Ultra Crispy Potatoes team with an Argentinian-Style Bright Green Chimichurri Sauce for the ultimate side-dish
How do the Potatoes Turn Out Ultra-Crispy?
First up, it is NOT because they are drenched in oil, or deep fried!
- The alkaline water (adding baking soda) helps the exteriors of the potatoes break down more, creating much more of the starchy slurry that leads to an extra-crisp exterior.
- The potatoes are first quick boiled in water with a small amount of baking soda and sea salt.
- They are then drained and added to a hot roasting pan with EVOO, cut side down and roasted, no need to turn them over… CRISPY on tops & bottoms!
How beautiful are these?
Wonderful purple, gold and red varieties – shaped like small, stubby fingers—hence the name!
(Bought at Whole Foods)
Perfectly Crispy Potatoes… I have a method for that:
- Add cut potatoes to a large pot, fill with cool water to cover by an inch; add baking soda and sea salt
- Cover and cook at a simmer until just tender, 10 minutes (less for smaller potatoes) ~ will be fork tender
- Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them dry 10 minutes.
- add 2 1/2 tablespoons of EVOO to a heavy roasting pan – heat for 10 minutes @ 400 degrees
- Add the potatoes cut side down, sprinkle with a few pinches of sea salt.
- Roast for 30 minutes (less time for smaller potatoes.)
- They will be perfectly roasted and crispy on the tops AND bottoms!
- To SERVE: add a drizzle of Poblano Chimichurri on each; garnish with mint and parsley leaves… enjoy!
- You can use this “crispy potato” method with other types of potatoes
Place a Poblano Pepper over a gas flame, turn with tongs until blackened all over.
Place in a paper bag – the steam will help loosen the skin. Remove the skin and seeds; chop. Taste for heat… some are spicier than others.
Poblano peppers are mildly hot, with a Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) rating of 1,000 – 2,000.
(Compare to Jalapeño peppers measure 2,500 – 8,000 on the Scoville scale.)
Fact: When dried, poblano peppers are called ancho peppers. They have a slightly smoky, earthy, and rich flavor.
A Simple and Amazing Chimichurri:
Ingredients:
Roasted Chopped Poblano Peppers, Chopped Parsley, Chopped Mint, Garlic, Minced Lemon Rind, Red Wine Vinegar, Chili Flakes, Salt & Pepper and Extra Virgin Olive Oil
The ingredients are hand cut, no processor used! (See recipe)
I add the Chimmichurri over each potato – alternately, you could add the condiment on the bottom of a bowl or plate and add the potatoes on top.
Uses for Chimichurri:
- As a side sauce/condiment – perfect on everything fresh off the grill
- Make into a salad dressing by adding extra vinegar. (Can pulse it too.)
- Perfect on pasta – add while pasta is warm to grab the flavors
- As a dip for taquitos
- Drizzle over your breakfast eggs or omelets
- Top grilled shrimp, chicken to vegan proteins
- Make my Grilled Asparagus & Hearts of Palm Salad with Chimichurri
- Make my Grilled chicken Paillard with Chimichurri
- Spoon some over your fresh taco creations
- Try some on vegetable kebobs hot off the grill
- As a topping for my Perfectly Crispy Fingerling Potatoes!
Enjoy this wonderful side-dish with the crispiest potatoes!
Karen
Perfectly Crispy Fingerling Potatoes with Roasted Poblano Chimichurri
Ultra Crispy Potatoes team with an Argentinian-Style Bright Green Chimichurri Sauce for the ultimate side-dish
Equipment
- 1 large roasting pan
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds fingerling potatoes , I use Organic Rainbow Gems Fingerling Potatoes from Cal- Organic (about 10 medium-large potatoes.)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
- 2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pinches sea salt
- 3 tablespoons Karen’s Robust Roasted Poblano Chimichurri, will use 3 – 4 tablespoons (see recipe)
- 2 pinches freshly cracked black pepper & sea salt
Instructions
- Make the Roasted Poblano Chimichurri (see recipe)
Potatoes:
- Wash and dry potatoes, cut them in half lengthwise. Add them to a medium-large pot and add water to cover by one inch. Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt. Bring to a boil then lower heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes until tender, yet not entirely cooked through.(My potatoes were on the large size for fingerlings, if your are small cook closer to 5 minutes.)Drain potatoes in a colander and shake off the water. Let stand 10 minutes to dry.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add 2 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large roasting pan. (I use an enamel coated cast iron vintage pan (holds heat very well.) Place pan in the oven for 5 minutes to heat.Carefully remove pan from the oven, add potatoes cut side down on the hot oil, sprinkle with a few pinches of sea salt and place in the ovenRoast for 30 minutes, less for smaller potatoes until very golden and crispy on tops and bottoms – no need to turn the potatoes over!
To Serve:
- Add the crispy potatoes on a platter. Add a few pinches of sea salt and pepper. Top with Chimichirri over potatoes in stripes, garnish with parsley & mint leaves.
Notes
Karen’s Robust Roasted Poblano Chimichurri recipe
Cook time is for potatoes, excludes Chimichurri.
This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer
Nutrition
Calories: 168kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 3gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 575mgPotassium: 478mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 153IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 26mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @azestforlife or tag #azestforlife!
Karen’s Robust Roasted Poblano Chimichurri
My riff on the Classic Argentina & Uraguay raw silky condiment. A masterful special condiment/sauce has many uses and is a snap to make! Brightens many dishes.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, washed, dried, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves , washed, dried, coarsely chopped
- 1/3 cup poblano peppers, roasted, skins removed; coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, peeled and minced (use more if you like very garlicky)
- 1/2 teaspoon lemon rind, white pith removed, minced
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes, I use Sichuan Chiles
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
Roast Poblano Pepper:
- Place a medium poblano pepper over a high gas flame. Turn with tongs when blacjkened underneath. Cook until blackened all over. Place in a paper bag, fold to enclose. Let cool, then nudge off all the blackened skin. Cut away stem and remove the seeds. Coarsely chop. (Use and remaining in another recipe.)
- Add all ingredients to a small bowl except olive oil, mix well with a fork.Slowly stream in the oil. Taste for seasonings.Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours for the flavors to mingle. Refrigerate in a clean glass container. Will stay fresh for up to 5 days.
Notes
This recipe may not be reproduced without the consent of its author, Karen Sheer
Nutrition
Calories: 41kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 0.1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 78mgPotassium: 22mgFiber: 0.4gSugar: 0.2gVitamin A: 241IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 0.2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @azestforlife or tag #azestforlife!
I am going to make this recipe pronto! Excited about these crispy potatoes. Beautiful photography. Thomas.
Thanks for your comment Thomas. You will LOVE these potatoes! 😀Karen
Found this recipe intriguing and made it last night.
Who doesn’t love crispy potatoes? I used regular medium fingerling potatoes, those colorful ones do look amazing. I think par boiling them with the baking soda is the trick, as I never had such crispy potatoes! And preheating the oil first also must have helped too.
I made the chimichurri to but did not have mint, and really thought it was tasty. Thank you, Chloe
Thank you Chloe for writing! I’m thrilled you loved the crispy potatoes… and that you made the Chimichurri – a great accompaniment.
Mint is nice in the recipe, yet really good without it too. 😀Karen