Sunday, January 29, 2012

Jess Potatoes


I have made and eaten potatoes in almost every conceivable form.  Mashed, baked, boiled, riced, gnocchi, pancakes, gratineed, escalloped etc.  So you can imagine my delight when I was first presented with this incredibly easy and tasty way to prepare potatoes.

I first had these potatoes at the home of a friend named Jess.  Her family owns a large organic strawberry and vegetable farm in central North Carolina and I like to imagine this recipe comes from her mom, preparing a large pan of these for everyone after a long day of work on the farm.  They are a cross between crispy hash browns and a baked potato and are incredibly delicious.


I love how gorgeous these potatoes look on a plate.  They make you just want to dive in.  That's why we call them Jess Potatoes (because it sounds like "just potatoes" until the time you see your plate).

Q:  "What's for dinner?"

A: "Jess potatoes, beef and some spinach"

Translation:  Blue cheese-stuffed steak with creamed spinach and Jess Potatoes


Jess Potatoes
serves 4

4 medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled and washed
1/4 cup olive oil
4 Tbsp butter
sea salt, pepper and garlic powder

Pre heat oven to 375 F.

Cut potatoes in half.  With a large knife score deeply into the potato to make a grid pattern (do not cut completely through.

Line a jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and coat with olive oil.  Place potatoes face down in the oil, then turn over and season with sea salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Turn potatoes face down again.  place pats of butter around potatoes.




Bake 45 minutes until cut face of potatoes are golden brown.  Let rest 10 minutes before carefully removing potatoes from baking sheet.

4 comments:

  1. Makes me so happy that "jess potatoes" have lived long and are prospering!

    Also, thanks for supporting the Vollmer farm by buying their asparagus and fresh strawberries. Grown right out of the fields I worked in all my life! XO! Love, JESS!

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    1. Hi Jess! You'd be surprised at the amazing number of hits there have been on your potato recipe! Apparently a lot of people love them as much as we do! I try to do my best to support local farmers and since your family owns one of the very best farms in the state, I just had to give y'all a shout out on the blog! Xoxo. Ozzy

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  2. seems these are made now all over the world ;)

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  3. I was never able to make these work. The always sort of steamed and the minimal crust stuck to the foil. Then I cooked at 375 for 45 minutes, then turned them up to 450 for 10-15 more minutes. I also didn’t use the foil. No sticking and they were crispy on the bottom. Finally!

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