Smashed Potatoes


This is one dish you won't need a recipe for, and it's scalable to feed as many or as few as you find seated at your table. This is one of my favorite potato side dishes. To me, this is benchmark real food - easy to prepare, elegant in its simplicity. You can vary the herbs to complement your main dish. Also, try sprinkling in some grated or crumbled cheese or chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes.

I've served these smashed potatoes twice in the past two weeks. The first time, we ate them with a grilled top-round London Broil, in lieu of the more traditional baked potato. I used snipped chives in the potatoes and passed a bowl of sour cream at the table. Last night, we at them alongside a saute of sliced turkey kielbasa and yellow and green zucchini. I chose parsley for the herb this time.

Smashed Potatoes


Small new potatoes (preferably B size)
Olive oil
Butter
Chopped fresh herb of your choice
Kosher or other coarse salt
Coarsely ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Using tongs, carefully add new potatoes to the water. Boil potatoes, uncovered, until tender when pierced with a fork. Do not allow water to evaporate; add more to the pot if necessary.

When potatoes are tender, drain them and return them to the pot. Mash roughly with a potato masher or the back of a sturdy ladle. You really just want to rupture the skins and smash the potatoes; don't be overzealous with the masher.

Drizzle with some good-quality olive oil, drop in a few small knobs of butter, and sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs and any other add-ins your heart desires.

Season with kosher salt and black pepper, fold potatoes over a few turns with a spatula or wooden spoon to distribute herbs and seasonings, and serve.

Recipe Notes:I haven't included recipe amounts here because you have the flexibility to adjust amounts according to how many people you're serving. Water amount, pot size, and cooking time will all vary according to how many potatoes you'll be cooking. Figure 2 medium new potatoes, or 3 small, per adult. Add chopped herbs according to taste, using as much or as little as you prefer. I vastly prefer kosher or sea salt to table salt.

Comments

  1. Yum- we have a million little baby red potatoes out in the garden right now- I'm going to have to try this recipe. I've always added milk or cream- this one seems like it would be much lighter. Oh, and another good way to use up some of that dill...

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  2. I love simple food like this. If only I'd remembered to buy potatoes today...

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