I’ve already expounded at length on this blog about how to roast a chicken, but some time must be devoted to that other crucial element to a roast chicken dinner: the potatoes.

Again, this is not a recipe per se, but more like a technique. Just like there are more ways to roast a chicken than I can shake a stick at — and I can shake one at a whole lot of them — there are also an almost infinite number of ways to roast a potato.

This is a very British way of roasting potatoes. I encountered many a spud like this on the other side of the pond, but never actually mastered the technique until returning to the States for good. In fact, I probably would have gone on roasting potatoes the good ol’ French way if not for Gwyneth Paltrow.

There! I said it! I admit it! I love like Gwyneth! Even her often-times derided e-newsletter GOOP! True, sometimes I must roll my eyes when I get emails from her about her latest colonic cleanse, or her holiday gift picks which include links for an $825 bag, but she sends along some really exquisite little gems of advice too.

Like that fantastic local haunt in Barcelona recommended to my boyfriend and me by a fellow food-lover in a crowded bar. Never saw it nor heard about it in any guidebook, until after I got home and read about it in Goop.

Her roast chicken and potatoes recipe is one of these great tips too.

Roast chicken aside, the trick to the potatoes? Peel them. If they are large, cut them into big chunks. Parboil them in salted water for exactly 8 minutes, any longer and they will fall apart. Drain the water from the pot. Once the water is drained, put the lid on and shake the pot around really well. You want to bash those taters up. When you remove the lid, you should see that the surface texture of the potatoes is rough and fluffy. Spoon them evenly around your chicken and drizzle them with olive oil. Sprinkle sea salt over them.

Pop the whole thing in the oven and roast until the chicken has an internal temperature of 165°, about 1 hour give or take 15 minutes if your oven is at 425°.

Now you have some seriously delicious potatoes to go with your excellent CSA chicken.

And as requested, here are some step-by-step photos of the prep.