Garlic Herb Hasselback Potatoes

Ingredients

4 medium baking potatoes (or Russet potatoes), scrubbed clean

3 tablespoons butter (or 3 tablespoons olive oil/coconut oil if vegan)

4 medium-sized cloves garlic, thinly sliced

3 tablespoons freshly chopped herbs (thyme, sage, and rosemary), divided

sea salt and black ground pepper to taste

1/4 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese (omit if vegan)

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (omit if vegan)

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Preparation

Scrub and rinse the potatoes clean. Pat them dry. (If you'd like, you could peel off the skin, but leaving it on makes a crispy outside after baking.)

Cut off a very small part of a potato from one side to form a flat bottom. Put the flat side against your cutting board and slit into the potato, spacing the slices 1/8 inch apart. Don't cut all the way through. Stop when you just about to reach the bottom, leaving the slices stay connected at the bottom. Do the same with the other 3 potatoes.

Once the potatoes are cut, place them on a baking sheet lined with foil.

Now, preheat oven to 425°F with a rack in the lower-middle position.

In the meanwhile, peel garlic cloves and thinly slice them; prepare herbs (1 tablespoon thyme, 1 tablespoon rosemary, and 1 tablespoon chopped sage).

Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat; add garlic slices and 1 tablespoon mixed herbs into the butter. Stir and cook for 2-3 more minutes over medium-low heat, or until you can easily smell the fragrance.

Brush the infused butter all over the potatoes including the bottoms. Sprinkle the potatoes generously with salt and pepper. (I used freshly grated salt and pepper.) Place the baking sheet on the lower-middle rack in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes.

Carefully remove from oven. Use a small spoon to nudge the potato layers. Insert one slice garlic between each layer, leaving the layers separated. Brush the rest of the butter onto the potatoes. Since the layers stay opened by the garlic, butter will easily drip down into the space between each potato slices.

Return to the oven. Bake for another 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons herb mix, and paprika. Mix well and set aside.

Once the potatoes are done, sprinkle the cheese mixture onto each potato. Gently push it down into the slits by using a spoon. Return to the oven and bake for additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melt. Serve immediately.