Chipotle Ranch Roasted Potatoes
This recipe is a delicious way to engage in zero-waste cooking. While the cut, peeled potatoes roasted, we took our well-scrubbed peels and fried them until they were golden. Then we used the peels both as a garnish and as an extra snack. Almost nothing goes into the garbage, except any eyes or roots that have to be pulled off the potato. We cooked our peels in a shallow frying pan on the stove top, but if you have a deep-fryer at the ready you could use that as well.
We par-boiled the potatoes in water treated with baking soda; the soda makes the water alkaline, which helps soften the potato and extract the starch, contributing to their finished, crispy exterior. Then we roughed them up a little by shaking them in the colander, to make the edges craggy and provide even more texture.
3 pounds russet or other floury potato, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-2 inch chunks
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 Tablespoons plus 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt, divided
3 Tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil for potato chunks
2-3 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 Tablespoons Chipotle Ranch Seasoning, divided
1-2 Tablespoons vegetable oil for frying potato peels
1-2 Tablespoons chopped fresh chives
One batch Chipotle Ranch Dressing
1. Scrub potatoes well. Peel potatoes, reserving the peel, and chop into large chunks.
2. Put potatoes in a large pot and cover them with water by about 2 inches. Add baking soda and 2 Tablespoons Kosher Salt to the water. Let the water come to a boil, then cook potatoes in boiling water for about 10 minutes.*[See note]
3. While potatoes are boiling, preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. When potatoes have boiled until they are tender enough to sink a knife into, drain them into a colander. Then shake them around in the colander for a minute or two to rough up the edges of the potatoes before moving to a large mixing bowl.
5. Toss potatoes with butter or oil, 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, and 1 1/2 Tablespoons Chipotle Ranch Seasoning. Pour onto a parchment lined baking sheet and place in the hot oven. Cook for 25 minutes. Flip, then cook for 25 minutes more.
6. While the potatoes cook, fry the peels. Put one Tablespoon vegetable oil in a wide frying pan, over medium-high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add enough peels to cover the bottom of the frying pan. Do not crowd the pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, until peels are golden brown. Remove to a waiting paper towel to drain, add more oil to the pan if necessary, and continue to fry the peels.
7. When peels have drained for a minute or two, put them in a large mixing bowl and toss with remaining Chipotle Ranch Seasoning and grated Parmesan cheese. When all the peels are cooked and seasoned, taste and toss with Kosher Salt if desired.
8. Roasted potatoes are done when the exterior of the potato is beautifully browned, crunchy, and firm and the inside is soft and pillowy. Put finished potatoes on a serving platter and garnish with fried peels and a scattering of chopped chives. Serve with Chipotle Ranch Dressing on the side.
*Note: The baking soda may make the potato water foamy and prone to boiling over. If you notice foam building in your pot, place a wooden spoon across the top of the pot. Wood is a poor conductor of heat so it destabilizes the bubbles and keeps them from forming.
