Garlic Roasted Potatoes with Cilantro and Lemon

If you can’t tell from my pale skin, dark hair, green eyes, and freckles, I have a little…alright, maybe a lot of Irish in me. Not only do I look a bit on the Irish side, I also act like I’m a true Irish(wo)man. I enjoy a good drink and I love the stereotypical meat and potato dishes. To me, those are truly comfort foods that I never grow tired of enjoying.

Growing up, it seemed like we were always eating some type of hearty meat and potato dish and, to this day, I still love these dishes. Throw a steak on the grill, pair it with a nice salad, and pile on the potatoes and I’ll be one happy girl. In my opinion, that is one of the most simple yet delicious meals that can be filled with so much flavor. Take for example, the lovely potato. This little gem can be smothered in butter, sprinkled with herbs, covered in spices, topped with cheese, or paired with salsa…it is so versatile and, with so many options, one can never grow tired of this wonderful vegetable.

One of my favorite types of potatoes is the red skin potato. I love buying packages of the small red skin potatoes at the grocery store and experimenting with spices and herbs to kick the entire flavor up a notch or two. On a mission to fall in love with Cilantro, I decided to pick up this herb that I have never really enjoyed. Through the years, I’ve been putting it in various dishes but no matter what I try, I can always taste this overwhelming herb and it has always turned me off to the entire dish. I know…it’s quite depressing.

Since I have such a strong love for potatoes, I decided to see what I could come up with by combining the two…and guess what. It is because of this dish that I can now say that I love Cilantro. That’s right, Cilantro and I are well on our way to becoming friends. These potatoes are covered in garlic-infused extra virgin olive oil, cilantro, lemon, salt and pepper. I may or may not have eaten the entire plate of potatoes pictured while writing this post…don’t judge.

Garlic Roasted Potatoes with Cilantro and Lemon

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds small red skin potatoes, quartered
• 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped Cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees and prepare baking sheet by lining it with aluminum foil coated in cooking spray.
2. Combine garlic and olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.
3. Place quartered potatoes in a large bowl and drizzle garlic oil over them. Toss to coat the potatoes.
4. Arrange potatoes on prepared baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown; toss halfway through cook time. Remove from oven and place into serving dish.
6. Combine reserved garlic, Cilantro, and lemon rind. Sprinkle mixture evenly over potatoes. Season with salt and pepper (to taste).

* Recipe slightly adapted from Cooking Light

What is your favorite way to enjoy potatoes?