Gordon Ramsay’s fondant potatoes are par-boiled in chicken stock then fried in foaming salted butter with garlic and herbs until golden. The recipe comes from Make It Easy and serves six as a side. He designed them to go alongside his oven-roast duck breast.
Ramsay says “par-boiling the potatoes in stock before sautéing enhances the flavour.” He uses salted butter deliberately because “it foams more quickly” than unsalted. Those two details make the biggest difference to the finished dish.
He has three different methods across the cookbook and two YouTube videos. The cookbook par-boils Maris Piper in stock. The restaurant video finishes King Edward in the oven, and the quickest version keeps the skin on for a completely different texture.
Gordon Ramsay’s Fondant Potatoes
Course: Side DishCuisine: FrenchDifficulty: Easy6
10
minutes20
minutes240
kcal30
minutesA classic French side dish from Gordon Ramsay’s Make It Easy. He has three different methods across the cookbook and two videos, using Maris Piper, King Edward and Charlotte potatoes for three different results. Salted butter and fresh herbs are the constants.
Ingredients
1kg floury potatoes such as Maris Piper, peeled
1 litre chicken stock
75-100g salted butter
4-5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1-2 thyme sprigs
1 rosemary sprig
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Par-boil in stock: Peel the potatoes and cut into chunky slices, about 2-3cm thick. Place in a pan with the chicken stock, bring to the boil, then simmer for 10-12 minutes until tender when pierced with a knife but still firm. Drain well, saving the stock for a soup or sauce.
- Heat the butter: Melt the salted butter in a heavy-based frying pan until it starts to foam.
- Fry the potatoes: Add the potatoes cut-side down with the garlic cloves and herb sprigs. Cook for 4-5 minutes until golden underneath.
- Turn and finish: Flip the potatoes and cook for a further 3-4 minutes until golden on both sides. Discard the garlic and herbs, season with salt and pepper and serve.
FAQs
Why does Ramsay par-boil in chicken stock instead of water?
The stock seasons the potato from the inside as it absorbs liquid during simmering. Water just softens the potato without adding any flavour. By the time the potatoes hit the butter, they already taste of chicken stock through to the centre.
Ramsay also says to save the starchy potato stock after draining because it makes a rich base for soup or sauce. Nothing gets wasted. His dauphinoise potatoes use a similar principle: infusing the liquid with garlic and bay before the potato absorbs it.
Why use salted butter instead of unsalted?
Salted butter froths faster in a hot pan than unsalted, which means the potatoes start crisping the moment they go in. The salt in the butter also seasons the crust as it forms.
In the restaurant video, he adds olive oil first, then butter, and says “the butter won’t burn because the olive oil.” The oil raises the smoke point so the butter can foam without browning too fast. His beef wellington is one of the dishes he serves these alongside.
How does the restaurant oven method differ?
The video shows Ramsay searing raw King Edward potatoes in a hot roasting tray with olive oil on the stovetop. He adds thyme, which he calls “a bit of a chef’s secret,” then butter, turns the potatoes and pours chicken stock underneath.
The tray goes into the oven at 200C for 12-15 minutes, giving what he calls “a nice crisp potato on top and this wonderful flavour underneath.” The cookbook version skips the oven and does everything in the pan.
What about the Charlotte potato version with the skin on?
In the second video, Ramsay uses waxy Charlotte potatoes cut in half with the skin left on. He says the “skin stops the potato from falling apart” during cooking. They par-boil in salted water for just 4-5 minutes, then steam-dry in a colander.
The skin-on version is faster and more forgiving than peeled floury potatoes. His venison loin is the kind of rich main course that pairs well with either version.
What should you serve fondant potatoes with?
Ramsay designed them for his oven-roast duck breast in Make It Easy, where they soak up the red wine jus. They also appear alongside beef and game dishes in his restaurants because the buttery, stock-infused potato balances rich, dark meat sauces.
For a Sunday roast, serve them with his roast chicken instead of standard roast potatoes. The fondant method gives a creamier centre with a crisper crust than roasting, and they sit better on the plate next to gravy.
