Recipe title

Ingredients

• 80g unsalted butter, diced
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 700g small new potatoes
• 5 whole garlic cloves, skin left on

For the saffron mayonnaise

• A pinch of saffron threads
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 250ml sunflower oil
• 50ml olive oil or rapeseed oil

Method

Begin by clarifying the butter so that it does not burn when cooking the potatoes: heat the butter in a pan until just melted. Allow to cool a little then strain through muslin to remove the white milk solids (or skim them off).

Choose a large, shallow pan that is big enough to take the potatoes in one layer. Heat the clarified butter in the pan along with the olive oil. Tip in the potatoes and the garlic cloves and give it all a good mix round so everything is coated in butter and oil. Do not add salt at this point.  Put the lid on, leave over a medium heat for 20 mins, giving it the occasional shake without taking the lid off.

Meanwhile, get on with the saffron mayonnaise. Put the pinch of saffron in a cup, pour over 1 tablespoon boiling water and set aside for 10 minutes to infuse and cool while you get on with making the mayo. Put the egg yolks into a large mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper, and whisk in the vinegar and mustard powder. Then very slowly – drop by drop – whisk in the oils. It will become a gorgeously thick mayonnaise. Whisk in the cooled saffron and its infusing water at the end, then check the seasoning.

After the potatoes have been cooking for 20 minutes, check to see how they are doing. They should be gorgeously browned, and almost cooked. Give them another 5 or 10 mins as necessary. When they are done, crush the five garlic cloves with the back of a spoon to release their flesh. Discard the skins. Stir the garlic around the sautéed potatoes, season well with salt, and serve with the saffron mayonnaise.