I’m not sure what to call these delicious nuggets of potato heaven, but they are so good I’m not sure they need a name. Any reference to “those potatoes you made that one time,” will automatically populate this recipe in my brain. It’s simple, really. Boil whole, unpeeled, fingerling potatoes in liberally salted water* until fork-tender. Drain, and allow to cool until they can be handled. Split each potato lengthwise, and salt the cut side generously. In a 10″ saute pan over medium heat, put in about a tablespoon of butter – we’re looking for a pond of butter. Not a lake, but a pond. Lay the potato halves, cut-side down, into the butter pond. (I said good, not healthy.) DO NOT TOUCH THEM. Let them get nice and toasty in the pond. I’d say after 5 minutes check the bottom of ONE – we’re looking for golden brown deliciousness. Once there, remove the little gems to a plate, cut-side up, and sprinkle with freshly chopped herbs. I used chive, parsley, and thyme. So good. SO GOOD. I really thought this was appropriate to accompany my Julia Child dish. The potatoes are, after all, in a pond of butter.
Note: To properly boil a potato, I was taught to scrub the potatoes, place them all in a pot, and then fill the pot with cold water to cover the potatoes by a couple of inches. Place the pot on the stove and place on a high heat to bring to a boil. To check for doneness, pull a potato out of the water and stick a fork in it. If there is a lot a resistance and it is hard to put the fork in, then they need to cook longer. If the fork slides in easily, the potatoes are cooked.
* Please, please, for the love of your pot, please do not salt the water until it has reached a boil. Adding salt before it reaches a boil will cause the bottom of your pot to get pock marks from the settled salt.
