Come summer, come winter – Golden crisp potato cubes

Come summer, come winter - Golden crisp potato cubes

August 11th, 2011

Regular readers know I am a carb lover by heart. Bread, pasta & potatoes, my lovely trio I just cannot do without you. There’s only thing worse than not having potatoes…

Having oven-roasted potatoes which are anything than crisp, with a pathetic pale exterior, possibly even underbaked & underseasoned! I do have all the sympathy for ambitious home-cooks who occasionally fail at preparing fancy dishes, but down to earth oven-roasted potatoes just couldn’t be any simpler. My favorite everyday recipe pairs well with meat (think steak or BBQ), but tastes equally good as a vegetarian meal with herbed curd or garlicky Tsatziki alongside.

Besides, these little potato cubes create a wonderful playground for your spice experiments. Going after a Morrocan touch, add cinnamon, cumin and coriander (or ras el hanout… harissa), fancy an Indian note, you should try dried chile peppers, cumin, fenugreek, tumeric or some curry paste – you get the picture. I have yet to come across a flavor combination that I don’t like! Just make sure to cut the cubes into more or less equal size and turn them regulary, both are crucial for even roasting and a golden crisp result.

Now how about you, what’s your favorite way to prepare potatoes?

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Preheat the oven to 200 °C (~390 ° Fahrenheit). Peel the potatoes. If they are very young and have a thin skin you can skip this step, just make sure to wash them properly. Cut into slices about as thick as a finger, then into sticks and cubes. Place on a baking sheet.

Wash and pat dry the rosemary, then chop finely and scatter it over the potatoes. Drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil and season with coarse sea salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Use your hands to toss the potato cubes until evenly coated with oil, herbs and spices.

Bake on middle level for 30 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are done and have gained a nice golden crust. To ensure even roasting, turn the potatoes every 10 minutes or so.

Take out of the oven, season some more (if necessary) and serve as a side to grilled meat. Or take the vegetarian option and devour with herbed curd or Tzatziki. (this recipe is very versatile, feel free to experiment by using one or a couple of the following: sesame seeds, cumin, chiles, garlic, fenugreek, tumeric, curry paste,…)

Golde crisp potato cubes with rosemary

Recipe source: own creation

Required time: preparation 15 minutes, plus up to 40 min. in the oven

Ingredients (for 3-4):

1 kg large, waxy potatoes

3-5 fresh rosemary sprigs

coarse sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

freshly ground nutmeg

olive oil

serve with grilled meat, herbed curd or Tsatziki