RCP: Braised Fingerling Potatoes with Thyme and Butter

[Ted Richards]

I made these last night and they were fabulous! I used homemade turkey broth, rather than chicken broth, since that's what I had on hand.

Braised Fingerling Potatoes with Thyme and Butter


1 lb. fingerling potatoes, scrubbed
6 large sprigs fresh thyme
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 to 2 cups low-salt chicken broth, preferably home-made

Leave the potatoes whole if less than 1 inch in diameter; halve them lengthwise if fatter. [I halved them all.] Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in a 12-inch skillet. They will be crowded, but they shouldn’t be stacked. Tuck the thyme sprigs between the potatoes. Cut the butter into 3 pieces. Add the butter, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few generous grinds of pepper to the potatoes.

Pour over just enough broth to almost cover the potatoes. Partially cover and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Simmer, stirring gently once or twice, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. (If the broth threatens to dry up before the potatoes are tender, add 1/2 cup water.)

Transfer the potatoes to a serving dish with a slotted spoon. Increase the heat to high and boil the remaining liquid, uncovered, until it’s reduced to a buttery glaze, 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the amount of liquid. [I didn't find this necessary, since it was already reduced to a glaze by the time the potatoes were cooked, even after adding the water.] Remove the thyme sprigs (most of the leaves will have fallen off). Pour the glaze over the potatoes and serve immediately.

Serves 2-3.

This was based on this recipe from Fine Cooking:

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/braised-fingerlings-butter-thyme.aspx?nterms=50276

[Bob Henrick]

I made these last night and they were fabulous! I used homemade turkey broth, rather than chicken broth, since that's what I had on hand.

Braised Fingerling Potatoes with Thyme and Butter


1 lb. fingerling potatoes, scrubbed
6 large sprigs fresh thyme
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 to 2 cups low-salt chicken broth, preferably home-made

Leave the potatoes whole if less than 1 inch in diameter; halve them lengthwise if fatter. [I halved them all.] Arrange the potatoes in a single layer in a 12-inch skillet. They will be crowded, but they shouldn’t be stacked. Tuck the thyme sprigs between the potatoes. Cut the butter into 3 pieces. Add the butter, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few generous grinds of pepper to the potatoes.

Pour over just enough broth to almost cover the potatoes. Partially cover and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Simmer, stirring gently once or twice, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 25 minutes. (If the broth threatens to dry up before the potatoes are tender, add 1/2 cup water.)

Transfer the potatoes to a serving dish with a slotted spoon. Increase the heat to high and boil the remaining liquid, uncovered, until it’s reduced to a buttery glaze, 5 to 8 minutes, depending on the amount of liquid. [I didn't find this necessary, since it was already reduced to a glaze by the time the potatoes were cooked, even after adding the water.] Remove the thyme sprigs (most of the leaves will have fallen off). Pour the glaze over the potatoes and serve immediately.

Serves 2-3.

This was based on this recipe from Fine Cooking:

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/braised-fingerlings-butter-thyme.aspx?nterms=50276

These sound great Ted. I'll have to try them sometime soon. And, its nice to see you posting again.

[Robert Reynolds]

How would this work out to use EVOO in place of most of the butter, using just a smidgen of butter to add the flavor without most of the bad fats?

[ChefJCarey]

Recipe sounds great. But, why did you use turkey "broth?" Did you not have any stock on hand?

[Bob Henrick]

Recipe sounds great. But, why did you use turkey "broth?" Did you not have any stock on hand?

Chef, I wonder if Ted's use of the word "broth" is not just his vernacular for stock? And if so, it is because he had turkey stock on hand, and no chicken, even though his recipe calls for chicken.

[Ted Richards]

How would this work out to use EVOO in place of most of the butter, using just a smidgen of butter to add the flavor without most of the bad fats?

Actually, the original Fine Cooking recipe suggests using olive oil as an alternative to butter. Personally, I don't think 1 or 1.5 Tbsp of butter will make a great deal of difference to me.

[Ted Richards]

Recipe sounds great. But, why did you use turkey "broth?" Did you not have any stock on hand?

I use the terms interchangeably (and perhaps incorrectly). It was made from boiled-up roast turkey carcase (including whatever scraps of meat were clinging to the bones), carrots, celery, onions, garlic and spices. Whatever you call that.

Tthe original recipe just calls for water, but suggests chicken broth as a richer alternative.

[Ted Richards]

And, its nice to see you posting again.

Thanks, Bob. It's good to be back. I've got a few more recipes in the pipeline. This week is hectic, but I should have more time starting next week.

[Jenise]

This is a lovely way to cook potatoes, and the method works great for small creamer new white potatoes in their thin and papery skins just as well. A friend made them this way for Easter dinner, and bruised each potato a bit open with a fork toward the end of cooking so they'd absorb even more moisture and flavor, which I thought was a particularly nice touch.

Thanks for posting!

[ChefJCarey]

Recipe sounds great. But, why did you use turkey "broth?" Did you not have any stock on hand?

I use the terms interchangeably (and perhaps incorrectly). It was made from boiled-up roast turkey carcase (including whatever scraps of meat were clinging to the bones), carrots, celery, onions, garlic and spices. Whatever you call that.

Tthe original recipe just calls for water, but suggests chicken broth as a richer alternative.

Yeah, some of us do make a distinction between the two. Broth is a byproduct and stock is an end product - something one sets out to make. Broth is what's left over after cooking some solid food in a liquid. It actually sounds to me like you made stock.

And stock has the virtue of needing no qualifier like, for instance, "low salt" since it is saltless!