Red Potato Slices with Lemon and Olives

By mirelsonp

Recipe source: Washington Post Food; Adapted from "How to Cook a Turkey and All the Other Trimmings," from the editors and contributors of Fine Cooking magazine (Taunton, 2007).

Note: This dish is festive and avoids the stress involved in making last-minute mashed potatoes. The recipe doubles easily.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. medium or large red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed well and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for greasing the baking dish
• 1 large lemon, cut into very thin slices (ends and seeds discarded)
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/3 cup pitted oil-cured olives (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven; preheat to 425 degrees F. Liberally grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish or oval gratin dish with olive oil.

2. Combine the potatoes, oil, lemon slices, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper, tossing well to combine. Spread in the baking dish so that the potatoes lie flat in layers. Roast for about 1 hour; use a heatproof spatula to turn the mixture every 20 minutes, until most of the potatoes are crisp and golden and the lemons are shriveled and slightly caramelized. With 3 to 5 minutes of roasting to go, scatter the olives on top, if using. Serve hot.

Make ahead: Prep the lemon, garlic and parsley 1 day ahead; wrap the ingredients separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate. The potatoes can be baked 2 hours ahead and kept warm.