Brit Pot revival! The perfect roast potato
Roast potatoes are one of the most traditional of British side dishes. But really great roast potatoes, ones that are crisp on the outside and soft and fluffy in the middle, need really great potatoes. You can’t make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear and you can’t make super roasties from just any old spud.
For the Roasties range Sainsbury’s and Greenvale AP, the UK’s largest supplier of fresh potatoes, have looked at what makes a great roastie. They’ve gone back to the traditional British potato breeds that were popular years ago when home cooking was at its zenith and roast potatoes were staple fodder.
The real ‘Brit Pots’ are heritage breeds that have stood the test of time in terms of taste and versatility. They may have vanished from the supermarket shelves because of their short growing season but they have been kept alive by gourmets and specialist growers alike.
Now Sainsbury’s has decided it’s time for a Brit Pot revival. The heritage breeds that passed Sainsbury’s taste tests include Red Duke of York – a variety with moist yellow flesh and a superb flavour, Red King Edward – a red version of the traditional King Edward which is even better to eat and has white flesh, Edzell Blue – an unusual variety, prized for its excellent taste, beautiful blue skin and white flesh, and British Queen – a 100 year-old variety, well known for its good shape, white skin and white flesh packed with taste. All these varieties are perfect for roasting and are set to regain pride of place on the British dining table.
Greenvale works closely with its growers to ensure only the best and tastiest potatoes make it to the shelves. These special varieties are only grown in small quantities by dedicated and expert farmers so each harvest mimics the profiles of home-grown produce.
Although Sainsbury’s and Greenvale recommend these varieties for roasties they are also suitable for mashing and chipping. The Roasties are available in 1kg packs from Sainsbury’s stores. Because of the short growing period the variety in the bag will vary, according to the time of year, but their great British taste remains unchallenged.
For more information visit the Greenvale AP website at www.greenvale.co.uk
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Editor’s notes
Greenvale AP is the UK’s leading supplier of fresh potatoes and was awarded the Queens Award for Innovation in 2006. Greenvale AP now supplies the UK’s premier retailers, caterers and processing outlets with quality potatoes, meeting the high standards demanded by the UK market.
Greenvale AP has developed sites in the major potato growing areas across the UK, resulting in three state of the art potato-packing operations situated in Shropshire, Berwickshire and Cambridgeshire. The company also has sales and marketing offices across the UK, including in Norfolk, Suffolk, Somerset, Hereford and Yorkshire. Greenvale AP’s Seed Potato operation is managed from a specialist office at Burrelton, near Perth in Scotland.
Vales Sovereign, a new potato variety from Greenvale AP, won ‘Variety of the Year’ in the Tesco Fresh Produce Category Awards, held on November 20th 2008 at Royal Lancaster Hotel in London. Announcing the award, Alex Dower, the Category Director for Tesco, commended both the sales performance and Greenvale’s work in escalating the availability of Vales Sovereign.
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Recipe suggestion:
Traditional roast potatoes with modern attitude
To make perfect roast potatoes choose Sainsbury’s heritage breed Roasties – they really do make the best roast potatoes – use 3oz goose fat or lard for a traditional taste or 4 tablespoons olive oil instead for a slightly different more modern taste. You’ll also need a solid-based shallow roasting tin. A 1kg bag will serve 4 to 5 people depending on how hungry they are!
1) Peel the potatoes and cut into even size pieces. Place in a saucepan and cover with boiling water. Par boil for about 10mins until the outer edges are soft and fluffy.
2) Meanwhile put the fat/oil into the roasting tin and place in an oven while it heats to 220°C.
3) Drain the potatoes and return them to the saucepan and replace the lid and rough them up a bit. This step is vitally important for crispy roasties and is recommended by most expert cooks.
4) Pop the roughed up potatoes into the hot olive fat/oil and mix them round a bit. Roast for 40 to 50 minutes.
5) Remove from the oven when they are crispy and golden. Transfer to a heated serving dish and serve immediately. Do not hang around with roast potatoes before serving as they will lose their crispiness!