When I am looking for a side dish that will round out a main course, I often fall back on this standby recipe. The potatoes are sliced crosswise to give a fanned appearance, dusted with Parmesan cheese, and baked until crispy brown. This is one of those recipes that you will find easy to make and pretty to present on a plate. You can garnish the potatoes with different cheese toppings, olive oil instead of butter, and your own signature herbs.

I first called them "accordion potatoes" (because they looked a bit like the instrument) but somehow "potato fans" seem more appealing. They are sometimes called Hasselback Potatoes, too, as the name comes from the Swedish restaurant where they were first popularized. No matter what you call them, I love the fact that these crispy, accordion-like potato fans can brighten up most any simple entree.

Once you've mastered this recipe and its slicing technique that avoids going all the way through the potato, you may want to try it with yams or sweet potatoes. Remember that the time will vary based on the potato variety and size that you are cooking.

Using a wooden spoon or a skewer inserted horizontally 3/4 of the way down, you'll find the potato holds together beautifully. Brushing the potatoes with melted butter gives them a rich, crispy crust. You can add flavorings like fresh thyme leaves, rosemary or sage to flavor the butter if you want a pronounced herb flavor. Serve these with any simple main course like grilled or roasted chicken, roast beef, fish or steak.

Roasted Potato Fans

Serves 6

6 small to medium baking potatoes

1/4 cup melted unsalted butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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