Fondant Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 4 russet Idaho® potatoes, peeled and cut into cylinders
• 4 tablespoon butter, unsalted
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. In order to achieve crispy crust on the outside of the potatoes, and a soft creamy consistency on the inside, place potatoes in a bowl of water for 10-15 minutes to remove excess starch. Pat dry. 
2. Preheat oven to 425ºF. Heat a heavy bottom skillet (e.g., cast iron, which can be transferred into the oven) on medium heat on the stovetop.
3. Add the butter and oil (see recipe notes below).
4. Add potatoes, flat side down, and cook for about 5 minutes on the first side or until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper. Flip and season the other side.
5. Add garlic and fresh herbs. Cook for 4-5 minutes.
6. Pour in the stock and transfer the skillet to the preheated oven. Bake for about 30-35 minutes – until most of the liquid has evaporated and the potatoes are tender inside. Be very careful when taking the skillet out of the oven, it will be super hot so don't accidentally grab the handle. You'll want to end up with about 2 tablespoons of sauce to spoon over the potatoes. See recipe notes below what to do if you have more liquid.
7. Garnish the potatoes with fresh herbs and serve.

Notes:

The butter will give the potatoes a nice sear and taste, but it can burn easily. Adding some olive oil can help prevent that.

If you still end up with a lot of liquid in your skillet, move the potatoes onto a serving plate and loosely cover them with a foil. Turn the heat on under the skillet and cook the sauce until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Spoon the remaining sauce over the potatoes.