Primo Potatoes

Marble-sized red potatoes from Riggs Family Farm at the Umpqua Valley Farmers Market are pan-roasted with olive oil and fresh rosemary for a simple, but satisfying side dish.

Here's my method:

Scrub potatoes well and remove any large eyes. Any size will work, but I prefer those no more than an inch and a half in diameter. Pontiac Red, Yukon Gold, peanut or fingerling potatoes are all delicious.

Place potatoes one layer deep in a large skillet. Add enough water to come about one-third of the way up the sides of the potatoes. Add a pinch of salt, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are just barely tender when pierced with a fork or cake tester. This will only take about 5 minutes for very tiny potatoes and 8 to 10 minutes for those a bit bigger.

Remove cover, turn heat to medium-high and cook until any remaining water has evaporated. (If there is a large amount of water remaining just drain it off and remember to add less next time.)

Add a tablespoon or so of butter or olive oil to the pan, along with a couple sprigs of fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped or snipped with kitchen shears, and salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Toss to coat potatoes well and let cook until the skins get browned and crispy, 5 or 10 minutes. Give the pan a good shake once-in-awhile so the potatoes roll around and cook evenly on all sides (makes you feel like a TV chef!) Add some finely chopped or pressed garlic toward the end, if you like, but I generally have so much garlic in whatever else I'm preparing that I don't bother.

Serve immediately and enjoy.

A mix of peanut potatoes and Red Pontiacs from Jim and Joni Leet of Linnea Marie Farms

at the Umpqua Valley Farmers Market.