With two big feast days looming — Easter and Passover — I thought I’d offer up a simple but delicious side dish. I’m talking about the lemony roasted potatoes that are one of the dependable delights on the menu at a Greek restaurant. They’re crispy on the outside, tangy and creamy on the inside … and surprisingly easy to make.
The key is to start by only partially cooking the potatoes — five minutes, then pull them off the heat. Then drain them and, while they’re still hot, toss them with lemon juice and salt. The potatoes will soak up the flavorings like a sponge. The next step is the one that creates the crispy crust: Coat them with oil and roast them in an oven. The final touch? Toss the potatoes with fresh chopped herbs right before you serve them. I prefer parsley and oregano, but they’d be great with rosemary or basil, too.
What are the best kinds of spuds for this dish? The top of the list is occupied by boiling potatoes and all-purpose potatoes because they hold their shape when roasted. Yukon Golds are my particular favorite. Russet potatoes — aka baking potatoes, the most famous being the Idaho — would fall apart.
If you manage not to eat them all in one sitting, you’ll love these guys as leftovers. They happen to make terrific hash browns. Just saute some chopped onion in oil or butter in a skillet over medium-low heat until it’s caramelized, add the potatoes, then mush them down with a potato masher or fork until they form a big pancake. Brown it slowly on both sides. Done. That lemony edge makes these hash browns a particularly toothsome variation on the standard version.
