Roasted Potatoes and Oven Fries

There is an easy trick to making flavorful roasted potatoes that have a creamy center. Do you want to know what it is? I thought so, let’s go..

Step 1

1 lb Potatoes, it doesn’t matter which kind, they’re all good

Move oven rack to the lowest position and preheat oven to 450.

Scrub potatoes clean, we’re leaving the skins on.

Cut into equal size pieces. 

See the little ones are just halved and the big ones were cut into cubes. 

Rinse cut potatoes to remove the starch, this will let the potatoes crisp up better.

Step 2

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper

Place potatoes in a microwave safe bowl, yup, we’re using the microwave, just trust me.  Toss potatoes the olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 4 minutes. Keeping the plastic wrap on, gently toss potatoes to redistribute. Microwave for another 4 minutes. Carefully remove plastic wrap, there will be lots of steam, and drain potatoes. Spread potatoes, cut side down, out on a large sheet pan. I like to like my pans with foil, it speeds clean up later on.

Place pan on the lowest rack. Let cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the bottoms are a nice golden brown. 

Serve with ketchup, cause no matter how great they taste everyone wants ketchup with their potatoes. 

Par cooking the potatoes in the microwave does a few things.

1- It cuts roasting time down 

2- The potatoes get a nice creamy center 

3- Flavor gets cooked deeper into the potatoes. You can add herbs and spices to the potatoes before you nuke them. 

4- You don’t need as much oil. A thin layer is cooked in that ‘fries’ the potatoes in the oven. 

If you want to make Oven Fries, use russet potatoes and cut them into wedges.

Make the following spice mix-

4 teaspoons Kosher Salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground Black Pepper

2 teaspoons Onion Powder

1 teaspoon Garlic Powder

¼ teaspoon chili powder (optional)

1 teaspoon dried Oregano

Mix together in a small bowl then toss 1 tablespoon of spice mix with your potatoes along with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Microwave just like with the roasted potatoes, spread out on sheet pan with cut side down. After 10 minutes of roasting, flip each fry over and continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes until brown on both sides.

Again, serve with ketchup.

Alternate cooking methods- 

Grilling

Follow the directions for roasted potatoes. Once potatoes are finished microwaving, and have been drained, spread them out, cut side down, directly onto the grill top. Cook over medium heat until golden brown.

Ketchup.

Frying

Heat 2″ of oil in a deep pan. Follow directions for oven fries, except omit the Olive Oil (you’re frying them, what’s the point). After fries are done in the microwave and have been drained, lay them out on a paper towel and pat dry, very important, oil will boil otherwise from the moisture on the potatoes. Fry until a nice golden brown.

Ketchup!

Enjoy ~Julia

#cooking blog#roasted potatoes#oven fries#low fat#homemade#Julia's eats#easy recipes