Oven Fries (Potato Wedges)

For the past week or so, I have been researching the recipe for and background of Fish ‘N Chips, after seeing it on the one and only blog I was following at the time (I now follow two). What I found, and was surprised by, is that Fish ‘N Chips is not entirely an English tradition as I had thought. The dish also has a strong Irish background and is popular in many countries other than those affiliated with England, including Germany and Australia. I also learned that there are several variations of this dish, with characteristic traits based on the region, although most of them do go back to the English and Irish origins.

With that being said, I know that these are not the traditional “chips” by any means, but I couldn’t help the feelings of guilt about eating so much fried food in one meal. I’ve tried making French fries in the oven several times and they never seem to come out right, so I didn’t want to go that route. But, there’s nothing wrong with potato wedges made in the oven! Even though these are tossed with some olive oil, I feel a little bit better about eating them since they’re larger pieces of potato to a smaller ratio of oil.
So, I went about making my baked potato wedges! Thinking about the fish, I couldn’t help but think of the lemon I like so much with fish and then another idea came to me. Thyme is such a wonderful herb because of its hints of lemony freshness, and I am fond of adding it to my oven roasted asparagus as well as other oven roasted potatoes, so I couldn’t see any reason why I shouldn’t also use it for these potatoes. In addition, I like the fresh flavor that parsley gives to a dish, so I added some of that to the mixture as well. The potatoes turned out so good! They were perfectly soft and moist on the inside and a little bit crunchy on the outside. They will be perfect paired with my English/Irish-influenced fish!

Printable Recipe

4 large russet potatoes
¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. dried thyme
2 Tbsp. dried parsley

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Preheat a foil-lined baking sheet in the hot oven for at least 5 minutes.
While the baking sheet is heating, cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and then quarter them lengthwise to make 32 big, fat wedges. Toss the potatoes with the olive oil, salt, and thyme in a large bowl. Then dump the potatoes out onto a baking sheet, spreading to a single layer. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through, brown, and crispy, being sure to turn the wedges halfway through cooking. Makes 4 servings