Lemony Roasted Potatos

 

I got this one from my roommate's cookbook Veganomicon which is subtitled as "the ultimate vegan cookbook" and I can't say I disagree. I actually don't have all that much experience with vegan recipes seeing as I'm not a vegan myself but what I can tell you is that these potatoes were good. I've been meaning to pick this book up off the kitchen shelf after watching the roomie make delicious smelling dish after pretty looking entree for weeks and I'm very glad I got around to it.

The recipes were much simpler than I expected and don't require you to go running out to your local health food store for pricey substitutes which is something that tends to deter me. I like a recipe that is simple, straightforward and effective which I got working out of this book. But bottom line, try these potatoes: they're tender and have a strong flavor without being too tart. Not going to lie, I had a hard time restraining myself from licking the bowl. 

Lemony Roasted Potatoes 

2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes (medium to small potatoes work best)  

1/3 cup olive oil

6 cloves garlic, chopped finely

1/2 cup lemon juice

1 cup vegetable broth (I didn't have any at the time, used water, didn't hurt the flavor, still delicious) 

2 teaspoons dried oregano

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon tomato paste (I used ketchup here)

freshly ground back pepper

chopped fresh parsley or dried oregano (optional (and I used oregano))

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Peel the potatoes, slice in half lengthwise, and slice each half into wedges no more than 3/4-inch thick. 

In a large, deep baking pan or casserole dish (at least 10 x 17-inches or bigger), combine the olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, vegetable broth, oregano, salt and tomato paste. Add the peeled, sliced potatoes. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and toss the potatoes to cover with sauce. Cover the pan tightly with foil (or use lid of casserole dish), place in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until the potatoes are almost done. Several times during the baking process, remove the pan from the oven, uncover, stir the potatoes, place the cover back and return the pan to the oven.

Uncover the pan one last time, stir the potatoes again, and bake, uncovered, for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until most of the sauce has evaporated and some of the potatoes have just started to brown on their edges. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and/or dried oregano before serving.