GOOD NATURED SPLENDID SPUDS - ESSENTIAL CHRISTMAS ROASTIES

 

Grown in harmony with mother nature, using only natural predators (good bugs) to control pests (bad bugs) and disease, you can be assured that this buried treasure is pesticide residue free. The whole of the Good Natured range, which includes soft fruit, salads, herbs and vegetables, is good natured both by name and good natured by nature, as all of the packaging is 100% biodegradeable.

 

We’re all agreed that good Christmas Roasties are an absolute essential. There are no hard and fast rules as to which potato you should use, however Good Natured Splendid Spuds have an almost ‘buttery’ flavour and a smooth waxy texture – ideal for making the turkey’s favourite oven partner.

Everyone has their own secret recipe when it comes to creating the ultimate roasties. Nigella Lawson par-boils her potatoes, drains, then adds some semolina before giving the pan a quick shake. When Delia gets to the draining stage she then recommends putting the lid on and giving the potatoes a really good ‘shake, rattle and roll’ to fluff and roughen up the edges to deliver a really crunchy spud. The lovely Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall favours setting his par-boiled pots aside until they have cooled completely. He then scratches the surface of each potato with a fork and sprinkles the lot with a little salt before they go into the sizzling fat.

 

There are lots of opinions on the best fat to use as well, but here at Potato HQ, we favour Goose Fat which has a rich, silky texture and subtle, savoury flavour, ideal for making the best-tasting roast potatoes.

1. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water. Bring to the boil then boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes

2. Switch the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7 and place the goose fat in a large roasting tin towards the top of the oven

3. Drain the potatoes (reserving a bit of the water for gravy, stock or soup). Return them to the pan and shake vigorously to roughen up the edges

4. Take the tin from the oven and add the potatoes. Turn them quickly in the oil then cook at the top of the oven for 50-60 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking until golden on the outside and cooked through

5. Drain and sprinkle with salt and serve at once

 

Good Natured Splendid Spuds come in an easy carry 2kg biodegradable bag and are sold in selected Asda stores nationwide, priced at £1.57.

If you are considering your Christmas dinner as the days are disappearing fast, when it comes to potatoes I was sent the Good Natured potatoes. They are available in Asda they are a really good price, they are pest and chemical free. If that hasn't sold it to you then I can also tell you they are very tasty.

I have eaten them with a chicken casserole teamed with the Good Natured Carrots see my other review here . They are flavoursome very fresh tasting and the potatoes are creamy and light in mash. 

 I tried them in a roast dinner too so that I could vet them for a possible purchase for Christmas meals.  They passed and let me tell you I am Irish its a given that potatoes are the

best I can have.

Chris and I both love making roast potatoes and our tip is to par boil and then use a fork to rough up the surface. Roll in flour and then put into scorching hot almost smoking fat on a good high heat. We cook at gas mark 7.


 Good Natured recommend ASDA Extra Special Goose Fat with an RRP of £2 for a 200g jar (prices correct at the time of printing).


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For more recipes using goose fat visit http://www.goosefat.co.uk/page/home