Great for entertaining! Prep work can be done in advance. Cook duration and temp. can be adjusted to optimize for timing with very little oversight. Dish retains heat well and can be kept in a warm oven for a while without drying out.
New potatoes are low in starch and best during spring and early summer. The goal is to get the potatoes soft on the inside and crisp on the outside. They should have a golden brown color and subtle herb-i-ness that optimizes their natural flavor.
Ingredients:
4 lb. red new potatoes, cut into 6ths (about 25 potatoes)
1/3 cup olive oil
1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary (heaping)
1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme (heaping)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
Wash potatoes, cut out any bad spots, then cut into evenly sized pieces. (Tip: Cut each potato in half, then cut each half 2 more times along a diagonal. Quartering smaller potatoes is probably sufficient.)
In a bowl, combine the potatoes, olive oil, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper and stir to coat potatoes evenly. Transfer to 1-2 large pans or cookie sheets that have been lined with foil (shinny side up). Potatoes should be evenly spread out.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Roast until the potatoes are tender, golden brown and crisp, about 1 hour. Check on potatoes 30 min into cooking and use a fork to toss any that are sticking.
Variation: Cook at 400°F for first 30 min (potatoes will be soft, but not crisp), then reduce heat and continue roasting to ensure potatoes are ready when the rest of the meal is. I've gone as low as 200°F to extend the last 5-10% of cooking over 20-30 min.
