Salt Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

Yay! Our friend Beth was coming to dinner, and bringing her famous homemade applesauce!! What could I make that would compliment Beth's
"always tasty" concoction? I settled on  Pork Loin w/Whiskey Maple Sauce, Sauteed Spinach, and Potatoes. But not just any potatoes...I dug out an old recipe I learned at The Gingercreek Cooking School (in Stewartsville, NJ) for Salt Roasted Baby Potatoes. This luscious recipe is a simple combo of Sea Salt, Olive Oil, Butter and Parsley. I had forgotten how good it was! I bought a bag of potatoes that was a mixture of Fingerling and Baby potatoes (at Costco) but you can use any small potatoes that you would like. It's an easy yet elegant side dish that is perfect for many different entrees!! Our fireside dinner turned out great. I can still taste Beth's Applesauce....mmm. But you will have to get that recipe from Beth yourself. ;-)

SALT ROASTED FINGERLING/BABY POTATOES

2 lbs. baby or fingerling potatoes

about 1 cup course crystal sea or kosher salt                
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons high quality extra virgin olive oil
(I used garlic infused, see photo)
1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley, washed and snipped




Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Pour the salt into the bottom of a shallow baking pan. Wash potatoes and pat dry. Place them on the bed of salt.

With the point of a knife or fork pierce the skin of each potato once. Bake 60 minutes or until tender. Transfer potatoes to a bowl, cut each potato in half (or in quarters) and smash slightly with the butter. Add salt & pepper to taste (some of the sea salt will cling to the potatoes from the baking) then drizzle with olive oil. Gently stir/toss in the snipped parsley. Serve! Absolutely, totally yum...