Simple Lemon Parsley Potatoes -- The Side Dish That Belongs on Every Porch at Sunset

Rémy turns eight. My bayou boy is eight, and for his birthday he wanted to go fishing in Cocodrie. Not a party. Not a cake (well, yes, a cake, but ALSO fishing). Just him and me and the marsh and whatever the water wants to give us. Danielle packed us coolers and sunscreen and sent us off with the look of a woman who knows her men are going to the water and will come back smelling like fish and salt and happiness.

We fished for two days. Boo's camp. The dock. The marsh stretching to the horizon. Rémy caught eleven fish total: six specs, three reds, a catfish, and a flounder that confused both of us because neither of us had ever caught a flounder and we had to look it up. He released everything — his choice, not mine. "They live here, Papa. I'm just visiting." Eight years old. The wisdom of a bayou philosopher trapped in a boy who still eats three bowls of everything.

I made pan-fried flounder that night from a fish Boo gave us. Flounder is delicate — thin, sweet, falls apart if you look at it aggressively. A light dusting of seasoned flour, butter in the pan, two minutes per side. Lemon. That's it. The simplicity honored the fish, and the fish honored the marsh, and Rémy ate his flounder on the porch watching the sun go down and said, "This is it, Papa. This is the life." Eight years old and already knows. This is the life. The marsh, the porch, the fish on the plate, the sunset. This is the life. He's right. He's always been right.

The flounder was already doing the heavy lifting that night, so everything else on the porch table needed to stay out of its way. These simple lemon parsley potatoes are exactly what a marsh sunset calls for — butter, lemon, a handful of fresh herbs, and nothing more. Rémy ate two helpings and didn’t say a word, which from a boy who narrates everything is the highest compliment a side dish can receive.

Simple Lemon Parsley Potatoes

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs small red or yellow potatoes, halved
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for boiling
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Boil the potatoes. Place halved potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook 10–12 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain well.
2. Build the butter sauce. In the same saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring, until fragrant but not browned.
3. Toss and finish. Return the drained potatoes to the pan. Add lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Toss gently to coat, being careful not to break the potatoes apart.
4. Add the herbs. Remove from heat and fold in the fresh parsley. Taste and adjust salt and lemon as needed. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 185 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 25g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 310mg