Turmeric Roasted Potatoes

Potatoes are one the those wonderful foods that you can create all sorts of deliciousness with. I love them steamed, boiled, fried (in beef tallow!) and sauteed. And what I really love to make with them is turmeric roasted potatoes– which includes steaming and roasting. And butter. This is a family favorite, and although it takes more than one step to make, it’s still quick and easy, well worth your efforts.

This recipe is inspired by something I saw Gordon Ramsay do on a Christmas special one time. Thank you, Gordon.

Turmeric Roasted Potatoes

What You’ll Need:

• 2 lbs. or 1 kg waxy potatoes
• 2 t sea salt
• 1/4 C good unsalted butter (I like this kind) or ghee
• 1 T fresh lemon juice
• 1 t ground turmeric
• a dash cayenne powder, optional
• As for kitchen equipment, you’ll need a pot with a lid and two handles (like this) and then either a baking sheet or an oven-proof serving dish, like this.

What to Do:

1. Fill your pot about half full with water, and add 1 teaspoon of the salt. Turn heat on high, and bring to a boil.
2. Peel your potatoes, and cut into quarters. If you have some potatoes that are smaller, just cut in half or leave as they are– you just want to have potatoes pieces that are roughly the same size.
3. Once the water is boiling, at your potatoes, and reduce the heat the water will be at a simmer. Cook until potatoes are just tender, then drain the water completely.
4. Add the butter, lemon juice, turmeric, and cayenne to the potatoes.
5. Replace the lid on your pot, and shake vigorously. This roughs up the edges of the potatoes while mixing the other ingredients in, making it so you have more surface area for a nice crunchy texture when you roast them. When you open the pot, if the seasonings are not evenly distributed, stir it gently with a spoon.
6. Turn the potatoes out onto a baking sheet or your oven-proof serving dish. Be sure to scrape out any creamy potatoes inside the pot.
7. Broil your potatoes at 400º F or  200 º C until they are getting brown and bubbly on top, about 10 minutes or so.

These potatoes end up tasting kind of cheesy, and they are total comfort food. I love that the turmeric adds such a wonderful color to an otherwise bland-looking vegetable, and of course turmeric is also a wonderful thing to add into your life anyway– it’s a powerful anti-inflammatory with an earthy flavor. You can also add some herbs to your potatoes before roasting– thyme or rosemary are my favorite additions.