Pan Roasted Potatoes with Garlic and Dill
I am a potato kind of girl. Growing up one of the greatest joys of the spring was when my babushka made her incredible new potatoes with garlic dill butter. It’s a delectable combination of creamy new potatoes and savory garlic and dill. I slightly improved babushkas recipe by giving them a quick pan roast to give a gorgeous golden crust! This dish makes all the problems seem to melt away.
Growing up, springtime used to be my favorite time of the year. The birds seemed to chirp more happily, the frigid cold breezes turned into warm drafts and brand new baby potatoes emerged in all the farmers markets in my home town.
You see, to you this may not be a huge deal…but back in old country where I was born, Moldova, food was available seasonally. We did not have tomatoes in the winter for instance. So we fermented them and canned them so we could eat them year round. Babushka (please refer to this post for more info on who she is and a proper lesson on the pronunciation) was the captain of the fermenting and canning jobs.
However, as many canning and fermenting specialties as babushka had, her cooking skills were hard to mess with them. And of her many dishes, none beat her garlic and dill baby potatoes. These little baby potatoes were sweet and almost buttery in texture. Of course it helped that babushka added a few tabs of butter in there to sweeten the deal 😉
She made them ever so simply just by boiling these little new potatoes and then once they were drained adding in a healthy amount of chopped garlic, fresh dill and creamy butter.
They were always served in the same pot they were made in so that they could stay warm. Everyone in the family always snuck a taste in before they hit the table while babushka wasn’t looking.
The house instantly filled with smells of dill and garlic and everyone always ran to the kitchen ready with fork and knife in hand, to quiet the grumbles in their bellies.
Typically we had these on a Sunday early dinner, paired with mama’s famous shishleek (pork kebobs) and a simple Russian Salad.
It was a modest meal filled with robust flavors that enticed everyone to smile a little brighter and laugh a little louder. I can still see the picture of us all sitting as a family on those Sundays, warmly laughing as the spring sun shined brightly through our vertical blinds.
Today, babushka’s potatoes are still one of my ultimate dishes and also most requested for my BBQ’s. However, I decided to put a little different twist on them and pan roast them on the stove instead of just boiling them.
And the result? The easiest and fanciest potatoes you will ever make.
New potatoes are for some reason hard to find in the states. And the ones I have found, were not the same texture. But these little beauties are to die for. They are adorably cute and their flavor and color is out of this world! They are cute and buttery! Essentially they are little baby Yukon Golds.
First we wash them. See there is that handy dandy colander I am always talking about.
Then we add them to a stainless steel pan. Do NOT use non-stick. You wont get the same coloring on them.
And we cover them with water and throw in a tab of butter.
Turn on the flame to high and close with a lid. Once they come to a boil, let them cook COVERED for 7 minutes, then remove the lid and let the water evaporate. Do not turn down the heat.
In the meantime, get about a handful of some fresh dill and chop it finely.
Then grab about 5-6 cloves of garlic and mince it on your microplaner.
Now, go check on them taters. Most of the water should have boiled out and what is left is a muggy liquid. That’s what you are supposed to be left with. It’s just butter, water and some potato starch. Go ahead and insert a knife in. If if it goes in smoothly you are ready to roll. Grab your potato smasher and GENTLY press on the potatoes just so they pop.
Gently, gently…see how they just are a little cracked? That’s what you want.
Let them continue cooking on one side for 6 minutes, then turn them over and let cook for 5 minutes on the other side. Add in your dill, garlic and a few more tabs butter. Mix it all up.
And you will have GORGEOUS rustic, browned and crispy goodness. Yes guys they are amazeballs. And how pretty are they. Peeps are going to think you were most def in the kitchen for hours individually cooking these…and you know what…let them!
If you are not serving these immediately, place a towel over the pan, then cover with a lid. They will stay warm for quite some time insulated that way.
Pan Roasted Potatoes with Garlic and Dill
Ingredients
- 1.5 pounds baby Yukon golds
- 1/2 stick of butter (divided in half)
- 1/4 cup of dill
- 5–6 cloves of garlic
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- First we wash them.
- Then we add them to a stainless steel pan. Do NOT use non-stick. You wont get the same coloring on them.
- And we cover them with water and throw in 4 tablespoons of butter.
- Turn on the flame to high and close with a lid. Once they come to a boil, let them cook COVERED for 7 minutes, then remove the lid and let the water evaporated. Do not turn down the heat.
- In the meantime, get about a handful of some fresh dill and chop it finely.
- Then grab about 5-6 cloves of garlic and mince it on your microplaner.
- Now, go check on them taters. Most of the water should have boiled out and what is left is a muggy liquid. That’s what you are supposed to be left with. It’s just butter, water and some potato starch. Go ahead and insert a knife in. If if it goes in smoothly you are ready to roll. Grab your potato smasher and GENTLY press on the potatoes just so they pop.
- Gently, gently…see how they just are a little cracked? That’s what you want.
- Let them continue cooking on one side for 6 minutes, then turn them over and let cook for 5 minutes on the other side. Add in your dill, garlic and the remaining butter. And DUH season with salt and pepper. Mix it all up.
- And you will GORGEOUS rustic, browned and crispy goodness. Yes guys they are amazeballs. And how pretty are they. Peeps are going to think you were most def in the kitchen for hours individually cooking these…and you know what…let them!
- If you are not serving these immediately, place a towel over the pan, then cover with a lid. They will stay warm for quite some time insulated that way.
It does actually. A great deal of work. Feel free to contact me via email with any additional questions I can answer for you!
I’m a potato girl too, I love an entire meal of potatoes and could eat the entire pan of these. They look amazing.
I could and almost did Janette 🙂
I love potatoes too and these beauties sound delicious and look gorgeous! I can almost smell them!
Thank you Nicole!!! I was worried that the pictures weren’t as great as I had hoped…but they really turned out quite delicious looking if I may say so myself!
The photos make my mouth water! 🙂
OMG thank you!! These photos were taken LAST April 2014 by my kitchen sink.. The fact that you think these photos are nice…really makes me happy!
I’m just going to come over Mila! I am a potato girl too and just can’t resist any potato dish! This dish looks insanely sexy 😀 hahaha!!
Thank you love!!!! The drive may be a bit long but just give me a heads up 😉
What a fabulous memory! I must take a read next of your story about you babushka. And thank you for the kind offer if I ever visit Chicago too Mila! 😀
Any time honey!!! I would love to meet you 🙂
These potatoes have my name all over them!
Then you should def make them 🙂
It’s funny because I rarely make potatoes but I love them when someone else makes them, lol. I love these pics, Mila, and this recipe is something I would make because I can just taste the flavors looking at those beautiful images. Or maybe I’ll just come to your house, pour us some wine and you can show me how 🙂
Have a great weekend!
Oh Robyn thanks you so much for these comments 😉 yes I wish I could host a party at my house for all my blogger friends!
These look delicious! I can’t wait to try these! I love the addition of the fresh dill! What do you think about adding pinch of fresh basil or maybe some rosemary?
I recently made a cooking and baking blog, too.
http://kcolescreativecorner.com
I would greatly appreciate it if you would check it out!
Thanks so much!
I will def check it out when I’m on the computer 🙂 I would def try it with rosemary and garlic but NOT with the dill. It would overpower it. The dill and garlic is such a classic combo that my babushka used to make and it’s very near and dear to my heart 🙂 try it you will LOVE IT!
I’m definitely a potato girl, too! And my grandma makes very similar potatoes, which I love! At times it is difficult to find good small sized new potatoes here in the US, but I’ll search for some tomorrow and make them! Love the photos!
Thank you love!!! I agree in the old country we always had new potatoes! And they were delicious! These mini golds are the closest I found
I am so excited to make this tonight. I have friends in Moldova and have been twice now (Anenii Noi and Ruseni)! 🙂 I miss it so very much! The people are the nicest I know. Where are you from if I may ask? Thank you again for this delicious and familiar recipe!
Hey Savannah!!! I’m from Chisnev, the capitol 😉
I love your recipes, but hate wasting food. I don’t typically buy dill because I find it hard to use it all up.
After seeing this recipe, I had to make these. To serve along with these, I made my favorite recipe of yours, roasted mushrooms. As I was holding the bunch of dill like a wedding bouquet and inhaling the amazing aroma, I thought, “Why not use a bunch of this in the mushrooms?” Then I thought the garlic butter wouldn’t hurt.
So I made both as essentially the same recipe, potatoes on stovetop and your mushrooms in the oven. Both were delicious. The dill was even better in the mushrooms, because they soaked up so much flavor, and the dill pieces came out crunchy!!! My husband kept looking in the pan for more “crispy dill,” and stated, “The next time you make this add lots more big pieces of dill for crispies.” Yay, use up more dill! I read about the health benefits of dill, and am happy to f8nd an enjoyable way to include more fresh dill in our diet.
Btw, these potatoes are amazing, and I had to make them with small potatoes that I quartered. I live in a huge city with access to produce from many cultures, and have never seen these. We have great Farmers’ Markets and actual arms we can travel to in the summer for vegetables and i have never seen these.
Thank you so much for this blog, and for sharing your knowledge, talent and stories. Bringing your recipes into my home has been enriching in so many ways.
SB… I read this to my husband and almost shed a tear. What an incredibly wonderful comment!!! These potatoes, as you know, hold a very special place in my heart…and hearing that they brought so much joy to someone else…well that just makes all these late blog nights worth while! And YAY for dill mushrooms!!! And crispy dill!!!
These were fantastic! Made them tonight and am still thinking about them! Used flaky sea salt at the end… drool! Only reco would be to add time to the recipe for folks trying…I had no idea how long it might take but maybe the point is just be patient… (because for a while I didn’t think my liquid would ever evaporate!) I bet mine were on the stove a total of an hour or so…so for anyone considering, just do it, and just be patient…it’s worth it! Thank you for sharing your recipe! ♥️
Awwww what a sweet comment! I am so glad you enjoyed!
Wow, just wow. Made these exactly how the recipes states except I added a tiny bit of lawrys seasoning salt before I added the dill and garlic. Mind blowingly good. Thank you!