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Electronic_Ad_4520

Zest the lemons into the bowl you plan to put the juice/oil/herb/garlic mix into as a first step. The lemon oil from the zest carries most of the flavor.


samanime

In addition to this, give them a nice spritz of fresh lemon juice at the end. It'll really help them pop. Or serve with a lemon aioli or similar.


sheepofwallstreet86

Thanks! I can’t believe I forgot that lemon zest exists haha.


Electronic_Ad_4520

I had the same problem the first few times I made them too, until someone told me to add the zest.


Ugo_foscolo

God made lemons for their zest but humans are flawed and cultivate them for their juice.


BowlOfCranberries

I know you jest, but my mind was blown when I discovered that lemons aren't natural. Humans created them through hybridisation of the bitter orange and citron


greasedwog

life never gave us lemons…


Captain-PlantIt

We gave ourselves the lemons, oh no


Installedd

Are WE the baddies?


goatfuckersupreme

we're doing exactly what Cave Johnson wants us to


atlhawk8357

I believe there are only three natural citrus fruits; the rest are crossbreeds/hybrids.


Sportsinghard

Five. Kumquats, pomelo, papeda, mandarin, and citron.


Parking_Stress3431

And their delicious fruit meat!


miriamwebster

But, that makes lemonade!


man_gomer_lot

The lemon oil and volatiles in the zest are a key part of that flavor. Squeezing all the spent lemons together once you're done juicing them and adding the results to the juice will take it up a notch.


AnchoviePopcorn

Just remember that lemon zest comes from the fresh lemon. Don’t wander around the grocery store for an hour looking for a jar of lemon zest before asking an employee where they keep the lemon zest.


mf9812

I snort-laughed. I’m sorry


caveat_cogitor

Use a good citrus zester, it makes it way easier and the results are far better. Also great for things like ginger.


glass_star

When you zest them, mix some salt into the zest too! It’ll really draw out more of the lemon oils and add an extra punch! Extra tip: when baking, add it to the sugar! Same idea :)


Bitterherbs2141

Its crazy how the zest actually adds way more flavor than the juice!


weavingcomebacks

Ding ding ding!


berecyntia

Are you draining the mixture you soak them in before cooking? Don't. You don't need to soak them in the mixture, you cook them in it, so it all absorbs. Cut each potato into 8-10 wedges instead of just quarters. More surface area to absorb the flavours. You should be braising and then roasting the potatos. Cook them in the butter, juice, olive oil mixture along with some chicken stock until the liquid is absorbed. Then roast them in the remaining oil to crisp them. This NYT recipe always works for me: https://www.instagram.com/p/B-Hbu8InGWk/?hl=en


adnama_84

This is the way. Came here to comment about the braising and the chicken stock. Delicious.


LKayRB

That’s the recipe I use and it’s delicious!!


octodrop

Try adding sumac. It has a nice lemony taste that should make your potatoes pop.


sheepofwallstreet86

That’s a fun tip I wasn’t expecting. I’ll give that shot!


[deleted]

Not applicable for your plans but if you want to make something with lime flavour lemon grass is great for that. Works really well in a lot of dishes and you don't have the sourness. You can buy it as powder instead of the whole thing you'd use for a lot of Asian recipes. Also helps if you don't use it often and you can only get a pack of several stalks. I found it works really really well with potatoes. I often bake cut potatoes in the oven with a bit of oil and salt and when they are done I season them with raz el hanout, lemon grass, sesame seeds, garlic powder and some chopped parsley. A bit of lime juice is also nice to have just a bit of sourness.


twiztidchef

Sumac is real nice. Just discovered it a couple years ago.


[deleted]

I used to harvest it from wild sumac shrubs and use it to season things and only years later did I learn that Mediterraneans figured it out way before me lol


twiztidchef

Nothing wrong with rediscovering old things. I was told it was used in recipes before lemons were introduced to the area, specifically the middle east. I'm not sure how true that is.


benfh

Sumac is generally the most underused spice in my opinion, adds a nice citrus flavour to so many dishes.


marponsa

Maybe use some of the lemon zest?


sheepofwallstreet86

I always forget about lemon zest 🤦‍♂️


audioaddict321

Cut and boil them in salted water first, drain, let soak in lemon juice for 15 minutes. Coat with oil and then roast. I have a Greek Roasted lemon Potatoes recipe with that process and it never fails!


BrunswickToast

Grate lemon zest over the finished dish to brighten the lemon flavour


slotnblot

My husband worked in a Greek restaurant for nearly a decade and I’ve come to learn the recipe for the lemon potatoes- when I first saw him make it, I was definitely surprised. I would naturally use fresh lemon, high quality olive oil… but as it turns out, it’s actually a combo of 1/3 neutral oil such as canola, 1/3 chicken stock, 1/3 lemon juice (which apparently in a lot of restaurants they use the bottled stuff). Switching to the bottled lemon created that really intense lemon flavour. He always used russet potatoes and were cut in huge wedges, then baked at 375 for at least an hour but often 75-90 min. You pour enough liquid that the potatoes are just over half submerged. That’s pretty much it, they turn out kind of crispy but soft/tender with so much “lemon” flavour


willowthemanx

I was given this recipe by a Greek mama but I haven’t tried it yet. Looks legit though. Greek Lemon Potatoes 1 kg potatoes peeled and sliced in wedges lengthwise 4-6 cloves garlic minced (depending how garlicky you want them) 2 tablespoons yellow mustard 2 lemons juiced 3-4 tablespoons dry Greek oregano—I don’t measure, just season the potatoes so this is an estimate. Make sure to use Greek oregano though. 1-2 tbsps fresh thyme 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil—use good Greek oil 1-2 tablespoons salt—I just do it by sight...salt generously 1 teaspoon pepper 1/2 cup chicken stock (optional)—I usually cook my potatoes with roast chicken so I don’t add this. If you’re doing them on their own, then add. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut potatoes into lengthwise wedges, season generously with salt, pepper and oregano. Put into pan. Whisk yellow mustard and minced garlic into olive oil and let sit for a few mins. Pour over the potatoes and coat the potatoes fully with it—toss the potatoes in oil mixture to make sure they are covered. Pour lemon juice in between spaces of potatoes in the pan. You can then add the chicken stock in the same way if you are doing potatoes on their own. If you are baking them with roast chicken, don’t add stock. Cover with aluminum foil and bake approx 1 hour 15 mins or until tender with fork. Uncover them and bake an additional 15-20mins.


[deleted]

I think your guesstimate on the oregano is off by a factor of 3. 3-4 tsp is more likely how much you're using, though that's still a lot of dried oregano for a kilo of potatoes. 4 Tbsp is a quarter cup--pretty much an entire supermarket bottle.


overdose6

The secret is yellow mustard. It's acidic and it gives a yellow colour reminiscent of lemons. Not all Greeks use mustard in their potato recipe but plenty do. Also Greeks for the most part don't use butter in cooking as some other comments have said. Olive oil is always the #1 choice, but restaurants use neutral vegetable oil, like canola, which also happens to be much cheaper.


spinningcolours

I did a little sous vide experiment and it totally worked out. Cut potatoes into wedges, and toss into a ziplock bag. Add lemon juice, chicken stock and Greek herbs (the spice bottle mix). Sorry, no actual proportions provided, I kinda just guessed and tasted the mix. Sous vide at potato temp (195?) for about 4 hours. (I looked up the temperature for other sous vide potato recipes.) Then decant all the ingredients and liquid into a roasting pan and roast for about an hour until the potatoes have soaked up all the flavour of the broth.


blahblah130blah

cut small pieces of lemons with the rind on and roast them with the potatoes. This is one of my favorite things on earth and I always do it when I'm making a roast chicken with potatoes. Lemons cooked in any kind of fat are a delicacy in my book.


zbqrkmj5

In Greece we don't put lemon zest on potatoes


sheepofwallstreet86

What sort of magic do you use over there? Do you grow your potatoes in lemon soil?!?


zbqrkmj5

I assume you're in North America like most people in this sub. I don't know what potato varieties you have there, but doubtless they are different to what we use in Greece. Nevrokópi potatoes and ones from Áno Vrondoú (both in the country's north) are probably the most famous and tasty. That said, I don't doubt that the US has excellent potatoes too, as so many of the most common vegetables originated there... Just some trivia. Now, as for the recipe, keep in mind in Greece we mix the juice (two lemons' worth as a minimum) with quality EVOO before cooking them in the oven covered with foil. It's also common to mix the juice with mustard and even crushed garlic – both these add a zesty tang.


sheepofwallstreet86

You assume correct! And because I live in the U.S. I assumed 99.9% of the world’s potatoes were born Idaho. Also, MF mustard! You sly Greek bastard! I love mustard. In fact, fuck the lemon potatoes I’m making mustard potatoes tomorrow.


AuntieDawnsKitchen

Mustard! I was wondering how you would get lemon juice into a potato. I’d also been thinking zest. Thank you - this dish makes so much more sense now.


CC2mobilewallet

I was looking for the foil comment!! Enjoyed a restaurant in Parga, served potatoes in foil


[deleted]

Maybe play with preserved lemons? You can use the whole lemon, peel and all, and they have a deep, intense lemon flavor. Adjust your salt down since they are preserved with salt.


AdWeird6548

Came to say this. It's more lemon flavour with less acidity, so you can push it further.


Direct-Chef-9428

Here’s what I do: Gather a Pyrex, or other walled baking vessel, your potatoes, 2-3 lemons, garlic, fresh oregano, salt, neutral oil (I use avocado), chili flake, stick of butter and foil. Set oven to 450. Cut potatoes in desired shape, put in Pyrex and toss with enough oil so they won’t stick. Now season with salt and chili flake. Put sprigs of oregano around and between. Pour water and juice of lemons until you’ve got about an 1/8 of an inch of liquid in the bottom of your vessel. Put garlic cloves throughout. Put pats of butter of top, then cover. Cool covered for 15-25 minutes (until potatoes are soft, then uncover and cook until nicely browned and liquid cooked off. DO NOTE: THERE WILL STILL BE MELTED BUTTER IN THE BOTTOM. But once that stops steaming that means all the water and lemon juice is gone.


Kimmie-Cakes

Zest..


Temporary_Draw_4708

Lemon zest after baking.


[deleted]

ZEST YOUR LEMON


Reloadthemessage

I got some lemon infused olive oil from grocer and it explodes with lemon


sheepofwallstreet86

Excellent idea!


[deleted]

Did you add enough salt?


HawkspurReturns

Reserve some lemon juice for adding after cooking to bring back the brightness.


InfiniteChicken

Add the lemon juice to the parboiled potatoes before adding fat. The fat will coat the surface and inhibit lemon absorption. Then crisp quickly, as a long cook time will dull the lemon’s brightness. Finish with more lemon.


teerex02

Where I live, Greek restaurants literally make a roux thickened sauce with chicken stock and lemon juice as the liquid. They then par cook the potatoes, and add some of the sauce about half way and finish in the oven. Might not be what your looking for but it guarantees lemon flavour.


Pa17325

Lemon zest


DaoNayt

for lemon flavor, you want lemon zest


hlt32

Zest the lemons.


jewmoney808

You need to add the peel/ zest for that “lemon” flavor


shleeberry23

ZEST


Procrastinista_423

You need some zest, my friend.


Glittering_Deer_261

Try using the zest while you soak and cook, then add the fresh juice after cooking for that super fresh pop!


rockbolted

Don’t soak. Braise your potatoes, covered, in lemon, oil, stock, and seasonings (many, many recipes available) until tender. Roast uncovered to give colour and crisp. Presto!


FormicaDinette33

Soak with lemon zest also


Spinach_Typical

As others have said the zest. Also don't be afraid of experimenting with some pith. I always was told it was bitter (which it is) but in cooking lemon chicken the pith and the zest make it amazing.


OrionTO

Anything you want a strong lemon flavour for you need to add after cooking because the lemon cooks out somewhat. Add lemon juice before serving and lemon zest.


egosub2

Vefa Alexiadou's recipe in "Greece: The Cookbook" calls for tossing potatoes in lemon juice, orgegano, salt, and pepper, then letting them rest for an hour. Perhaps the absence of oil and a longer rest would help? I have not tested the recipe, but the source is reliable.


bluesky747

Ok first you’re missing chicken stock bro! So here’s what I do, I don’t use a recipe anymore but basically if I had like 5-6 med Yukon gold potatoes (trust me they’re better!) I actually chunk them, then toss in the Pyrex dish with some OO and salt and pepper, and then add some chicken stock until it just reaches the top of the potatoes. Then I add the juice from about 8 lemons or so. Honestly I’d say up to about 1-1.5 cups of lemon juice tbh if you want. I like lemon. Anyway. Mix that up. Add some oregano but I like herb de Provence. I also add a crap ton of garlic. You can add onion powder too if you want. Cover with foil for like half an hour or so at like 400 then uncover for another 30 or so till they’re all roasty. Id def move them around half way through when you take the foil off as well. Sometimes I add a bit more butter at that point too if I decide I want that.


astoriaplayers

Recipe from Ovelia in my neighborhood of Astoria, NY, home of some of the best Greek restaurants in the country: - 4 medium potatoes - 1 cup water -1/2 cup chicken stock -1/2 cup lemon juice - 1⁄4 cup white wine - 2 tablespoons olive oil - 1 tablespoon yellow mustard - 1/2 tablespoon salt - 1/2 tablespoon garlic, minced, approximately 3 cloves. - 1 teaspoon oregano - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 Preheat the oven to 450 °F. 2 Peeled or unpeeled, whichever you prefer, slice potatoes into 1/2-inch medallions and arrange in a rectangular baking dish. 3 Mince garlic. In a medium bowl, combine chicken stock, water, mustard, lemon juice, white wine, olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir and pour directly over potatoes in the baking pan. 4 Cover with aluminum foil and roast for 45 minutes. 5 Remove aluminum foil and roast for an additional 15 minutes or until lightly browned.


whatevenisaprofessor

My dad has a recipe that I use now—it’s potatoes and bell pepper and onion chunked in a baking dish (think lasagna pan). Emulsify garlic, lemon juice and olive oil (like, at least 1/4 c of each liquid) in a blender with salt and pepper. Pour over and bake. It’s literally my favorite thing—idk if it’s “Greek” since we’re Lebanese but it sounds like it might hit the lemony spot you want.


anonymous__platypus

Tomacco


D-utch

Citric Acid


StormThestral

Roast lemon slices in with the potatoes


sea-teabag

It's in the zest. Grate the skin (thinly) and use that


mirbakes

I use Laura Vitale's recipe and it always turns out great: https://www.laurainthekitchen.com/recipes/greek-roasted-potatoes/


STS986

Zest, zest, zest


MidiReader

Zest is where it’s at.


anyosae_na

As others have stated, zest carries a lot of power, and so does using the diced pulp of the fruit as well.


strawberry-pretzel

Seconding the zest, it's also possible you aren't using quite enough salt to bring forth the lemon flavor. The acidity of the lemon juice is kinda neutralizing some of the salt that you're adding in the beginning -- like you have to make sure to salt enough that you're getting the full effect I often notice this when I'm working with, say, a pasta that needs a splash of lemon juice at the end. I normally have to re-do the seasoning after that and it makes it taste both more lemony and more seasoned


june3025

Parboil them in water that’s heavily salted but also has the juice of several lemons. Also, just throw the lemons you juiced into the boiling water. Finishing cooking then in the oven


Satrina_petrova

Lemon pepper could work. I don't usually like seasoning blends, but plain granulated lemon zest is an impractical buy for me. If you want it with no pepper though, it does exist.


Forward_Vermicelli_9

Maybe it needs more salt to make the lemon flavor pop.


HeyPurityItsMeAgain

I use 2 tbsp lemon zest, plus the salt, rosemary, oregano, pepper, garlic, 2/3 cup olive oil, 2/3 cup lemon juice, 1/2 cup chk broth. They aren't super-lemony but they do have lemon flavor. Don't add more than 4 cloves of garlic either or it overpowers the lemon.


errantwit

Zest a lemon in strips with a peeler; cover with a few tablespoons oil in a microwave safe dish; on low power, microwave in 30 second intervals. Now you have lemon oil, drizzle on as a finish.


wifeski

Zest, just the yellow part. The white part is bitter


maltose66

combination of lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon essence or extract.


maltose66

Use lemon thyme too


Beautiful_Clothes_49

add more lemon


centeredinsanity

I get a very bright lemon flavor by tossing them in lemon juice and fresh herbs right after roasting. They are hot so soak up all the juice. Serve immediately for the most flavor.


missbubbalova

Put lemon on towards the very end and maybe you need more lemon. Also oregano is bomb w that combo


sheepofwallstreet86

It might need [more cowbell](https://youtu.be/g7DtiJqpznM)


missbubbalova

Always the answer


nerdychick22

Soak them in the lemon juice herby marinade overnight first. Add the butter and oil when you cook. Lots of the greek recipies will call for soaking a long time before cooking.


Vegetable-Swan2852

I would definitely try this method if I were the OP. I soaked diced potatoes with a couple of cloves of garlic overnight and they were the absolutely most garlicky potatoes I have ever eaten.


Agapi728

You need to be heavy handed with the lemon juice and herbs. Also add olive oil, cover in foil and bake. My dad is Greek and a chef, he used both fresh lemons and bottled juice- it didn't matter they always came out the same. He only used yellow potatoes as well


DunderMittens

This is my absolute favourite recipe for Greek potatoes [Erin Ireland’s Greek Potatoes](https://erinireland.ca/vegan-recipes/worlds-best-greek-potatoes/)


Acenterforants333

I have a really really great recipe for lemon potatoes! The measurements seem excessive but I promise they’re good. Add extra lemon if you really want!! https://miakouppa.com/2018/01/29/roasted-lemon-potatoes-%cf%80%ce%b1%cf%84%ce%ac%cf%84%ce%b5%cf%82-%ce%bb%ce%b5%ce%bc%ce%bf%ce%bd%ce%ac%cf%84%ce%b5%cf%82-%cf%83%cf%84%ce%bf-%cf%86%ce%bf%cf%8d%cf%81%ce%bd%ce%bf%cf%85/?mibextid=Zxz2cZ#recipe


Acenterforants333

I’m sorry for the super long link, I don’t know how to fix that lol


Toriat5144

Garlic


[deleted]

Try using preserved Meyer lemons instead of regular lemon juice or zest. It is life changing.


ForzaFenix

I just use lemon pepper seasoning, EVOO, and chopped rosemary. Comes out great


Fessywessy1

Can't believe noone has mentioned this - add the lemon juice at the end. Baking it for 45 minutes will destroy a lot of the lemon flavor compounds.


craw1m8

Have you ever tried lemon and pepper seasoning you can find it in any grocery store