Is there any better flavour aroma than truffle? I think not! I slip a little black truffle anywhere I can . Truffles themselves are incredibly expensive, so I always keep a bottle of truffle oil on hand. It does not do these precious fungi justice, but it sets off my euphoria nonetheless.

I put together this recipe after going to Gordon Ramsay’s Steakhouse in the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas after my husband and I got married. The night for me was especially memorable and will go down in the books as one of the best. We celebrated the night with friends over fine wine and undoubtedly devoured one of the best meals I have ever eaten. To top it off we were given the pleasure having Gordon Ramsay introduce himself  at our table!

These potatoes are quite easy to make, but what I would like to tell you is that you are not limited to make them with parmesan and truffle. You could do cheddar and bacon, asiago and crispy prosciutto, cheese curds, gravy and malt vinegar, crumbled hot Italian sausage and provolone, sweet fig goat cheese and caramelized onions…I could go on, but you get the idea.

To start, put the potatoes in a large pot, and cover with cool water that is generously salted like the sea- just like you would making pasta. The cool water ensures even cooking for the potatoes. Bring the water to a rolling boil, then reduce to simmer for 5-8 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender. Strain, and cool. You can run cold water over the strainer if you would like to cool them faster. If I were to make my suggestion of a poutine style, I would boil these potatoes in a water, salt and white vinegar. The vinegar infuses in the potatoes and it is just delish.

Once the potatoes are cooked and cooled enough that they can be squished, line a large baking pan with tin foil, and lay the potatoes down over the foil spacing them out so they are not touching. If you need to cook on two separate sheets, do so as overcrowding will steam the potatoes and will not make them crispy. In a bowl, melt 1/4 cup of butter, and add equal parts of oil to the butter. Grate two cloves of garlic, add 1/2tsp of garlic and onion powder, 1/2tsp of chicken bouillon powder and freshly cracked pepper. The bouillon powder may sound strange to you but I incorporate it into many dishes for taste. It adds a richness and depth of flavour you can’t get with herbs alone. The seasonings you add to your butter mixture can interchange with whatever flavours you feel like. Sometimes I’ll do garlic/onion powder, with smoked paprika and seasoning salt, then sprinkle with cheddar at the end. Rosemary, thyme and garlic is another great combo. Play around with seasonings and toppings to make this side your own! With a basting brush, baste both sides of the potatoes and season each potato with sea salt. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes until the potatoes start turning golden. Flip them, and put them back in for another 20 minutes. In the last 5 minutes, sprinkle with parmesan cheese. If they’re not quite crisped up, turn off the oven and leave the door closed. Be sure to keep an eye on them…they can turn quickly!       Once they are nice and crispy, put them in a serving bowl and coat with a tbsp. of truffle oil.*DROOL* Toss them, and sprinkle a little more freshly grated parmesan and chives over top and serve. This side dish will have everyone happy!

1 bag of assorted baby potatoes
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, grated
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. chicken bouillon powder
Freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. chives