Smashed potatos with gravy

• serves 4

• Preparation time:

• Cooking time:

Ingredients

10 desiree potatoes
Duck fat or olive oil
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Fresh herbs
Drippings from the roast (for gravy)
Plan flour (1-2 tablespoons)
Beef stock (to taste)
Dash of red wine
Vegemite (1/2 teaspoon)
Splash of Worcestershire sauce.

Method

Potatoes:
Peel desiree potatoes then add to a large pot of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Boil for approximately five minutes or until they are soft enough to squash gently in your hand.
Drain potatoes and turn onto a tea towel and cover with another tea towel and leave to cool.
Heat oven to 200 degrees celsius.
Rub duck fat or olive oil on your hands and roll each potato in them until covered.
Slightly squash the top of each potato with your hand leaving the bottom intact.
Place in large baking tray with potatoes overlapping.
Season with salt & pepper and fresh herbs (eg rosemary sticks).
Brush with duck fat or oil; place tray in oven. Leave until crisp and slightly browned (around 15 minutes depending on strength of oven).

Gravy:
Pour drippings from roast meat into a frying pan. Add flour and stir together over mild heat for about two minutes. Add beef stock stirring to avoid lumps. Add a dash of red wine (or sherry or port), Vegemite, and Worcestershire sauce. Season with salt & pepper; stir well until gravy reaches the required consistency then remove from heat and pour over roast meat and smashed potatoes.

Notes

My mother is an extraordinary cook which was handy considering she single handedly catered for eight of us every night of the week when we were growing up (the six of us, herself and Dad). She rarely uses recipes but improvises and says she keeps it all stored in her head. There are countless dishes I could pass on but Mum’s Sunday Roasts are legendary (usually with several extras around the table as well), a tradition that lives on for birthdays and special occasions. Mum’s smashed potatoes and gravy are a standout - so simple but made the way only Mum knows how. Believe me, I have tried!