spiced potato wedges with oregano, paprika and chilli recipe

Things are getting decidedly wintery around here lately. Today, as I type it’s raining and the blustering winds have a definite icy chill to them. I don’t know about you, but when it’s cold outside all I feel like doing is huddling indoors hands outstretched over the stove top as dinner cooks.

Tomorrow marks the end of Allergy awareness week in NZ, while May is coeliac awareness month elsewhere in the world. As part of Allergy New Zealand’s promotional work, awhile back I was asked if I’d like to contribute a few of my gluten and dairy-free recipes that have featured on this blog, and was stoked this week to hear they made it to the cover of the life magazine lift out- in the Dominion Post. It is my hope that by getting my recipes out there, people who are struggling with allergies and intolerances will realise that being gluten and dairy-free does not need to mean deprivation. With a little knowledge, a few resources and a tonne of enthusiasm, gluten and dairy-free cooking can be as tasty, if not tastier than wheat-laden foods. And generally speaking, if prepared at home, will be of much superior nutritional quality than many store-bought products. Be it wheat or gluten-free.
Shauna from gluten-free girl and the chef wrote an amazingly positive post this week aimed at the newbie gluten-free person. Check it out if that’s you, she’s always inspirational with her positive attitude to life. And what do you know? She made oven baked chips too! (Completely coincidental as I had already baked and taken these photo’s for this post prior to reading hers). Great minds think alike? Focus first on the foods that are naturally gluten-free. ~Shauna James-Ahern

spiced potato wedges with oregano, paprika and chilli
I used Royal blue potatoes as these are the best ones I’ve found so far here in Perth for oven baked chips, but feel free to use whatever roasting potato you have available. Back home in NZ I would always go for Agria potatoes when making chips. This amount makes enough for 2-3 people, but can easily be doubled or quadrupled to feed more.
Serves 2-3.

2 large royal blue potatoes *see head note
1 large red onion, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
1/2 lemon, cut into 3 wedges
3 large cloves of garlic, skin on but smashed with the side of your knife
2 bay leaves (dried or fresh)

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons tomato puree or passata
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 200C (390F). Cut the potatoes into large wedges, place into a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Season with salt and bring to the boil. Boil for 1 minute, then drain well.

Transfer potatoes to a large roasting tray along with the onion, lemon, garlic and bay leaves.

In a small bowl combine the rest of the ingredients with 3 tablespoons of water and pour evenly over the potatoes. Mix everything well, making sure that every chip is well coated.

Roast for 30-35 minutes, turning a few times during the cooking with a metal fish slice, until the potatoes are crisp on the outside, tender in the middle and all the liquid has been absorbed. Serve hot as is, or with a side of thick Greek yoghurt or sour cream.