In This Issue
 Crispy roast garlic potatoes Just in time for Christmas dinner, here's an addictive side dish that doesn't take much time or effort.
 Last Week's FoodLetter and Archives Links to previous articles.
 Let us hear from you! You're invited to talk back.
 Administrivia Change E-mail address, frequency, format or unsubscribe.
Crispy roast garlic potatoes

Just in time for Christmas feasting, here's a great side dish that doesn't take much time or effort: Hearty potato chunks roasted at 500F (260C), a searing hot temperature that browns the exterior of the potatoes to a crisp, crunchy crust as addictive as potato chips, while cooking the interior to a steaming, creamy texture that makes a beautiful contrast.

Accented with plenty of garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper for flavor, it makes a simple but appealing side dish good enough to draw attention away from the roast turkey or prime rib on the table. Almost.

Trust me on the high temperature ... don't get nervous and knock it down to a lower temp "just to be on the safe side." Run your oven as hot as it gets, just as many restaurant chefs do. Keep an eye on things, cooking by eye and by feel, not just by the clock, and you'll end up with the best roasted potatoes you ever ate.

It's easy to expand this recipe for a party. If you want to serve a larger group, just use one potato per customer and increase the other ingredients in proportion.

As always, if you try it, or better yet, if you come up with your own variations to play a riff on the theme, let me know how you fare!

INGREDIENTS: (Serves two)

2 large baking potatoes
2 or 3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil or more
Salt
Black pepper

PROCEDURE:

1. Preheat your oven to 500F (260C).

2. Peel the potatoes and cut them into roughly 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes. "Blanch" them in a saucepan with salted water to cover, bring to a boil and turn down to a gentle simmer for 3 or 4 minutes, no longer. Don't overcook - you don't want to boil the potatoes, just get them started while softening the starchy exterior to give you a good base for your flavorful, crunchy crust.

2. While the potatoes are blanching, mince the garlic fine. Grease a large baking sheet with a small amount of the olive oil.

3. Drain the potatoes well, put them in a mixing bowl, and toss with the rest of the oil, the garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. When the potatoes are evenly covered with oil and garlic (use a little extra oil if needed), spread them evenly in one layer on the baking sheet.

4. Put the potatoes in the oven and don't open the door for 15 minutes. At the end of that time, take out the baking sheet - taking care to use a sturdy oven mitt or heavy pot holders - and use a thin metal spatula to turn every piece. Be careful to slide the spatula under each piece so you don't leave delicious crunchy bits stuck to the pan. Return it to the oven and roast for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown. Remove to a heated serving bowl, hit it with a little more salt and pepper if you like, and serve.

MATCHING WINE:
As a side dish, this will be expected to serve with the wine you've chosen to match the main course, and its pleasant starchy flavors shouldn't war with any wine I can imagine. They went very nicely indeed with lamb chops and a simple, good-value Burgundy, Paul Pernot 2005 Bourgogne Pinot Noir.

DISCUSS COOKING IN OUR ONLINE FORUMS:
If you have questions, comments or ideas to share about today's article or food and cookery in general, you're welcome to drop by our online FoodLovers Discussion Group, where I've posted this article as a new topic.
http://www.wineloverspage.com/forum/village/viewtopic.php?t=5290

Today's column is also cross-posted in the Food & Drink section in our Netscape/CompuServe WineLovers Community,
http://community.netscape.com/winelovers?nav=messages&tsn=1&tid=4996

If you prefer to comment privately, feel free to send me E-mail at wine@wineloverspage.com.

PRINT OUT A COPY OF THIS ARTICLE:
Want a copy that's easy to use in the kitchen? You'll find a simple, plain-text version of this recipe, suitable for printing, online at
http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/print061221.html


Last Week's FoodLetter and Archives

Last week's Wine Advisor FoodLetter: Another diet book? Ho, hum! (Dec. 14, 2006)
http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/tsfl061214.phtml

Wine Advisor FoodLetter archive:
http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/foodlist.phtml

30 Second Wine Advisor archive:
http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvisor1/thelist.shtml


SUBSCRIBE:
 WineLoversPage.com RSS Feed (free)
 30 Second Wine Advisor, daily or weekly (free)
 Wine Advisor FoodLetter, Thursdays (free)

ARCHIVES:
For all past editions,
click here

CONTACT US
E-mail: wine@wineloverspage.com

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:
For information, E-mail
wine@wineloverspage.com


Administrivia

This is The 30 Second Wine Advisor's weekly FoodLetter. To subscribe or unsubscribe, change your E-mail address, or for any other administrative matters, please use the individualized hotlink found at the end of your E-mail edition. If this is not practical, contact me by E-mail at wine@wineloverspage.com, including the exact E-mail address that you used when you subscribed, so I can find your record.

Thursday, Dec. 21, 2006
Copyright 2006 by Robin Garr. All rights reserved.

Subscribe to the 30 Second Wine Advisor's FoodLetter

FoodLetter archives

Subscribe to the 30 Second Wine Advisor