Potatoes are flavor sponges and this recipe delivers flavor in a big way. We roasted the potatoes here but we’ve also grilled them with excellent results. The potatoes are creamy on the inside, crispy on the outside and bathed in savory, tangy, deliciousness, using savories including the Middle Eastern spice Za’taar, that I remember enjoying in many of my grandmothers dishes.
Za’atar is a generic name for a family of related Middle Eastern herbs from the genera Origanum (oregano), Calamintha (basil thyme), Thymus (typically Thymus vulgaris, i.e., thyme), and Satureja (savory). Za’atar is generally prepared using ground dried thyme, oregano, marjoram, or some combination thereof, mixed with toasted sesame seeds, and salt, though other spices such as sumac might also be added. Wikipedia.
You can buy Za’atar from any high-end spice merchant, gourmet grocer or from any of several online spice merchants, or click on the link for some recommendations.
Scrub and rinse the potatoes, cut each potato in half. Par-boil for approximately 7–10 minutes or until tender, drain. Make Ahead: at this point the potatoes can be placed on a cookie sheet, wrapped in plastic and refrigerated a few hours prior to use. Just make sure to sit at room temperature 30–45 minutes before using. When ready to bake, drizzle potatoes lightly with olive oil and bake for 45–60 minutes, until crispy.
Meanwhile, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper and Za’atar in a large bowl to make a vinaigrette. Tip: We like using a lidded glass jar for this and shaking vigorously to blend. Remove the potatoes from the oven and toss immediately with the vinaigrette, serve hot.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon of Za’atar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons of good olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Scrub and rinse the potatoes, cut each potato in half. Par-boil for approximately 7–10 minutes or until tender, drain. Make Ahead: at this point the potatoes can be placed on a cookie sheet, wrapped in plastic and refrigerated a few hours prior to use. Just make sure to sit at room temperature 30–45 minutes before using.
- When ready to bake, drizzle potatoes lightly with olive oil and bake for 45–60 minutes, until crispy.
- Meanwhile, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper and Za’atar in a large bowl to make a vinaigrette. Tip: We like using a lidded glass jar for this and shaking vigorously to blend.
- Remove the potatoes from the oven and toss immediately with the vinaigrette, serve hot.
