This recipe for potatoes cooked with whole, unpeeled garlic cloves has been a favorite of Tante Marie's students ever since it was taught to us by Judith Olney. The secret is to cook the potatoes and garlic in plenty of olive oil so the garlic doesn't burn. Serve this dish with roasted chicken or a chicken sauté.
Ingredients
Serves 6
Step 1
Cover the bottom of a glass baking dish with the oil. Toss in the potatoes and garlic, making sure both are coated with the oil. Toss in the bay leaves and sprigs of herbs and season generously with salt and pepper.
Step 2
Bake this dish in a 425°F oven until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 35 minutes. Open the oven and stir the potatoes twice during the cooking time. (When serving, be sure to show the guests how to squeeze the softened garlic and mash it into the potatoes.)
Step 3
Choose firm and fresh-looking new (thin-skinned) potatoes. Any long thin-skinned potatoes can be called fingerlings. The yellow-fleshed ones are Yellow Finn and Yukon Gold, and there are many varieties of white and pink potatoes. I find the purple potatoes have the least flavor.
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Reviews (11)
Back to TopI have made this a couple of times and wanted to note that not only are the purple potatoes less flavorful as the recipe (Tante Marie? Is that the name of a person?) says, but the texture is also different. They are softer and mushier. I prefer the yellow potatoes that are suggested (e.g., Yukon Gold). Also, although it calls for a lot of oil, and I wouldn't mind less oil on my potatoes, when I made the dish with less oil, the garlic burned, as the recipe notes. All in all, a great, simple dish.
persephone123
10/9/2014
Super simple and delicious! 4 forks for combination of flavor and execution. I always add more garlic. I've made this many times, different type of potatoes, fresh or dried herbs (whatever I have at hand), and it is perfect every time!
daniguinha
los angeles, ca
8/19/2010
Good recipe with large potatoes cut up into pieces as well.
mestato
4/29/2010
I used a 1/4 the amount of olive oil and half of all the otehr ingridietnts and it still tasted very seasoned. I cant imagine how bad it would be if you used the suggested amount of olive oil. AN easy sad that goes great with steaks
nbaron99
New York, NY
6/28/2009
I made this dish easier on everybody by using the pre- peeled garlic cloves we get really really cheaply at Asian markets here. So the dish is really no work at all, but very flavorful. (And the leftover oil is great on popcorn, too.)
Anonymous
Meadowbrook in Fort Worth
2/25/2008
My family LOVED this. I ended up baking it about 15-20 minutes longer which gave it a nice golden outer skin. I also partially pealed the potatoes in strips which made it fun and decorative. DELISH!
Anonymous
Bellevue, WA
1/27/2008
Used canned new potatoes, which made things easier (although this recipe is VERY easy). I used Himalayan Pink Salt and fresh ground Black Tellicherry Pepper--which added an extra rich flavor. I mixed the salt and pepper with the olive oil and potatoes BEFORE adding the rosemary and thyme so that the fresh herbs would stay on the sprig. The rosemary sprigs burned, so partway through the cooking I replaced them with a fresh spring. However, this still dried out. The rosemary leaves/needles are tough, like pine, and were not appetizing when eaten. Recommend removing as much as possible of the rosemary springs/needles and thyme springs after baking, but before serving. I did not highlight the fact that there were whole garlic cloves, and instead allowed the guests to eat them. Perhaps some thought they were savory potato bits. Finally, would recommend baking in a shallow casserole dish (like the kind used for brownies), rather than a deeper one. The garlic didn't roast fully when cooking in a bowl-shaped casserole dish. Would absolutely make again! Makes the kitchen smell yummy and guests asked for the recipe!
bja3
B from Atlanta, GA
1/24/2008
Such a perfect way to do roast potatoes. I've made it a dozen times and served it with a variety of dishes and it never fails to please. It's so simple and so delicious. And faster too, since your guests peel their own garlic. ;-)
Anonymous
Denver, CO
10/1/2007
Really tasty and easy. My boyfriend says that I should never make mashed potatoes again after tasting this. I have to agree.
Anonymous
Philadelphia, PA
10/11/2005
Delicious and easy!
Anonymous
Columbia, SC
9/10/2005
SILLY delicious!! This recipe is great and easy. Afterwards, I saved the flavored oil for frying potato slices and decided I could just keep some oil aside for potatoes, using the herbs in the recipe. I keep it in a jar, and use when needed.
littoyaya
8/8/2005
