Potatoes Johannes

Golden brown, with a firm and crusty exterior, a smooth and creamy interior, these oh-so-easy potatoes have become a staple at our table.  The potatoes were part of a vegetable medley at a recent lunch with our cooking school students at Johannes Sailer’s Les Abeilles in the Provencal village of Sablet. I like to roast the potatoes on a bed of freshly harvested rosemary.

3 to 4 tablespoons chicken fat, duck fat, or olive oil

1 pound (500 g) firm, yellow-fleshed potatoes, such Yukon Gold (each about 4 ounces; 125 g), scrubbed but not peeled, halved lengthwise

Fleur de sel

Coarse, freshly ground black pepper

1. Center a rack in the oven. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

1. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the poultry fat or oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add the potatoes and sear on all sides until a deep golden and well-crusted, about 15 minutes total, adding additional fat if the pan becomes too dry.  Season lightly with salt. Place a bed of rosemary in a roasting pan. Add the seared potatoes and roast until they can easily be pierced with a fork, 25 to 30 minutes. Season to taste and serve warm.

4 servings