Sour Potatoes

Doesn’t the word Fingerling sound like a race of beings sent here to take over the planet and grow humans in Matrix-style People Gardens where they will harvest our brains and serve them as a side dish…maybe with pork tenderloin or a nice rack of lamb?

“Sir”, I would say calmly, “The Fingerlings have penetrated our atmosphere.”

“Get the bazookas” Sir would say back.

Can’t you just see this happening? I don’t know, maybe I need a day job…

The Fingerlings are here!

Well, you can breathe a sigh of relief for Fingerlings are not alien beings but beautiful little potatoes that humans can actually serve as a side dish with Pork Tenderloin or Rack of Lamb or any number of other entrée meats. I recently had the pleasure of spending the day with my dear friend Hilary and her family in their lovely, cabin-like home and that is where I was first introduced to the Fingerling potato and its gorgeous cousin, the Purple Peruvian.

Aren't these pretty?

I proceeded to be informed by Hilary’s husband, Dean, that he had latterly been on a plane and read about these purple beauties and that they were just full of antioxidants and other cancer fighting, heart protecting health benefits. Well, I Wikipedia’d it and also found out that purple potatoes have 2-4 times more antioxidants than any other type of produce. That combined with its beauty and delicious-ness may put it in the running for the world’s most perfect food. I contemplated that as I sat on my duff on a bar stool and watched my friend prepare the following recipe. Once again, I didn’t ask her for the exact measurements and instructions so this will be my best recollection of what I saw her do and what I made for my little brood last week. So without further adieu, I give you…

Hilary’s Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

• Fingerling Potatoes, about 30-35 to serve 4
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil, approximately 4 tablespoons
• Garlic and Onion Powder, generous sprinkle of each
• Course Salt
• A Bit of Cracked Pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Begin by scrubbing those little potatoes and patting them dry. Next, you can slice them into 1/2″ coins.

These ones looked kind of marbled inside...

Pour a bit of olive oil into the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish and then put the potatoes in. Now, pour a bit more olive oil over the potatoes, and then sprinkle with your powders, salt, and pepper. Stick that bad boy in the oven for approximately 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender, turning the potatoes with a spatula every ten minutes so they don’t stick to the bottom.

They should look a little something like this...

Now you can serve them up with that Pork Tenderloin or Rack of Lamb we talked about and then you can yell to your family that “The Fingerlings are here!”.

Thank You, Hil! These are delish!