salt
Milled pepper
Method
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First, wash and scrub all of the potatoes. IMPORTANT: do not peel, just scrub or scrape with the back of a knife.
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Place into a heavy-bottomed pan, season with salt and cover with cold water.
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Bring to the boil and simmer until just cooked.
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Remove from heat and add the mint stalks and allow to cool to room temperature.
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Peel and finely dice the shallots.
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Dice the mint leaves into 3mm squares.
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Add the butter to a saucepan and then the potatoes over low heat.
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Using a large table fork start to crush the potatoes.
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Add in the finely diced shallot and then the rapeseed oil.
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Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
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Once hot and well-seasoned finish with the diced mint leaves and the zest of a lemon.
This is the perfect accompaniment to a fish dish!
4. Ultimate mash
5. Potato and Cheddar gratin
Serves: 6
Equipment needed
Japanese mandolin
Cheese garter
Ceramic roasting tray
Ingredients
1kg/2.2lbs Maris Piper potatoes (peeled)
600ml/20 fl. oz double cream
400ml/13.5 fl. oz milk
6 cloves garlic
2 shallots
100g/3.5oz butter
Sprig of thyme
Sprig of rosemary
200ml/6.8 fl. oz white wine
200g/7oz finely grated parmesan
300g/10.6oz grated mature Cheddar
Salt and pepper
Method
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Peel and thinly slice both the shallots and the garlic cloves.
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In a heavy-bottomed pan add the butter and the sliced shallots, garlic, thyme and rosemary, and sweat without colour until soft.
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Add the white wine and reduce to a syrup.
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Add the double cream and milk then bring to a simmer, season with salt and pepper.
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Slice the peeled potatoes around 3mm thick before adding to the cream and milk mixture.
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Slowly simmer until the potatoes are just soft but not totally cooked.
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Drain the potatoes in a colander, reserving all of the liquid and picking out the herbs.
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Pass the liquid through a fine sieve and return to a low heat.
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Whisk in the parmesan and 1/3 of the mature Cheddar until totally dissolved and check for seasoning.
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Start to layer the cooked potato slices evenly across the bottom of the roasting tray.
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Spoon over a thin layer of the cheesy cream mix and a sprinkle of the mature Cheddar (use the second 1/3 of Cheddar for the inner layers).
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Repeat this until all of the potatoes are in the roasting tray.
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Spoon an even layer of the creamy cheese mix over the top so you can no longer see any of the potatoes.
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Evenly sprinkle the final 1/3 of the grated Cheddar on the top.
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Place into a preheated oven at 170°C/340°F for 1 hour.
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It should be beautifully golden brown and crisp on the top.
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Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10-12 minutes before serving.
6. The most loaded potato skins
Loaded potato skins, similar to Adam Smith's recipe. Photo: iStock
Serves: 6
Ingredients
6 medium-sized Maris piper potatoes
6 spring onions
50g/1.8oz butter
100g/3.5oz sour cream
2 banana shallots, finely diced
3 tbsp chopped gherkins
3 tbsp chopped chives
3 tbsp chopped dill
1 tsp Dijon mustard
100g/3.5g finely grated parmesan
Rapeseed oil
Salt
For the ultimate treat add caviar!
Method
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First, wash the potatoes under cold water and use a clean nail brush to scrub off all of the soil.
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Dry the potatoes and prick with a fork before seasoning well with salt and placing into a pre-heated oven at 170°C/340°F for 1 hour.
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Once the potatoes are soft, remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
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Cut each potato in half and using a dessert spoon scoop out the centre leaving a 3mm layer of flesh around the skin, keep all of the flesh in a large mixing bowl.
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Using a dessert fork add the diced shallots, sliced spring onions, gherkins, chives, dill, mustard and sour cream to the potato flesh.
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Mix with the fork until evenly distributed and season with salt and pepper.
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Split the mix evenly between the 12 skins and spoon back in.
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Sprinkle with the grated parmesan before returning to the baking tray.
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Cook at 170°C/340°F until the tops are golden brown.
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Remove from the oven and rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.
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For a really special treat cover these with caviar, it’s amazing!
7. Roast potatoes
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