Rosemary Potatoes

Name: Rosemary Potatoes
Yield: 6
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1kg potatoes, peeled; 2 red onions, peeled; ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil; 2 stalks rosemary, plus extra for garnish; Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Rosemary is surprisingly easy to grow (trust me, I’m no gardener and mine has thrived). So consider popping a cutting in some soil and having it on hand to add its wonderful aroma to dishes like these roast rosemary potatoes, which are great served alongside any grilled meat, poultry or seafood. I find the secrets to getting roast potatoes crisp are high heat and not salting them until after they’re cooked. A great potato makes a big difference too, like the heirloom varieties grown by The Gourmet Potato in the Southern Highlands of NSW. Their red blush are perfect for roasting, try a mixture of skin on and peeled for the colour contrast! As this is a side dish, the wine match will depend largely on the meal it accompanies … but if I was being indulgent and curling up in front of the TV with a bowl of roast spuds for dinner (has been known to happen), I’d want a glass of Scorpo’s textural pinot grigio Bestia rosé with it!

Serves 6 as a side dish

Ingredients

1kg potatoes
2 red onions, peeled
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 stalks rosemary, plus extra for garnish
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Preheat oven to 200°C.
Meanwhile, scrub potatoes well, or peel them if you prefer. If they’re large, cut them into big chunks. Pat them dry thoroughly.
Cut onions into slim wedges.
Pour half the oil into a baking dish, add potato, onion and rosemary leaves.
Add remaining oil and toss well to coat everything in the oil.
Sprinkle generously with pepper (no salt at this stage).
Place in the oven for 30 minutes, then give them a good stir and return to the oven for another 20-30 minutes, until potatoes are crisp and golden.
Sprinkle generously with salt, garnish with a sprig of rosemary and serve immediately.