Think Pink (Salt) For Your Potatoes

It wasn't that long ago that there was just plain ole table salt. The famous jug with the girl in the rain slicker comes to mind, pushing her iodized and non-iodized versions. But then there was also Kosher salt, which only chefs and those minding Kashrut seemed to know about. And then along came sea salt, and gourmands everywhere rejoiced with the salt options. Oh gosh, but it didn't stop there. Salt, you see, is the new "it" gourmet product. There is gray salt, rock salt, smoked salt, flake salt, and finally the one I feature in today's recipe, pink salt. Phew!

One of my favorite side dishes is oh so easy that it is almost a crime that I'm posting this recipe (almost, but not quite). If you like salt (there may be a joke in there...) then you will enjoy making vegetables this way and can pocket this as a potential new way to prep some Thanksgiving veggies. While salt is not necessarily the most heart healthy of all the spice choices, all things in moderation--it's not like I'm telling you to keep a salt lick on hand or anything. Besides, salt is experiencing a renaissance period all its own as evidenced by the above list of salty options.

While I make my own concoction of rosemary and pink sea salt ahead of time (and keep it around for every opportunistic occasion), you can just make enough for each batch of veggies. If you can't find pink salt use regular sea salt so you still get good texture. Pictured is a mixture of small russet potatoes and fingerlings but this preparation works well for potatoes large and small of all types and also for beets and turnips.

While the recipe below is for two servings, you can make a small batch or a big batch. I've made enough for one serving, or two, or twelve before. Just keep in mind that one serving of potatoes is about the size of a baseball. Potatoes are rich in potassium and low in sodium (which is good, 'cause, um, we're going to put salt on these) and a fairly healthy food option when baked or roasted.

Rosemary Pink Sea Salt Potatoes
--potatoes (1 baseball=1 serving), either chopped into large chunks or sliced in half
--1 TBSP olive oil
--2 healthy pinches pink sea salt
--2 healthy pinches rosemary, fresh or dried

In a plastic bag combine the potatoes with the olive oil. Shake well to evenly coat the potatoes. Grab one healthy pinch of the salt and one healthy pinch of the rosemary and add to the bag. Shake more to get the spices moved around.

Pour the bag onto a baking sheet or into a cast iron skillet and spread the potatoes out. Use the remaining pinches of salt and rosemary to sprinkle over the potatoes.

Bake at 400 degrees for a minimum of 30 minutes. The salt will cause the skins of the potatoes (or beets or turnips) to wrinkle and brown. You want the outsides a little crispy, but the insides melt in your mouth tender. I usually cook mine for however long it takes me to make the other items of the meal, which on average means about 40 minutes.

Dammit Jim, I'm a cook, not a doctor...
Time: 45 minutes
Serves: 2
Estimated Calories: 176 per serving