Lemon roasted new potatoes

Photo shows a shallow bowl filled with roasted new potatoes, with a lemon next to the bowl

My fiancé is a great lover of lemons. His mother reliably informs us that he only started speaking as a child to ask for “some lemon dosh” (dosh = squash), and even now he will happy munch on a leftover lemon slice when one is available to him. Me, I’m more ambivalent about lemons, particularly in their application in sweet recipes. I can take or leave a slice of lemon meringue pie, or a piece of lemon drizzle, however, add a squeeze of lemon juice to a savoury dish and I’m there as fast as anything. Paellas, pasta dishes, even pesto, all benefit from a good amount of lemon juice in my opinion to add brightness and enhance the flavour of the dish.

That’s why when I found Maureen Abood’s recipe for Roasted New Potatoes with Mint (the inspiration for my own recipe) I knew I had to try the combination of potatoes and lemon right away.

These potatoes are a relatively quick addition to a light lunch or dinner (taking about 45 minutes from start to finish to prepare and cook) and offer a more exciting alternative than your normal boiled or roasted new potato. Unlike Maureen’s recipe I only use dried mint to finish off the potatoes. Not cooking with mint too often, I find that if I buy a bag from the supermarket to use for these potatoes the remaining leaves end up festering in the fridge. In the spirit of trying to avoid food waste, I stick to the dried stuff (for now at least, until I have a garden where I can grow my own!).

I also modify the added garlic, roasting it in its skin with the potatoes before squeezing out the flesh and stirring it into the finished dish. Using roasted, rather than raw, garlic gives a more subtle flavour which I personally think works better in this case.

Image shows a tray of roasted new potatoes cut in half, with a few cloves of garlic scattered amongst them — The potatoes and garlic, roasted and waiting for their final lemon bath

These lemony roasted potatoes are both a little bit crispy and soft, and make the ideal accompaniment to light spring and summer meals like quiches and tarts. Any leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated the next day, either in the microwave or oven if you want them to regain their crisp exterior. They also taste delicious cold and would make a tasty addition to a picnic basket.

Serves: 3-4 | Total time: 45-50 mins | Source: vicki cooks veggie/Maureen Abood

Ingredients

500g (slightly over 1lb) new potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil (or another vegetable oil)
Juice of ½ lemon, or 1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt and black pepper
3 cloves garlic, skins still on
½ tsp dried mint

Method

Get a kettle on the boil, preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F), then wash your potatoes (don’t peel them) and cut them in half. Add your boiling water to your saucepan and bring it back up to the boil. Add a good pinch of salt, then add the potatoes to the water and boil on a low/medium heat for 5 minutes. Make sure that the potatoes are covered by the water.
While the potatoes are bubbling, prepare the marinade (or “lemon bath” if you will). Get a bowl that will fit your potatoes comfortably, then mix together the olive oil and lemon juice in the bowl along with a good grinding of salt and black pepper. Add your three garlic cloves to the marinade.
After the potatoes have been boiling for 5 minutes, drain the water from them and add them to the bowl containing the marinade and garlic. Carefully toss the potatoes in the mix, then leave to soak for 5 minutes. At this point, put a non-stick baking tray into the oven to warm up a bit.
Once the potatoes and garlic have marinated for 5 minutes, get your baking tray out of the oven and carefully place the potatoes onto the tray, cut side down. Scatter the garlic over the potatoes, and save the marinade for later. Put the tray back into the oven and leave the potatoes to cook for 30 minutes undisturbed.
After 30 minutes, your potatoes should be golden brown and a little crispy. Remove from the oven, add the potatoes back into your marinade and squeeze the garlic cloves from their skins, chopping them finely and stirring them into the potatoes. Add ½ tsp dried mint and give a final stir before leaving for a final 5 minutes’ soak in the lemon bath.
Serve alongside your favourite spring and summer dishes - we enjoy having them with quiche, coleslaw and salad.

Lemon roasted new potatoes