Melting Potatoes

I was just in the U.K. for a fabulous family holiday, and it was one of the most relaxing and peaceful vacations I’d taken in a long time! I suffer from a bit of FOMO, and on vacations tend to want to see, do, eat, play, touch, and experience everything. I sometimes forget that it’s also really nice to just while away the hours reading a book in the unseasonably warm fall sunshine and take leisurely walks to the pub down the road. And on this vacation, that was exactly what we did! We were in Devon, in the beautiful English countryside, staying in cabins in Dartmoor National Park. If you, like me, got confused and realized that you didn’t actually know what a moor is, I got you – it’s an expanse of open uncultivated land or rolling infertile land, characterized by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils. The Merriam-Webster dictionary notes that the term “moor” is “chiefly British.” Anyway, what it looks like is soft, undulating hills dotted with shrubs, heather, cows, horses, and sheep. The whole family had a taxing daily schedule of pool time in the morning, tennis before lunch, and an afternoon excursion either to the pub or one of the nearby towns, all the while stopping to say hello to the animals along the way. What an idyll!

Anyway. Back to food. If there’s one thing I love about the U.K., it’s the potatoes. I am a big potato fan. Roasted, mashed, boiled, au gratin-ed, chipped, cheese-and-onion crisped. All of it. The first time I went to the U.K. with James, I went a little overboard and actually got sick of potatoes. I know, rookie mistake. Not this time, though. And so, in honor, I bring  you a recipe for herby, brothy, buttery roasted potatoes. These potatoes roast in ungodly amounts of butter, then simmer in a fragrant herb broth. They come out crisp and browned on the outside, but beautifully soft, pillowy, and – yes – melty on the inside. They are a must for every potato aficionado.

Now, these potatoes are not exactly a fast weeknight side, as they take about 45 minutes total to roast, and you have to flip and fuss with them not once, but twice over that time. They definitely aren’t a I’m-starving-and-I’m-lazy-and-I-want-to-eat-dinner-NOW kind of potato, but they are a ooh-I’m-liking-these-so-much-I’ve-almost-forgotten-how-much-time-I’ve-spent-on-them kind of potato. Besides, potatoes do take notoriously long to roast, so don’t think that you can get those delicious crispy outsides and soft, fluffy insides in 10 minutes! If you’re cooking some easy seared steak and steamed vegetables, perhaps, or if you’re looking for an alternative to french fries for a juicy burger, spend a little extra time on these potatoes – you won’t regret it! 

Notes:

• Yes, 500 degrees Fahrenheit! Yes, this is crazy hot. The basic gist of the process goes: roast 15 minutes, flip and roast 15 minutes, add broth and roast 15 minutes. I’ve made this keeping the temperature at 500°F for all three of the fifteen minute intervals. I’ve also turned down the heat to 450°F in the middle of the second interval, because I wanted to roast some other veggies in the oven at the same time (weeknight dinner = compromises, y’all). I didn’t notice any discernible difference after turning the heat down, so I suspect that keeping the temperature anywhere between 450 and 500°F will work. Deb also concurs.
• The potatoes can roast very deeply brown, but the addition of the broth will mellow the browning and the potatoes will not taste burnt. I did have some problems with the broth evaporating too quickly, however, leaving me with no tasty juices at the end. If you’d like some more broth at the end, using a smaller pan that just fits the potatoes in one layer will help cut down on the evaporation.

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Melting Potatoes

Source: Smitten Kitchen, where it was adapted from Real Simple

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 teaspoons (or more, to taste) chopped fresh thyme or rosemary leaves
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds Yukon gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch slices
• 1 cup chicken or vegetable stock or low-sodium broth
• 4-5 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed, and chopped coarsely

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 500°F. See note above regarding oven temps.

2. Melt butter in a small bowl. Stir in herbs, salt, and pepper. Pile the potatoes in a 9×13 (quarter-sheet) metal baking pan (a glass baking dish shouldn’t be used at this high of a temperature). Drizzle the butter mixture over the potatoes and mix with your hands to coat the potatoes evenly. If your potatoes, like mine, came straight from the fridge, the cool temperature will re-solidify the butter. Don’t worry – the butter will still be spreadable, so just smear it all around until the potatoes are coated, like in my pictures.

3. Roast potatoes for 15 minutes. Use a thin spatula to loosen potatoes and turn them over. Roast for another 15 minutes. Then, carefully pour stock or broth into pan and add the garlic. Roast for 15 minutes more, until potatoes are fully tender.