Hasselback potatoes
Hasselback potatoes are what happens when a potato puts its sexy dress on. They were invented in Sweden back when Thomas Jefferson was still walking the earth, and they yield the perfect combination of crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. And, of course, there is a lot of butter involved and what could taste bad with a lot of butter?
This recipe should not even be considered for a January cleansing diet. But you cannot beat a hasselback potato with a perfectly grilled steak and a real Caesar salad.
The way you get the pretty fan effect is by making thin slices in the potato without cutting all the way to the bottom. So a nifty way to cut these beauties is this: The next time you’re at a Chinese restaurant snag a packet of chopsticks. If you lay one on either side of the potato they will act as a guide so your knife doesn’t slice all the way through.
And you can use any kind of potato for this. Wouldn’t small round potatoes make great appetizers with a dollop of sour cream on top? Why, yes they would. And a sweet potato slathered in cinnamon butter? Forget about it. But I won’t.
- 4 russet potatoes
- 1 stick butter at room temperature
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut the potatoes almost to the bottom into thin slices. Using a chopstick on either side of the potato is a handy guide that will prevent you from slicing all the way through them.
- Mix together the remaining ingredients and generously brush the outside of the potatoes, opening the slices to get some of the butter mixture between each slice.
- Place on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake for 55-60 minutes or until nicely browned and tender.
those look so good. How cute would a bunch of baby potatoes Hasselback style be? :o)