Every cook has his/her standbys…this is undoubtedly one of mine! I make this simple side dish once a week. I love it for 3 reasons:
1. it’s easy to prepare
2. potatoes are inexpensive
3. it’s a crowd pleaser…I’ve never met anyone who didn’t enjoy them
You have a lot of flexibility with this side dish. You can make it with red potatoes if you’d like to dress it up a bit and add color to the plate. Or, if you really want to gussy it up, use gourmet fingerling potatoes. They come in beautiful colors and quirky shapes. Feel free to mix things up by rotating different herbs (tarragon, thyme, chives, oregano, sage, etc.). Use fresh herbs one time, dried herbs another, but always use good sea salt! One last note, I like to err on the side of making too many roasted potatoes. I figure I can always reheat the leftovers in a cast iron pan the next morning and serve the potatoes alongside scrambled eggs. The following recipe serves approximately 4 adults.
Herb Roasted Potatoes
3 large russet potatoes, scrubbed, partially peeled and cubed (if you use fingerlings or reds, don’t peel them)
1/3 cup olive oil (or enough to evenly coat all the potatoes)
1/4 cup fresh herbs or 2 teaspoons dried herbs (Italian seasoning is always reliable)
coarse sea salt* + fresh ground pepper to taste (if you don’t have coarse, use fine sea salt)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place prepared potatoes in a medium bowl. Toss evenly with olive oil. After potatoes are coated, toss in fresh or dried herbs. Give the potato mixture one last stir before placing them in a cast iron pan**. Sprinkle sea salt and fresh ground pepper over the potatoes and place the pan in the oven for 30 minutes. Your potatoes may require an additional 5 to 10 minutes depending on your oven and the size of your potatoes. Once your timer goes off, toss the potatoes with a spatula and serve.
Enjoy!
* the least expensive place to purchase sea salt, both fine and coarse, is Whole Foods.
** cast iron is ideal for this recipe as it gives the potatoes that nice, browned, slightly crunchy texture you see above. If you don’t own one, try a standard roasting pan instead.
