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Creamy, caramelized potatoes dipped in my very favorite, crème fraîche, make the best side dish. You can literally serve them with anything because WHO TURNS DOWN POTATOES. No one. Ever.I managed the Pinterest content for Real Simple and Martha Stewart Living for almost a year…you don’t work for that long on those brands without coming across the Pinterest sensation, melting potatoes, at least 500 times. It was always a top piece of content for Real Simple and, honestly, these potatoes are damn good. I get it. I could barely believe I made these for myself after seeing these float across my life almost daily, but I had to find out if they lived up to the hype. And hey, I do whatever Smitten Kitchen tells me to do.This potato side dish is simple to prepare but you can definitely go wrong in a few spots. I had to make these several times to get them to look, well, not burnt. The basic premise is: cut semi-thick coins of potatoes, toss in herbs and butter (I added olive oil too because they were less likely to burn with the addition), and cook in a hot oven, flipping once, until each side is golden, crisp and caramelized. Add stock and let cook a little longer to finish the potatoes and reduce the stock, then drizzle the reduced stock over top. I reduced the oven temperature slightly so the potatoes were a nice shade of golden instead of the dark brown-almost black they were the first few times (they still taste good!). They will be darker than you think they should be, and they will be delicious. I also highly recommend you pour the chicken stock around the potatoes, taking care to avoid the crisp tops so you still get some of that crispiness in the finished dish. They will sog out a bit, but it’s a nice textural contrast between the soft, creamy interior and the crisp crust. The bottom of the potato coins will not be crispy anymore, but if you keep the tops clear of the stock, you’ll be fine!Let’s be real: Pinterest trends don’t always come through for us (#pinterestfails), but these melting potatoes will never fail us.
Meet melting potatoes, the Pinterest sensation! Crispy, creamy, buttery, caramelized potatoes served with reduced stock and crème fraîche for dipping, if you choose. The best potato side dish to serve with anything!
Ingredients
Scale
3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1-inch-thick rounds
Crème fraîche mixed with fresh chopped chives, to serve, if desired
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450° with a rack in the upper third of the oven.
Toss the potatoes with the butter, olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper. Arrange the potatoes in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
Transfer to the oven and bake the potatoes for 15 minutes. Flip the potatoes and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and add the chicken stock and smashed garlic cloves; take care to pour the stock around the potatoes, not on top. Return to the oven and cook for 10 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender and deeply golden brown. Transfer to a serving platter and pour any remaining braising liquid over the top. Serve warm with crème fraîche, if desired.
