simplicity

There was a point in time when I thought more was more, especially when cooking. I'd add all sorts of ingredients to the dishes I made. Sometimes for better and sometimes for worse. The more I cook, the more I've come to realize that most of the time, the simpler the dish, the better.

I was shopping at Trader Joe's the other day and stumbled upon the cutest little potatoes. I immediately grabbed them, not knowing what I was going to do with them. For me, inspiration usually comes from ingredients, not from recipes. I decided to keep it simple and let the "teeny tiny potatoes" be the star. I pan roasted them with a little garlic, butter + olive oil. I had some fresh thyme leftover from the coq au vin I made a few nights before so I finished the potatoes with a sprinkle of fresh thyme, salt + pepper. Simple, yes, but they were so fabulous!

In honor of keeping it simple, I'll let the recipe and photos speak for itself... enjoy!

Pan Roasted Teeny Tiny Potatoes

ingredients:

1 lb (16 oz) teeny tiny potatoes

2 T. butter

2 T. olive oil

2 garlic cloves

1 T. fresh thyme leaves

salt + pepper

yields 3 - 4 servings

In a heavy bottomed skillet heat oil and butter. Once the oil is hot, drop in your potatoes and 2 smashed garlic cloves. Place a lid on for about 15 minutes (time will vary depending on the size of your potatoes). Give the pan a few good shakes throughout the cooking process to ensure they brown on all sides. Poke potato with fork to check doneness. In the last minute of cooking add thyme, salt + pepper.

improv style:

This recipe can be done with pretty much any vegetable/herb combination. It would be great with sweet potatoes or butternut squash and onions. Try making it with chives and fresh parsley for a burst of freshness. For recipes like this, simple is the key! Don't try to throw in too many flavors. A splash of lemon juice with a hint of lemon zest would be nice too.