Greek · Mainland Greece and islands · dinner

Lemon-Garlic Greek Potatoes

πατάτες λεμονάτες

These are the potatoes that show up alongside roast lamb at every Greek Sunday table and family celebration — wedges slow-roasted in a generous bath of olive oil, lemon juice, and chicken broth until the outside crisps and the inside turns almost custardy. Simple as the ingredient list is, the result is deeply savory and bright at once. Once you make them, plain roasted potatoes will feel like they're missing something.

• russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into thick wedges (about 8 wedges per potato)

  3 lbs

  1360g

• Greek extra-virgin olive oil (Kalamata or Crete-origin if available)

  1/2 cup

  120ml

• fresh lemon juice (from about 3 large lemons)

  1/2 cup

  120ml

• low-sodium chicken broth

  1 cup

  240ml

• garlic cloves, minced or pressed

  6 cloves

  18g

• dried oregano (see substitution note for Greek mountain oregano)

  2 tsp

  4g

  Substitution · better-flavor

  Original: Greek mountain oregano (rigani). Greek rigani has a piney, slightly wild edge standard dried oregano lacks. If you can find it at a Greek or Middle Eastern market, use 2 tsp. Otherwise, use 2 tsp standard dried oregano plus a small pinch of dried mint to approximate it.

• fine sea salt

  1 1/2 tsp

  9g

• freshly ground black pepper

  1/2 tsp

  1g

• fresh curly parsley, roughly chopped, for finishing

  3 tbsp

  10g

  Substitution · accessibility

  Original: fresh flat-leaf parsley. Flat-leaf (Italian) parsley has a more robust, slightly peppery flavor than curly parsley, which is milder and a little grassy. For a finishing garnish at this quantity the difference is minor. If your store carries both — most Kroger, Publix, and Whole Foods locations do — grab the flat-leaf. Either way, use it fresh; dried parsley is not a suitable substitute here.

1. 01

   10 min

   Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel the potatoes and cut each one lengthwise into thick wedges — about 8 wedges per large potato. You want them substantial, roughly 1 to 1½ inches at the thickest point. Too thin and they'll dry out before they get custardy inside.

2. 02

   5 min

   In a large roasting pan or a 9×13-inch baking dish, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, chicken broth, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Add the potato wedges and toss them well so every surface is coated. Arrange them in a single layer, cut-side down as much as possible — this helps the bottom faces get color.

3. 03

   40 min

   Slide the pan into the oven, uncovered. Roast for 40 minutes. The liquid will be bubbling and the potatoes will look pale and soft — that's fine, they're absorbing the broth and lemon. Don't rush this stage.

4. 04

   50 min

   After 40 minutes, flip each wedge over with tongs or a spatula. The bottom should be starting to turn golden. Return the pan to the oven and roast another 40 to 50 minutes, until the liquid has mostly evaporated, the potatoes are deeply golden and a little crispy on the outside, and tender all the way through when pierced with a fork. If they're golden but still have a lot of liquid, crank the oven to 425°F (220°C) for the last 10 minutes.

5. 05

   2 min

   Pull the pan from the oven. Scatter the chopped fresh parsley over the top and serve directly from the pan. These are best eaten hot, straight from the oven — the crispy edges soften as they sit.

Reheating · Reheat to 165°F / 74°C internal. Add a few tablespoons of broth to keep moist.

Source: foodkeeper