Lemon Herb Roasted Potatoes

They have wonderful color and I know you will enjoy them. While the potatoes have crisp exteriors, their interiors remain soft and once you taste them, I think you'll agree that they are delicious. They are also easy to make. Barry Parsons developed the recipe and he shared a tip with his readers that I think you will find helpful. Did you know that preheating the pan in which you are going to roast the potatoes, will keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan as they bake? It worked like a charm for me. If you like roasted potatoes, give this well-seasoned version a try. Here is the recipe.

Lemon Herb Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients:
6-8 large sized russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-1/2 to 2-inch chunks
juice of one lemon
1/3 cup olive oil (butter or other oil will work as well; a butter/olive oil combination is very good too)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1-1/2 tablespoons dried herbs, oregano, thyme and rosemary are good choices
1 whole garlic bulb broken into about 4 pieces (optional)

Directions:
1) Parboil potatoes in salted water for about 3-4 minutes, no longer.
2) Meanwhile in a 375 degree F oven, heat a baking pan of sufficient size to hold your potatoes without crowding them. A glass or metal pan is fine, as long as it is well heated beforehand. This will help to prevent the potatoes from sticking to the pan.
3) After parboiling, drain potatoes and let them stand for 5 minutes. Then toss potatoes with the lemon juice, so the potatoes absorb lemon juice. Add salt, pepper, herbs, garlic cloves and olive oil.
4) Transfer seasoned potatoes, garlic and oil to hot baking pan. These should sizzle as they hit pan. If they sizzle they will not stick to pan. Roast potatoes for about 60-75 minutes or until they are golden brown all over, turning them every 20 minutes or so. After first 10 minutes, give pan a shake to make sure potatoes are not stuck to it. The roasted garlic may have to be removed before the potatoes are finished as it generally cooks faster. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.