Roasted Spiced Potatoes

      The story goes that at age two, still in the highchair, I declared to my mother that I would never eat potatoes again.  And I didn’t.  Not until I was a teenager and decided to try a French-fry.  Delicious.  Of course.

      My repertoire has expanded somewhat, though I am still not the potato eater the men in my family are.  RR has it in his Irish genes.  My boys are part Irish and part, well, I say that the genes on my side are from Russian potato farmers.  Something has to explain the sturdy looking legs.  In any case, I could serve them potatoes day in and day out to no complaints.

      This was the first year I grew potatoes myself.  I’ve always left it to the professionals before.  But Sam did the digging and planting, so I agreed to do the cooking.  We shared the joy of harvesting.  And it was pure pleasure, rooting around for every last spud.  We had planted a 5-pound sampler of fingerlings from Moose Tubers that included Austrian Crescent, French Fingerling, LaRatte, and Rose Finn Apple.  Although a pain in the neck to scrub, these small potatoes are delicious roasted.

 

      I play around with spices when I roast.  Sometimes I make my own spice mix, sometimes I pull a jar of Ethiopian berbere off the shelf.  It is all delicious.  Just give those babies plenty of room on a baking sheet.  If you want them to brown, don’t crowd them.  Slick them with oil, then spices, then roast in a hot oven, turning them once or twice.  That’s all there is to it.

      Here’s my recipe for Roasted Spiced Potatoes.  It serves four.

     

4 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

2 pounds thin-skinned potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes

      1.  Preheat the oven to 425° F.  Lightly oil a large shallow roasting pan or half sheet pan.

      2.  In a large bowl, combine the oil with the salt, curry powder, cumin, five-spice powder, ginger, black pepper, and cayenne. Mix well.  Add the potatoes and toss to coat.  Spread the potatoes on the prepared pan in a single layer.

      4.  Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally for even cooking, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork and browned.  Serve hot.

     

From Recipes from the Root Cellar. © Andrea Chesman.  All rights reserved.