Why Do You Use Duck Fat To Roast Potatoes?

I use duck fat to roast potatoes because it has a very high smoke point, so it can withstand high oven temperatures without burning. This allows the potato exterior to crisp deeply before the inside overcooks. Duck fat also imparts incredible richness and savory depth that no other oil can compete with.

Can I Use Another Cheese Instead Of Parmesan?

Yes, you can use another hard cheese instead of parmesan. Romano or Asiago are suitable substitutes; however, Parmesan offers that authentic nutty, salty umami flavor that pairs beautifully with duck fat roasted fingerling potatoes. I suggest Pecorino Romano as the second choice.

Why Is Maldon Sea Salt Better Than Regular Table Salt?

Maldon sea salt flakes provide a delicate, crunchy texture and a natural salty flavor. The light crunch enhances the crispy potato texture. Table salt only seasons and has an anti-caking agent added, which imparts an insipid bitter aftertaste. Meanwhile, Maldon sea salt flakes season and bring out the natural food flavors.

Crispy, golden brown duck fat roasted fingerling potatoes tossed with fresh rosemary, flaky sea salt, and finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano. An appetizer or side dish that seems fancy yet requires minimal preparation effort.

The key is high heat to achieve a crisp exterior, all while the interior becomes light and fluffy. Duck fat roasting imparts a richness and depth of flavor that vegetable oil cannot compete with.

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The rosemary perfumes each bite with its woodsy fragrance, while the Parmigiano Reggiano offers an umami hit. This is topped with Maldon sea salt flakes for a final touch of texture and spark.

We provide a detailed guide on making duck fat roasted fingerling potatoes along with serving suggestions and tips for getting the best results. Read on for crispy, rosemary-scented spuds that will steal the spotlight!

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Duck Fat Roasted Fingerling Potatoes Ingredient Deep Dive

This simple recipe of humble ingredients transforms into something extraordinary once paired together. It’s fancy enough for dinner parties but easy enough for casual weeknight meals.

Ingredients

1kg (2lb) Fingerling potatoes.
1 tbsp Sea salt.
2 tbsp Duck fat (or vegetable/olive oil alternative).
2 sprigs Fresh rosemary.
¼ cup Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (loosely packed).
Maldon sea salt flakes.

Fingerling Potatoes — Small, elongated heirloom potatoes. The thin, delicate skin gets ultra-crispy when roasted at high temperatures. Their creamy yellow flesh with a slightly waxy, firm texture has a sweet, nutty flavor that intensifies when roasted. Look for fingerlings with clean, slightly yellow skin that is firm.
Duck Fat — Rendered purified duck fat. This is leftover from when I did duck confit, an excellent cooking medium when used for roasting. The duck fats, incredible richness, and meaty flavor work wonders when the fingerling potatoes are roasted. Duck fat has a high smoke point of 190-205°C (375-400°F). This allows it to get extremely hot without burning.
Fresh Rosemary — We are blessed rosemary grows wild in the garden. Rosemary, with its woodsy, earthy flavor, is an excellent partner for fingerling potatoes. When sourcing rosemary, look for fresh green sprigs. Please stay away from brown wilted rosemary; this indicates it is old.
Parmigiano Reggiano — The king of cheeses. Italian hard-aged cheese with a crumbly texture and subtly sweet, nutty flavor. It is aged at least 12 months (often 24-36 months for premium selections). Grated Parmigiano Reggiano finishes these potatoes with concentrated savory umami.

Maldon Sea Salt Flakes — I love these flaky pyramid-shaped salt crystals. They’re produced in Essex, England, solely by sun and wind. The perfect final accent, allowing the potatoes’ flavors to shine loud and clear.

Duck Fat Roasted Fingerling Potatoes Step-By-Step Instructions

Now that you understand the ingredients for duck fat roasted fingerling potatoes. Let’s walk through precisely how to bring out their best qualities.

Achieving the perfect balance of a crispy exterior and a fluffy, tender interior takes a bit of technique. Don’t worry – follow our straightforward step-by-step method. You’ll sink your teeth into shatteringly crispy spuds in no time.

Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F) — For a convection oven, 185°C (360°F) — Gas mark 4.5.

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Prepare The Fingerling Potatoes

Lightly scrub the potatoes under running water to remove any dirt or debris. Make sure to get into all the nooks and crannies. Then, half the potatoes longways. This will allow more surface area for the duck fat to impart flavor and crispness.
- Place the prepped fingerlings into a saucepan and cover with water. Add a generous amount of sea salt, boil, and simmer until the potatoes are par-cooked. Drain the water and let the potatoes sit for 5 minutes. The steam will help dry them.

Chefs Pro Tip — A vital step involves par-cooking the fingerling potatoes before roasting. This does two things, it infuses the rosemary I added to the saucepan and helps to achieve crispy roasted potatoes. This contributes significantly to achieving crispy roasted fingerling potatoes.

Finely chop the second sprig of rosemary. Place to one side. The finely chopped rosemary will be sprinkled over the roasted fingerling potatoes.

Caramelizing Potatoes In A Cast Iron Pan

Place a large cast-iron skillet onto the element heat until it smokes. Now add the duck fat and melt until it shimmers. Carefully place the par-cooked fingerling potatoes into the hot duck fat and begin to caramelize. Turn the potatoes and caramelize the other side. They should have some good color.

Chefs Pro Tip — When placing the potatoes into the hot duck fat, drop them away from you. If the duck fat splashes, it will be away from you. This method will prevent the hot duck fat from scolding you.

Roasting The Potatoes

Place into the preheated oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove from the oven and flip each potato using tongs or a thin spatula. Be gentle, as the hot duck fat can be messy. Return to oven for 15 minutes more.
- When they are roasted, remove the pan from the oven. Take the potatoes out of the duck fat and drain on absorbent paper for 1 minute.

Draining The Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Duck Fat Roasted Fingerling Potatoes With Rosemary and Maldon Salt

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Toss Potatoes In Rosemary

Place the drained roasted potatoes into a bowl. Add the finely chopped rosemary and Maldon sea salt. Toss the potatoes until they are all coated in the rosemary and salt.

The fragrant essential oils will perfume the hot potatoes. The Maldon sea salt crystals will add a subtle savory crunch that will bring out the natural flavors of the roasted potatoes.

Finish With Parmigiano Reggiano

Place the duck fat roasted fingerling potatoes onto a plate. Using a Microplane, finely grate the Parmigiano Reggiano over the hot potatoes. Add the last of the finely diced rosemary.

Serve Immediately And Enjoy

The duck fat roasted fingerling potatoes will be crispy outside and soft and fluffy in the center. As the potatoes cool slightly, they lose that shattering crispness, so devour them immediately for maximum texture and flavor.

Crispy On The Outside And Fluffy In The Center

Tips for the Best Duck Fat Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Choose Potato Size — Choose fingerling potatoes of relatively similar size. This ensures even cooking. Size and thickness impact total roasting time.
Parboil the Potatoes — Parboiling (partially boiling) the potatoes before roasting helps to achieve a crispy exterior and a tender interior. Boil them for about 5-7 minutes until they are just beginning to soften.
Preheating The Cast-Iron Skillet — This is crucial. Immediate heat contact with the hot duck fat jumpstarts the crisping process.
Don’t Crowd The Skillet — A single layer allows optimal airflow and crisping. Use two skillets of a large baking tray.
Turn The Potatoes — Gently flip halfway through roasting. Slowly rolling with tongs prevents the delicate skin from tearing.
Adding Fresh Herbs — Toss the roasted potatoes in the rosemary in the final minutes. The heat from the potatoes activates the rosemary, making it aromatic and flavorful.
Seasoning To Finish — Finish with flaky Maldon sea salt for bonus texture and crunch. Be generous when grating the Parmigiano Reggiano.

Remember, the key to the best duck fat roasted fingerling potatoes is to balance the richness of the duck fat with the natural flavors of the potatoes and any additional seasonings you choose to use.

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Serving Suggestions

These creative serving ideas can make delicious duck fat roasted fingerling potatoes even more impressive. I’ve used these ideas in restaurants, and they are crowd-pleasers.
Turn into loaded duck fat roasted fingerling potatoes by topping them with crispy bacon crumbles, chives, barbecue sauce, or ranch dressing.
For a vegetarian side swap the duck fat for equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil. Serve the roasted potatoes with finely diced red bell peppers, tomato, and avocado.
Swap the Parmigiano Reggiano with gated aged cheddar and melt it under the salamander. Sprinkle smoked paprika or chili flakes over the top.
Serve with dipping sauces like classic homemade aioli, restaurant quality tomato sauce, and bearnaise.

The Ultimate Duck Fat Roast Fingerling Potatoes

So, what makes these potatoes so unique? Duck fat roasting produces crispy perfection unattainable with traditional cooking oils or butter. As the potatoes roast, the duck fat imparts its rich, meaty flavor directly into the porous potatoes. This adds incredible depth and savory satisfaction.

Duck fat has a very high smoke point, around 190-200°C (375-400°F), so it can withstand high oven temperatures without burning. This allows the exterior to crisp up before the inside overcooks. The result is a sharp contrast between the ultra-crunchy shell and the fluffy, tender interior.

When tossed with aromatic rosemary at the end, every potato becomes infused with its essence. Finally, a heavy sprinkle of salty Parmigiano Reggiano followed by textural Maldon sea salt provides the final accent notes.

While duck fat can be expensive, just a couple of tablespoons impart a formidable flavor that makes the splurge worthwhile. Seek it out at specialty grocers and high-end markets, or order online. Store extra in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

If duck fat cannot be procured, substitute it with bacon grease, ghee, or a 1:1 olive and vegetable oil ratio. While the flavor will be less profound, home cooks can still look forward to tender potatoes with a shatteringly crispy crust.

Helpful Resources

Why Do You Use Duck Fat To Roast Potatoes?
I use duck fat to roast potatoes because it has a very high smoke point, so it can withstand high oven temperatures without burning. This allows the potato exterior to crisp deeply before the inside overcooks. Duck fat also imparts incredible richness and savory depth that no other oil can compete with.
Can I Use Another Cheese Instead Of Parmesan?
Yes, you can use another hard cheese instead of parmesan. Romano or Asiago are suitable substitutes; however, Parmesan offers that authentic nutty, salty umami flavor that pairs beautifully with duck fat roasted fingerling potatoes. I suggest Pecorino Romano as the second choice.
Why Is Maldon Sea Salt Better Than Regular Table Salt?
Maldon sea salt flakes provide a delicate, crunchy texture and a natural salty flavor. The light crunch enhances the crispy potato texture. Table salt only seasons and has an anti-caking agent added, which imparts an insipid bitter aftertaste. Meanwhile, Maldon sea salt flakes season and bring out the natural food flavors.

Cooking Is A Science And A Skill

Cooking is a science and a skill that requires a deep understanding of both the technical and creative aspects. Cooking is also a matter of precise measurements and ratios.

For example, baking is particularly sensitive to accurate measurements and temperatures. A slight deviation in the amount of an ingredient or cooking degrees can result in a completely different outcome. So, to help you, here is a handy little unit converter tool for cooking without guesswork.

Duck Fat Roasted Fingerling Potatoes With Rosemary And Parmesan

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PREP TIME: | 10

COOK TIME: | 50

TOTAL TIME: | 1

SERVINGS: | 4 people

AUTHOR: | Shannon The Helpful Chef

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DISH SUMMARY

Discover these culinary delights with our duck fat roasted fingerling potatoes. Crispy perfection, rosemary's aromatic allure, and parmesan's umami richness.