Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Loaded Dip

I completely stole this idea from a good friend. She brought crispy roasted fingerling potatoes with a creamy herb dip to a Christmas buffet, solving a problem we’d always had at that event in pairing a starchy finger food with the beef tenderloin. When she placed the lovely tray on the table, I just kicked myself that I’d never thought of the idea before. So I tucked it away, also thinking it would be a perfect dish for a summer cook-out or picnic. It is easy to prepare but packs a ton of punch with all the classic potato toppings right in the dip. I made my version for the first time for the aforementioned friend and admitted that I had swiped her idea – and she didn’t even remember making it!

Long thin fingerlings are perfect for dipping. I love the visual impact of the multi-colored varieties I often find, but all red or gold are equally delicious. Roast them until they are very crispy so they will hold up to a swipe through the dip. The consistency of the dip needs to be loose enough to dip, but thick enough to stay on the potatoes without dripping. Stir in some extra buttermilk until you get it just right. You may want to add a bit more before serving to loosen it up.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Loaded Dip

For the Dip:

1 cup sour cream

1 cup buttermilk

1 teaspoon celery salt

½ teaspoon garlic salt

2 cups finely sharp shredded cheddar cheese

12 strips bacon, cooked until very crisp, finely chopped

3 Tablespoons finely chopped chives

Salt and black pepper to taste

For the Potatoes:

2 pounds fingerling potatoes

Olive oil

Salt and black pepper

For the Dip:

Whisk the sour cream and buttermilk together in a large bowl until completely combined. Add the celery salt and garlic salt and whisk well.  Add the cheddar, chopped bacon and chopped chives and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and generous grinds of black pepper. Stir in a little extra buttermilk to reach a consistency loose enough to dip but thick enough to hold on the potatoes without dripping. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Before serving, stir in a little more buttermilk if needed.

For the Potatoes:

Preheat the oven to 425°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with non-stick foil or parchment paper. 

Wash the potatoes and cut in half lengthways. Place them in a large ziptop bag and pour over about 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Toss just to coat the potatoes. You want the surfaces covered, but no oil left to pool on the baking sheet. Spread the potatoes in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Do not pour them out of the bag, scoop them out with your hands – again, you don’t want oil pooling on the baking sheet. The potatoes can be close together but try to keep them from touching. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper and roast for 15 minutes. Turn the potatoes over and roast for a further 15 minutes until crispy and browned. The potatoes can be roasted up to an hour ahead. Serve them at room temperature.

Scoop the dip into a serving bowl and serve surrounded by the potatoes.