PARBOIL SWEET POTATOES RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
  2. Peel the potatoes, cut them into even-sized chunky wedges and parboil in a large pan of boiling salted water for 10 minutes.
  3. Drain in a colander, leave to steam dry completely, then divide the wedges between two large roasting trays.
  4. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of oil into each tray, and season with sea salt and black pepper. Toss together and spread out into a single layer. Roast for 45 minutes, or until lightly golden, tossing gently halfway.
  5. Meanwhile, peel and slice the onions and garlic. When the time’s up on the potatoes, scatter over the onions and garlic, then pour over the balsamic.
  6. Roast for 50 minutes to 1 hour, using a fish slice to carefully turn the potatoes in all the sticky balsamic yumminess a few times during cooking, and adding the butter and thyme leaves to the party for the last 10 minutes. In the spirit of this bonkers but genius dish, if you’re in any doubt when you turn them that it’s doing the right thing, just be brave and add an extra drizzle of balsamic, then return to the oven until gnarly and roasted.
  7. Serve on a platter sprinkled with the rocket. This is amazing served as a side dish with any roasted or grilled meat, but is also brilliant as part of a Boxing Day buffet spread with cold cuts of meat. I’ve even enjoyed it as a lovely lunch with a big old salad. Delicious.

Steps:

• 1. Parboil the potatoes over a medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until they are starting to get tender but still hold their shape. Drain in a colander and leave to steam dry until cool.
  2. Meanwhile, put a pan on a lowheat and start your bravas sauce. Add a lug of olive oil and, once hot, add the chopped onion and sliced garlic. Cook for 5 minutes, or until the onion is soft but not coloured. Add the chillies, carrot and thyme leaves and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the tinned tomatoes, sherry vinegar and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the carrots are soft and the sauce is lovely and thick.
  3. While your sauce simmers, put a large frying pan on a medium heat and add 0.5cm of olive oil. Cut your potatoes into large bite-sized chunks. Once the oil is hot, carefully add your potatoes to the pan. Cook them for around 8 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden all over. You’ll need to do this in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Add your garlic and rosemary leaves to the pan for the last minute of cooking.
  4. Transfer the potatoes, garlic and rosemary to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain, then scatter over the paprika, fennel seeds and a good pinch of salt and toss together until well coated.
  5. Carefully tip your cooked sauce into a blender, or use a hand blender, and whiz until lovely and smooth. Have a taste, and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve in a jug next to your potatoes or, if youwant to be more traditional, pour the sauce over your potatoes before serving and toss together like I've done here. If you have any leftover sauce, use it with pasta or on a homemade pizza.