Crispy Potato Boats
Not sure why Emma named these potatoes “boats” except that’s what my Mom always called them and this is her recipe. We had these long before potato wedges became popular and they are wonderful when served with chicken or meatloaf, but are good just all on their own. (Hint: if you are just eating the potatoes, serve them with mayonnaise or Aioli – they become gold at this point).
I soak the potatoes for 30 minutes in cold water prior to slicing. I learned this technique when making Pommes du Souffle from a Gourmet magazine recipe. I haven’t made Pommes in many a year but will give it a go later in the month.
Ingredients: 3 russet potatoes 1/3 cup Olive Oil 1 Tbl. parsley, chopped 1 tsp. Kosher Salt 1/4 tsp. Onion powder 1/4 tsp. Garlic powder 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika Method: Preheat oven to 400 degrees- Peel potatoes, toss in bowl and cover with cold water for 30 minutes. This will eliminate some of the starch from the potatoes, which will help them to crisp when cooking.
- Drain potatoes, cut in half. Take each half and slice into “boats” – you should get 5 to 6 slices per half. They will somewhat resemble boats, hence the name.
- Place all the slices in bowl and mix the olive oil, salt, onion and garlic powders, and paprika and pour over the potatoes. Mix well (time to get your hands dirty, as mixing with your hands is the best way to do this).
- Place potatoes on a cookie sheet and cook for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, turn all of the slices over, and cook an additional 20 minutes (45 minutes in total).
Yield: 30 – 36 potato boats
- Potatoes were first cultivated over 4,000 years ago by the tribes in Peru.
- Not often considered a popular vegetable, it took until the 18th century to find popularity among the Europeans when Marie Antoinette paraded in France wearing a crown of potato blossoms. She must have liked her potatoes better than cake since she didn’t offer up potatoes to those starving. From there the potato took off and the rest is history – pun intended.
Related articles
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- Rosemary Garlic Potatoes (stupideasypaleo.com)
- Potato Galette (dishingitoutwithclarissa.com)
canapesandchocolate.com 
love the simplicity! looks like a great spice combo.
Thanks Liz. Yes, I don’t like to add a lot of herbs as I want a really good potato flavor and not one that is overshadowed by thyme or rosemary (although I have a different recipe if I am going that route.)
If soaking them in water helps eliminate some of the starch and keeps them crisp, couldn’t you cut them first and then soak them to eliminate even more of the starch?
I would think so – just always soaked them as whole potatoes, but your idea sounds like more of the starch would likely be eliminated. Will try it that way next time. Thanks Susan!
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oh how i love crispy potatoes…these look just lovely…sarah
Thanks Sarah! Yes I have to agree I love it when they are Crispy!
Yummy!!
Pacific Cafe at 34th and Geary in the City (San Francisco) have served this type of potato since they opened in1974…. I still make them but soak the cut the huge slices (from an over one pound restaurant grade potato–only 8 slices) for half a day to get the starch out–dry them off and stand them on the skin side down on a parchment covered baking sheet and spray them with olive oil and cover them with rosemary and another herb of choice. Baked for 45 minutes at 420 degrees…good eating in the neighborhood!
Russ Saunders