Parsley Leaf Potatoes

I realize it's not a four-leaf clover (are those things even edible?), but these parsley leaf potatoes still scream St. Patrick's Day to me. So here we are. In fact, I hate to ruin any blog magic you may believe in, but I made these a few months ago and waited until now to post them. That's how St. Patricky I thought they were. Of course now, as I type this, I'm doubting whether anyone else will see it. If you're not feeling it, you can always make last year's Irish soda bread and wash it down with a cold, refreshing Guinness ice cream float. I hear that's what all the leprechauns will be serving when the tooth fairy and Easter bunny come over on Saturday night for the big shin dig.

PARSLEY LEAF POTATOES

Makes 4 to 6 servings

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 large yukon gold or russet potatoes (about 2 lb.), scrubbed

8 fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

salt

1.      Place oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450° F.

2.      Pour butter into a shallow baking dish (1 inch deep) and tilt to coat bottom.

3.      Working with 1 potato at a time, halve potatoes lengthwise, then put a parsley leaf on cut side of each potato half and season with salt.

4.      Put potatoes, cut sides down, in baking pan and roast (do not turn over) until undersides are golden and potatoes are tender, about 30-40 minutes.

Potatoes can be kept warm, turned cut sides up and loosely covered with foil, about 30 minutes.

Gourmet, November 2003

I used butter potatoes, which are
thin-skinned and very similar to yukon golds.

parsley leaves on the potato halves

potato halves face down in melted butter

baked

turned face up

closeup

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