Basque Potatoes

BOY are you in for a treat! If you like flavorful low sodium recipes – and you know you do – this one is a must make. Potatoes are one of those vegetables that really POP with a sprinkle of salt. Without it they seem sadly lacking or even downright bland. Not here, friends. The combination of garlic, herbs and spices, enhanced by the dual cooking, lends the most spectacular flavor to the spuds, and the oven baking renders the inner flesh dry and flaky, the outside a crispy golden crust. The heavenly aroma of these will fill your house and leave your mouth watering. Recipe courtesy of Farmhouse Cooking.

Serves 4.

SODIUM CONTENT: 11 mg per serving

INGREDIENTS:

4 medium Russet potatoes, peeled
4 cloves garlic
1 T. dried parsley
1 t. dried rosemary
1 t. dried thyme
1 t. paprika
cayenne pepper, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 c. olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Get out a large ovenproof skillet and set aside.

Rinse the peeled potatoes well. Cut in half if they are very large, otherwise leave them whole. Set aside for the moment.

Smash the garlic cloves; I used my mortar and pestle and it worked very well.

Measure the herbs and spices into a small bowl and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the smashed garlic, herbs and spices and stir to combine. Add the potatoes to the pan, turning well to coat. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper.

Remove skillet from stove top and cover with aluminum foil. Place skillet on middle rack in oven and bake 15 minutes. Remove skillet from oven, uncover, and stir potatoes to re-coat with oil mixture. Return uncovered skillet to oven and bake 25-35 minutes longer, until potatoes are tender and nicely browned. Remove from oven and serve immediately.