Simple yet elegant, that’s what you get with Skillet-Roasted Rosemary Potatoes. We made them for son Dan’s birthday dinner along with a grilled boneless leg of lamb, and everyone adored the spuds. With only three other ingredients, it’s elevating the simple baked potato to a another level altogether, one you’ll want to repeat often.

The best kind of pan for roasting these potatoes is an old-fashioned cast-iron skillet. We used two 12-inch skillets for about 18 potatoes (36 halves) for six people and they practically disappeared. Smallish potatoes are best—2 or 3 inches in diameter—cut just in half, which keeps the interiors moist and creamy. Coarse sea salt, with the large crystals give a pleasant crunch without over-salting the potatoes—or kosher salt works nicely, too.

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 Tbs. olive oil
• 8-inch sprig rosemary; more to taste
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
• 8 to 10 small red potatoes or other waxy potatoes

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Pour enough of the oil into a large cast-iron skillet, tilting it, to cover the bottom of the pan. Strip the leaves from the rosemary sprig and scatter them over the bottom of the pan.
2. Sprinkle the salt over the rosemary. Scrub the potatoes, cut them in half, and set them cut side down on the rosemary and salt.
   
3. Roast on the lowest oven rack until the potatoes are tender and the bottoms are crisp and well browned, 30 to 40 minutes.

By Ruth Lively from Fine Cooking