ROASTED POTATOES WITH FIGS AND THYME

Roasted Potatoes With Figs and Thyme image

A fall walk through New York's Greenmarket with Eleven Madison Park's chef, Daniel Humm, brought the idea for this unusual dish. Hot black tea lends a deeper flavor to dried figs, which are scattered with potatoes on a pan with thyme and then roasted. The recipe calls for fingerling potatoes, but any waxy potato will do. (And for everything you need to know to make perfect potatoes, visit our potato guide.)

Provided by Kim Severson

Time 40m

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

Ingredients

1/2 pound dried black mission figs or other dried figs
1 1/2 cups brewed black tea, more if necessary
2 pounds fingerling potatoes
1 head garlic
5 sprigs of thyme
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and black pepper to taste

Steps:

Place figs in a bowl, cover with hot black tea and let cool. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours or overnight, depending on initial softness of figs.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash potatoes well and trim any bad parts. Separate garlic head into individual cloves but do not remove outer skin.
Drain figs. In a bowl, combine garlic, thyme, figs, potatoes and olive oil; toss. Place on roasting pan and bake until potatoes are tender enough to pierce with a fork, about 30 minutes. Remove and season immediately with salt and pepper. Serve. Diners may remove skin from garlic at the table and eat along with the potatoes, if they wish.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 330, UnsaturatedFat 10 grams, Carbohydrate 54 grams, Fat 13 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 5 grams, SaturatedFat 2 grams, Sodium 632 milligrams, Sugar 17 grams