I was expecting something else. For a recent dinner party, Suzen and I poured over cookbooks and she found this roasted potato recipe rich with cheese. It would take a few days off your lifespan, but who’s looking five years ahead anyway? I so looked forward to that dinner night. These potatoes, the lamb chops, …
On the night, I took a break from bartending to see how the potatoes were going. In the kitchen I smelled trouble, because I did not smell cheese.
I reached for a foil covered pan, lifted the foil and saw, well, roasted potatoes.
“Where’s the cheese?” I asked Suzen.
“Changed my mind,” Suzen verbally stamped her foot down. I knew better than to challenge. “It was too much for the lamb.”
Well, she was probably right, and these potatoes roasted with garlic and herbs are excellent, but I still dream about that first recipe. I intend to mope around the house this weekend until the guilt plays in enough and she makes them. Or she just may ignore me again and try another cauliflower recipe.
If the posts on this blog sometimes seem a bit unpredictable, now you know that it isn’t all me.
And to be completely honest, I love these potatoes. We got fresh fingerlings from RSK farms in the Hudson Valley. The day before, they were in the ground. On the night of the party, we added garlic and herbs straight from our garden.
Fresh isn’t just better. It is different.
This recipe is for 5 pounds of potatoes, but you can scale appropriately. They make great leftovers and you can dice them up on a Sunday morning, add some onion and bacon, and have the perfect accompaniment to that mimosa you’ve wanted. This Sunday, I may not get the cheese but I am getting my mimosa.
Suzen’s Classic Roasted Fingerlings
Yield: 20+ servings
Ingredients:
- 5 pounds fresh fingerling potatoes
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 3 heads of garlic
- 2 sets of 3” sprigs of rosemary, thyme and oregano, each wrapped in twine
Preparation:
Wash and dry the potatoes. Place on a half sheet tray lined with foil.
Sprinkle generously with olive oil, dust with salt and pepper, then toss with hands to ensure full coverage with the oil. Dust again with salt and pepper.
Cut the ends off each head of garlic and distribute the garlic on top of the potatoes. Add the tied springs of herbs.
Cook for 40 minutes on a grill set at medium. Occasionally stir the potatoes to distribute the garlic and herb flavors.
Serve hot.
Source: Suzen O’Rourke