Jersey Royals Slathered in Butter

Before I get into these incredible potatoes I want to first invite the Substack community to have access to my latest Food Tour in Puglia in May 2026 before it goes live on my social media platforms this weekend.

I am beyond excited to partner with Via Rosa again and cannot wait to experience Puglia with 12 of you.

Here is the link to see the itinerary and request information and how to secure a spot.

Puglia Food Tour Information and How to Book

Now onto the potatoes. Jersey Royals are considered some of the best potatoes in the world. They are only available in the UK for a brief time in late Spring early Summer and are known for their thin skins and nutty flavor. If you ever see them, do yourself a favor and grab a bag. If you don’t live in England or can’t find them, substitute a small waxy potato like a fingerling. They may not have the nutty flavor profile, but they will still be delicious prepared this way.

This serves 4-6

Ingredients:

6-10 small to medium Jersey Royals

5 tablespoons of butter to cook with

2 tablespoons of butter to finish *I love using a high fat content butter like Kerrygold or a French butter

8-10 sprigs of fresh thyme

2 medium leeks - trimmed washed and sliced into 1/2” slices

1 tablespoon of salt for the water to cook the potatoes

½ teaspoon of salt for the leeks

1 teaspoon of acid - I used malt vinegar as it’s all I had but lemon juice or red wine vinegar is what I would normally use

1 tablespoon of chopped parsley

To Make:

Give the potatoes a good scrub. They are very thin skinned so if some skin comes off when you clean them then that’s fine. Once clean, place them in cold water and bring them to a boil. Once boiling, add the salt. Cook until tender which means a sharp knife can easily go through the largest potato.

While the potatoes cook, you can prepare the leeks. Trim off the ends, cut in half lengthwise and then slice into 1/2” slices. Give them a good rinse. Melt the butter and add in the thyme. Once the butter is melted cook for another 2 minutes on medium low and then turn off the heat. Let the thyme stay in there infusing the butter for 10 minutes and then remove. Turn the heat back on to the lowest setting possible and then add the leeks to the butter with the pinch of salt. Cook the leeks low and slow for about 15 minutes. They will go very soft and sweet once done. When they are cooked, add in a touch of acid. I used malt vinegar but red wine vinegar or lemon juice would be preferred.

Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them and let them air dry for 5 minutes.

Now return them to the pot and add the leeks and butter over them. Gently coat the potatoes in the butter and leeks mixture. Finally, plate the potatoes into your serving platter and finish them with chopped parsley and a touch more butter, which will melt beautifully over the top.

I served these with some roast lamb and they were divine. A wonderful way to enjoy these incredibly special potatoes.

Enjoy!

Xx Corre