In the end isn’t a roast all about the roast potatoes? While we all love a roast, I reckon that deep down we all have this secret shared belief that the best bit of any roast is the roast potato. Of course there’s a majesty to a tender, juicy, aromatic chicken with a lovely browned skin. Of course a big-flavoured gravy makes a difference.

But no matter how delicious everything else is, if the roasties aren’t quite there, then we’re not quite satisfied. That’s probably part of the reason I got a little bit obsessed about getting roast potatoes with exactly the texture I wanted: crispy and crunchy on the outside; soft and fluffy on the inside. So if that’s how you like your potatoes, you’re in for a treat.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients 2kg Maris Piper potatoes Salt Vegetable oil (or melted goose fat, duck fat, lard), for roasting 3 fresh thyme sprigs 6 garlic cloves, peeled

Method 1. Peel the potatoes and cut them into even-sized large chunks. Immerse them in a bowl of cold water as you prepare them to prevent browning.

2. Rinse the potatoes in a colander under cold running water until the water runs clear, to remove excess starch.3. Fill a large pan with lightly salted water and add the potatoes. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes until tender.4. Drain them very well in a colander, then spread out on a large wire rack set over a tray. Allow to cool.5. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 180C (200C non-fan). Select a large roasting tray, big enough to take all the potatoes spread out in a single layer.6. Add enough oil (or melted fat) to the roasting tray to create a shallow layer about 5mm deep.7. Lay out the potatoes carefully in the roasting tray including all the smaller, broken-up pieces (they make delicious ultra-crispy bits), and roast in the oven for 20 minutes.8. Turn the potatoes a little and roast them for an additional 20 minutes or until firmed up and lightly golden on all sides.9. Turn the potatoes once more, especially the sides that look like they may need more time. Scatter over the thyme and use the back of a knife to smash the garlic cloves. Add these to the tray and return to the oven for another 20 minutes. The potatoes will be golden and crispy.10. Season the roast potatoes with salt and serve immediately to retain their crispness.Extracted from Is This a Cookbook? by Heston Blumenthal, published by Bloomsbury on October 13 at £27