1. Preheat your oven, aiming for about 350 to 400 °C on your baking stone.
You can check this quickly, accurately and from a safe distance with an infrared thermometer.
2. Scatter your chillies over a flat baking tray or cast-iron skillet pan.
When the oven is up to temperature, place them in your oven. If you’re burning wood, make sure you have some nice hot flames rolling over the oven ceiling. You want to blacken the skins of the chillies, which helps develop a nice smoky flavour. Using tongs, turn the chillies every minute as they roast for an even cook. After 4 to 5 minutes, they should be blistered and soft. Using oven gloves, take the tray or pan out of the oven. Cover them loosely with aluminium foil and set aside to cool.
For the potato wedges
1. Cut the potatoes into 3 to 4-centimetre-thick wedges.
Don’t worry if they’re random in shape and size.
2. Place the potato wedges on a dual-sided roasting tray or heavy cast iron pan.
Trickle over the olive oil, then scatter over the smoked paprika, crushed fennel and coriander seeds and season with plenty of salt and black pepper. Tumble the potatoes around the pan so everything gets an even coating.
3. Lower the temperature of the oven.
Aim for 250 °C on the stone. Place the tray in the oven and roast the wedges for 25 to 30 minutes, using your oven gloves to turn the tray and the potatoes 2 or 3 times as they cook.
Tip: You can drape aluminium foil over the potatoes if they begin to catch or brown too much.
4. When the wedges start to crisp up around the edges and the middles soften, carefully take the tray from the oven and scatter over the rosemary leaves, thyme sprigs and lemon zest.
Turn the potatoes with a spatula to mix everything up and return the tray to the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes, rotating it 1 or 2 times for an even bake.
For the firecracker mayo
1. While the potatoes are finishing off, whip up the mayo.
Peel the blistered skin from the chillies. (Don’t worry if you can't get it all off!) Remove and discard the seeds, then finely chop the chilli flesh. Combine the chilli with the grated garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, mayonnaise and a touch of salt and pepper. Mix well and spoon into a serving bowl.
2. By this time, the wedges should be ready.
Take them out of the oven and scatter over the chopped parsley and a little flaky sea salt. Lift them off the tray and into a serving bowl before bringing them to the table with the firecracker mayo for dipping. Enjoy!
