About this time a year ago, I reviewed the Epic Air Fryer Cookbook, having never actually cooked with an air fryer. One year on, I’m in love with my new(ish) air fryer and have had lots of success in turning out some great dishes with it, although I’m no expert by any stretch of the imagination. I’ve yet to master homemade chips with it although shop-bought frozen chips turn out fine. But it’s been brilliant for crumbed fish and chicken, and I love cooking sausages in it.
The author of Air Fryer Express, published by Plum, is the creator of a popular blog called School Lunchbox, so not surprisingly, there are a lot of recipes suitable for lunchboxes (both for school and for office). George Georgievski is also a brand ambassador for Stuck On You lunchboxes, which I’d never heard of before reviewing his book, but I’m very familiar with them now because there’s numerous pictures of these good-looking lunchboxes throughout the box.
What’s so good about an air fryer?
Georgievski describes himself as “no chef … just a hard-working dad with a passion for creating simple and healthy food”. He outlines why air fryers rock – they cook in the fraction of the time an oven takes, and you can cook food to crispy perfection without using lots of oil (sometimes even no oil).
He gives a few tips on choosing an air fryer, tips on packing delicious lunchboxes and then launches into 60 or so recipes for dinner, snacks and lunches. I would never have thought of doing a pavlova in the air fryer before seeing Suzy’s Pistachio and Honey Pav, and his recipe for Baklava is a game-changer (his Macedonian mother would spend all day making it; he makes it in a fraction of the time).
Mac ‘n cheese, fish tacos, cute little croissants, vegetarian moussaka, and ‘OMG’ chicken wings are among the eclectic assortment of recipes. If you haven’t experienced the joys of cooking with an air fryer, his recipe for ‘You’re Welcome’ Roast Potatoes will surely make you a convert.
Buy your copy of Air Fryer Express from Book Depository (free delivery worldwide).
Buy your copy of Air Fryer Express from Australian-owned Booktopia.
YOU’RE WELCOME ROAST POTATOES
2 tablespoons salt flakes
8 Dutch cream potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 to 8 garlic cloves, peeled
3 tablespoons duck fat
2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked, plus extra to serve (optional)
There are two components to making awesome roast potatoes. First, we are going to parboil the potatoes. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and stir through half the salt. Add the potato, then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 8 minutes.
Drain, then transfer the potato to a roasting tin that will fit in your air fryer. Use a fork to pierce and score the spuds so they’re a little rough round the edges. Add the olive oil and throw in the garlic.
Microwave the duck fat until it turns to liquid – this usually takes 40 seconds on high. Pour the duck fat over the potato, then sprinkle over the remaining salt and the rosemary and toss well to coat. Pop the potatoes in your air fryer to cook on 180°C for 15 to 17 minutes and wait for a beautiful smell to hit the kitchen. About halfway through, check on the spuds: if they’re golden brown, turn them over, but be gentle as they will be fragile. Continue to cook until completely golden.
Top with some extra rosemary, if you like, and serve the roast potatoes as a delicious side, with or without the garlic cloves.
Recipe and images from Air Fryer Express by George Georgievski, published by Plum, photography by Nikole Ramsay. Reproduced with the publisher’s permission.
This story originally appeared in PS News.
