Jersey Royals in a Bag - en papilotte

For a simple, quick and arguably best way to cook them is in the oven in a bag. Made of paper traditionally these bags puff up to create puffed up pillows. Recipe below....

Here are some other gorgeous puffed up pillows...

Andy Warhol's Silver Clouds

Traditionally cooking 'en papilotte.' meant just that, in parchment......The ingredients a (fish is perfect for this as are other vegetables like asparagus, are placed on a circle of paper, seasoning is added, it's folded over and then it is sealed. Placed in a hot oven, everything steams in it's own juices, the steam expands and creates a firm puffed up pillow. It's at about this point that you whip them out and rush them to the table, (waiters would be standing ready to dash.) without delay, as before they deflate they are to be opened by the guest, who then receives the most glorious  of foody facials.

There is something beautifully tactile using paper here, (let alone the faint smell of cooked paper that fills the air) but the quickest way is just a bag of foil.

Lay out a large piece of foil, tumble in your scrubbed little pots, add a knob of butter and a tiny sprinkle of sea salt flakes. (preferably) A fresh herb sprig is an added option, mint, thyme, tarragon etc (depending on what you're cooking) or just bare. 

Pull up the edges to seal and place in the hot oven. They'll take about 20-30 minutes, depending on size until tender. The foil doesn't really puff up, but if you are the first with your head in the bag, then you're in for a treat. Burnt tongue obligatory.

These come close as it can to my Dad's very first dig of his early new pots. (Dad pulled them up and scrubbed them, Mum boiled them.) Not Jersey's no, but with that first taste and promise of summer, they are as tender and buttery like no other. Yep another dessert island dish.

Little note.....A foil bag of pots can go on the back of the barbecue to cook....

For more info on Jersey Royal's (and for anything else in season) go to the excellent www.eattheseasons.co.uk

or to the official Jersey Royal Website www.jerseyroyals.co.uk for more info and recipes.