For the last couple of years, my parents have rented a house in the Berkshires, located about three hours west of Boston, for us to stay in over the July 4th holiday. This summer, however, they decided to get a place on the Cape. The property, surrounded by trees but walking distance to the beach, was the perfect retreat. Eric and I slept at our house, just a few miles away and on a lake. It was the best of both worlds. They could do their beach time in the morning and then we would all go swimming or boating in the lake in the afternoon. My nieces loved it... I loved it. Eric and I have been working so hard to get the place in order that we've had little time to enjoy ourselves. This forced us to slow down a bit and, by the end of the week, I was reminded why I love being down there and the memories we can create.
During our stay, many of our meals consisted of three things: fish, vegetables, and corn; all prepared on the grill. It's so simple and, yet, it embodies what I love about summer; mainly, cooking and eating outdoors. It's no-fuss preparation (just olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs), is a plus. Besides corn, I'm all about roasted potatoes. Paired with rosemary and a couple heads of garlic (maybe the real star of this dish), and you have yourself the perfect side to go with any grilled protein.
ROASTED POTATOES WITH GARLIC AND ROSEMARY
SERVINGS
Serves 6, as a side
INGREDIENTS
2 lbs baby potatoes, halved
2 heads garlic
2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
Olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Remove the outer layer of skin from the garlic, but leave the peel on each clove. Place baby potatoes, garlic, and rosemary into a bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil and toss with a spoon to make sure they're evenly coated. Season with salt and ground pepper.
3. Spread potatoes and garlic out evenly on prepared baking sheet.
4. Roast in oven, flipping halfway through, until crispy and brown, approximately 50 minutes. Remove from oven, transfer to a serving bowl, and season to taste.
