Aunt Bessies for Christmas dinner

Aunt Bessies for Christmas dinner

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Discussion

LeadFarmer

7,411 posts

130 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
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Has to be properly roasted potatoes for me. Part boiled, drained and bashed about in the pan, tipped into a dish of hot oil, sprinkled with semolina, then roasted.

adsk

85 posts

158 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
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Will be trying this roast potato method at the weekend as a pre-Christmas trial - parboiling with some bicarb in the water. http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/12/the-bes...

eatontrifles

1,442 posts

233 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
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Piersman2 said:
ETA - the AB's roat potatoes need to go in way, way longer than it says on the pack, about an hour, with regularly turning and basting to get them witha thin crispy shell and not much more than mash inside. Mmmm... getting hungry now.
Errrrr..... Barring the preboil (10 mins) that's pretty much the same as 'real' roasties.

Bill

52,479 posts

254 months

Wednesday 7th December 2016
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FiF said:
... YP with maple syrup. lick
Wrong wrong wrong!





And yet, so right. Why didn't I think of that? lick

fredt

847 posts

146 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
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MX51ROD said:
the saving on kitchen utensils in using these and other products got me thinking .
100% agree, the washing up after doing Yorkshires is a nightmare. The bowl takes forever and don't even get me started on the whisk!

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
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Bill said:
FiF said:
... YP with maple syrup. lick
Wrong wrong wrong!





And yet, so right. Why didn't I think of that? lick
Sweet topping? Make them flat and call them pancakes!

Roast potatoes - has to be goose fat and, love him or loathe him, Jamie Oliver has a great recipe using garlic and red wine vinegar. They were superb!

OP: I think the dilemma is getting the balance between cooking the 'best' meal all year, in which case you probably wouldn't go the Aunt Bessie route, and enjoying all the other mayhem that the day brings. I'd focus on what would give me the biggest buzz - enjoying the mayhem or serving up the most impressive meal you can and pleasing your guests that way. A friend of mine has 20+ people over for Christmas every year. OK, people bring stuff and help out to a degree, but he gets his kick out of being a host and 'caterer' for the day. He is knackered by the evening though!

Loyly

17,990 posts

158 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
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Aunt Bessie's for Christmas lunch? Appalling. I presume you'll be serving Carling and Lambrini to your guests as well, whilst you all smoke at the table?

anonymous-user

53 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
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I presume the OP is talking about the "new" AB roasties? I got a pack free with my nectar points, so gave them a go last night.

God they are like crack! for pre-prepared spuds they came out lovely golden and crisp and tasted awesome.

I will stick to the traditional method as some have described for the weekend roast, but for a midweek treat they were great!

darker grapefruit

360 posts

99 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
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FredAstaire said:
Roast potatos arent difficult. And most people see the roast potatos as the star attraction of the roast dinner, so I definelty wouldnt use frozen for that part.

Probably would use shop bought yorkshire puddings as mine turn out rubbish most times.
Has Dan Quayle stolen the 'e' from your spuds ?

98elise

26,376 posts

160 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
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FredAstaire said:
i'm an avowed carnivore, but absolutely the best bit of the dinner is the roast potato.
Agreed, and they must be the right kind of potato, and very very crispy on the outside. My wife cooks a brilliant roast potato, but I'm thinking of having a go at the perfect spud using some if the triple cooked chip method.

Sheetmaself

5,663 posts

197 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
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You could even make them now yourself and freeze them, search 10penceshorts recipe for the yorkies.

But my god no to aunt bessies anything.

bomb

3,691 posts

283 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
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adsk said:
Will be trying this roast potato method at the weekend as a pre-Christmas trial - parboiling with some bicarb in the water. http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/12/the-bes...
Please test this asap, and post up the results ! They look very tasty. Get to it please. smile

Piersman2

6,596 posts

198 months

Friday 9th December 2016
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Loving all the judgemental anti Aunt Bessie nazis, probably the same folks that would never go near a KFC! laugh

Love a dirty KFC every couple of weeks me. lick

Piersman2

6,596 posts

198 months

Friday 9th December 2016
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anonymous said:
[redacted]
No , because I'd be looking forward to my Aunt Bessie roasties, honey roast parsnips and yorshire puds with bread sauce and gravy. There might even be some kind of meat on the plate as well! smile

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 9th December 2016
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Loyly said:
Aunt Bessie's for Christmas lunch? Appalling. I presume you'll be serving Carling and Lambrini to your guests as well, whilst you all smoke at the table?
I would love a xmas like this without all the pretentious crap.

Chicken Chaser

7,744 posts

223 months

Friday 9th December 2016
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Aunt Bessies? I even frown on this during the year! Always like to make my own Yorkshire puds, they're the crowning glory on a plate of Sunday lunch, and should be nurtured and developed according to taste.

My recipe is 100g flour, 3 eggs, 1/2 pint of milk, pinch of salt. Whisked and left to sit for a bit. Olive oil in the tray, heated til its very hot, oven up to 230c. Put in the puds for 20 mins, then turn the oven down to 160c. At that point, the oven should be ok to open but prefer to keep it closed up until 25 mins when they should be nice and crispy on the outside, but still fluffy without being gooey inside.

I don't do roast potatoes that often though, so may be tempted to try these new ones, but i'll still be doing my own in goose fat for Christmas.

fttm

3,667 posts

134 months

Friday 9th December 2016
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OP , use free range eggs for your Yorkshires and you'll never go near ABs again . Buying frozen roasties , wtf ?

ali_kat

31,988 posts

220 months

Friday 9th December 2016
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Piersman2 said:
ETA - the AB's roat potatoes need to go in way, way longer than it says on the pack, about an hour, with regularly turning and basting to get them witha thin crispy shell and not much more than mash inside. Mmmm... getting hungry now.
May as well cook your own from scratch then!!

Evolved

3,553 posts

186 months

Friday 9th December 2016
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Mental note, don't go to the OP's for Xmas dinner..

IanCormac

1,894 posts

192 months

Friday 9th December 2016
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Get your wife a cookbook. It should be a mandatory requirement for all wifes to be able to cook up an excellent roast dinner.