There is a high degree of probability that the term Golden Brown and Delicious was coined to describe perfectly Roasted Potatoes, and despite how humble they are you must give them props.
Ooooh yeah. Who needs french fries?
I have developed this recipe from a source recipe found in one of my favorite JLC* and I intend to cook from this tome many more times. “A Southern Lady Cooks With a Greek Accent” is an excellent mix of homey anecdotes and delicious recipes. Usually with my JLC I am happy if I can find one recipe that looks good enough upon read-through, and if it turns out then I am ecstatic. I currently have 4 additional corners dog-eared in Mrs. Sophia Clikas’s cook book and I cannot wait to try them.
* JLC = Junior League Cookbook. A catch-all term that I use to describe the now ubiquitous, self published cookbooks put out by organizations. I have been collecting them for years and have some doozies. Initially local Junior Leagues were the only groups that put them out – then Churches got in on the act. Now anybody and their Mother can publish one, and not all of them are good. Hallmarks of a JLC include a spiral bound format and names like Mrs. Earl Plotzkiss after each recipe as means of attribution.
How I have digressed!
Roasted Potatoes
The Hardware:
Glass Casserole dish of sufficient size to hold potatoes with space around each chunk, Spatula
The Software:
2 T Canola Oil
1 T Olive Oil
1 1/2 t Salt
1/3 t Paprika
Fresh Nutmeg and Pepper to taste, be generous
3 Medium Russet Potatoes or combination of potatoes you like to equal
(My Potato to conversion chart says 1 Med Russet = 3 small Yukon, I like more Russet)
Set oven to 400 degrees. In your casserole combine oils and spices, place in oven while it is pre-heating.
Wash potatoes and cut into good sized chunks – somewhere between 1/2 and 1 inch squariods. The small Yukons I halved and then quartered each half – then I cut the Russets to match. When the oven has reached 400 degrees, remove the casserole and add the potatoes. Toss around liberally with the spatula, turning to ensure that all sides are coated in tasty, tasty goodness. Spread out into a single layer with as much space betwixt the chunks as possible.
Roast for 15 minutes and then use spatula to rearrange the potatoes. You will probably have to scrape some of them off of the bottom. If the layer that was in contact with the casserole sticks just scrape it off too. Those thin little layers of potato get all crispy and yummy and … well it is almost indecent. Return to oven for another 15 minutes then repeat the drill. Return for a final 15 minutes.
If at the end of 45 minutes you have not achieved GBD and a decent amount of crispiness then you might need to put them in for a scooch longer. Mind you, a scooch is a very precise measurement.
We didn’t just eat potatoes for dinner, but that will be a different post, maybe. Becuse it was tasty, but not real pretty.
Robbing Peter 