Parmentier Potatoes

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Posh Potatoes in a Jiffy – Parmentier Potatoes.

This is one of those recipes you need to know about. Delicious and mouthwatering, laced with herbs and garlic, crispy Parmentier Potatoes will posh up every meal from sausages to salmon – and if you are really in need of comfort food, just grate a little cheese over the top of a bowlful for a foodie version of cheesy chips.  You need one potato per person, a little vegetable oil, a handful of herbs, a little fresh garlic and, if you like, some thinly sliced onions.

It’s possible to make these Parmentier potatoes on the hob in a frying pan, but the easiest method is to oven bake them.

Start with floury potatoes, one per person.  And, a large roasting pan that will hold all the potato pieces in one layer.  Put a tablespoon of vegetable oil per person (not olive oil) in the roasting pan and pop it in the oven, set at 180C.  Peel the potatoes and cut into chunks about 2cm in size.  Put them in a pan of cold water with a pinch of salt and bring to the boil.  Cook for no more than 5 minutes, then drain well and season with salt and pepper.

Put the potatoes into the roasting pan in one layer, with as much space in between the pieces as possible and turn them over to coat in the hot oil.  Then roast in the oven for 20 minutes.

Once the potatoes are beginning to colour, add the herbs and garlic and turn the chunks over.  Put the roasting pan back in the oven for another 20 minutes or so until the potatoes are crispy on the outside and soft and fluffy inside.  Drain on kitchen roll to remove any excess oil and serve.

I don’t usually add onions as they tend to make the potatoes a little soft.  Lyonnaise potatoes, another recipe I’ll share at some point, are traditionally cooked on the hob and DO include sliced onions.  But, you cook the onions separately so that the potatoes retain their texture and stay crispy.

My favourite herb for Parmentier potatoes is rosemary – fresh from the garden.  Sometimes I’ll add thyme or sage too, depending on what I am serving the potatoes with.  And, a little fresh parsley to offset a heavy dose of plump garlic.

It’s important not to add the herbs and garlic too early in the cooking as they will burn and lose a lot of their flavour.  15 to 20 minutes is perfect.  If you don’t have fresh herbs, then personally I’d skip them altogether and season the potatoes with garlic and perhaps a little smoked paprika.

Here’s the printable recipe together with nutritional information

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