Rustic Marinated Roast Potatoes

This dish has long be a beloved favourite of ours, whenever cooked for friends and family – no-one can seem to get enough of the salty, herbal marinated goodness. These are simply irresistible and still delicious the next day… if they last that long!

Let's get started...

What you need:
10 medium sized potatoes (use clean potatoes, not brushed)
4 large sprigs of rosemary
3 tablespoons thyme leaves
6 large cloves of garlic
5 teaspoons salted butter (or duck fat)
Olive oil (used through-out)
Pink rock salt
Cracked pepper
Mortar & pestle




Firstly, get a large soup pot filled halfway with water onto boil. The trick with the potatoes is that we par-boil them to the point where when touched with a fork, they fluff/flake slightly. This allows the potatoes to absorb all the yummy goodness in the marinade.

Add a good pinch of salt to the water, as this will remove any dirt from the potatoes. No need to wash or peel potatoes first. Make sure you don’t use ‘brushed potatoes’ – if you choose to, you do need to wash and peel these!

Preheat your oven to 200deg and place a large baking tray in the oven to heat up.

Cut your potatoes in half lengthways, then into small chunks. I generally get 12 little chunks from one potato. Feel free to mix up your sizes... Some people love the little crunchy bits.

Add your potatoes to the boiling water and now get started with your marinade.

Grab your mortar and pestle, remove all rosemary and thyme leaves from stem and chop a couple of rough times. It doesn't matter if there are large chunks, you are about to beat them all up!

On your chopping block, smash all cloves of garlic with the flat edge of your knife (as pictured below) then dice the garlic.

Add the garlic, rosemary and thyme to your mortar and pestle. Add a teaspoon of salt, a good hit of pepper and a small splash of olive oil. Smash up all these ingredients until the consistency becomes pulp-like. Add more oil and smash it up again... keep adding oil until you have a nice flavoured marinade. Generally, on my small mortar it ends up half filled with oil that is a rich green colour from the herbs.

Test a tater...
The potatoes are ready if the outside is fluffy/flakes a little when touched with a fork. Once they are like this simply strain and set aside.

Remove your baking tray from the pre-heated oven, add the teaspoons of butter (or duck fat).
Add the potatoes and give them a good swirl around until butter is melted. I generally 'almost' squash a few potato bits so they really absorb all the marinade!

Spoon your marinade all over your potatoes and toss them around so they are all covered. Place in oven for 50 mins (turning every now and then so they are evenly crisp!)

I always add a little more heat at the end and turn it up to 220deg to really crisp the outsides up.

Once you've done these marinated rustic potatoes, you'll find this recipe a breeze and your family and friends will devour every last one!

Enjoy.

- O&O