Baby Potatoes with Lemon, Herbs & Garlic
Hello Spring! Finally it is starting to feel like winter really may be behind us for good. Time for some fresh and bright foods to celebrate the season! These tiny potatoes are the perfect way to do so. They are warm, roasty, herby from a small mountain of parsley, and bright and punchy from lemon. Plus, these tiny taters are finished with an amazing, super flavorful garlic and rosemary infused oil kind of mixture that brings a humble potato to the next level.
I know potatoes have a bad rap in some crowds. The rumors are true; they are pretty high in carbs. But, why does this have to be a bad thing? The “problem” is not really that potatoes are rich in carbohydrates though. Carbs are essential for our bodies to function normally, as well as to provide you energy for training and competition.
The issue with potatoes therefore is more that when people eat them, they tend to eat too much. So, instead of the mindset that potatoes are bad/”fattening” (my favorite word), feel good knowing that you can absolutely have potatoes in your life in appropriate portions. Food, and enjoying food, should be about what you can have rather than what you can’t.
What I love about baby potatoes (aside from how cute they are obviously) is their awesome, high skin to flesh ratio. While the skin and flesh are both good sources of fiber, and some vitamins and minerals, the skin is more concentrated. For example in an equal weight of skin and flesh, the skin contains 22x more iron than flesh, 4x the calcium, 4x the fiber, 5x the vitamin B2, and more than 2x the vitamins B3, B6 and folate. (Source: USDA Nutrient Database) And tiny potatoes usually require no chopping and less cook time. This all sounds good to me!
These little guys are simple enough to enjoy for any weeknight dinner, but dressed up enough to serve at a weekend gathering or holiday party. I hope you give them a try soon! Happy cooking and fueling!
Baby Potatoes with Lemon, Herbs & Garlic
Makes ~4 servings
2 lbs. (900g) tiny/baby potatoes
3 tbs. (45ml) olive oil
4 cloves garlic minced/grated
1½ tbs. rosemary minced
½ cup (25g) parsley, thinly sliced/julienned
1 tbs. (15ml) fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. fine lemon zest
salt and fresh black pepper
Heat oven to 400°F/200°C.
Wash and clean potatoes. Line a sheet tray with foil. On this lined tray, toss together the potatoes, 1 tbs. (15ml) of the olive oil, and a big pinch each salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, until tender and golden.
While the potatoes are cooking: In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 2 tbs. (30g) olive oil and the garlic. Place on low heat and let cook and bubble for a few minutes (maybe 3-4 minutes). Remove from the heat when the garlic is no longer making loud sizzling noises. Then stir in the rosemary and let sit.
When the potatoes are done, immediately transfer to a big bowl and mix together with the garlic rosemary oil, lemon juice and zest, and parsley. Season with more salt and pepper if you like. Serve hot-warm. Extras can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days.
Notes: You can also use colored baby potatoes instead of regular yellow.