Okay, so last night I was inspired by one of Tyler Florence’s recipes in the new Food Network Magazine. While I didn’t make his exact recipe, it did inspire me to create something similar with the ingredients that I had at home. It is a great appetizer or side dish recipe that looks complicated but is really quite simple. These potatoes are soft on the inside and crispy on the outside (my kids like them alone, with a side of ketchup). You could dress them up any way that you like and they are relatively hands off for most of the cooking time (so you can be preparing other foods while these cook). This would be a great Thanksgiving appetizer.
Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
- Small round baby potatoes
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Canola oil, for frying
- Sour cream
- Smoked salmon
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
- Chives, to taste … mostly for garnish
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Wash and dry potatoes and place in roasting pan.
- Drizzle the potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle generously with kosher salt.
- Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes or until soft.
- Remove potatoes from pan and onto a large cutting board.
- Smash each potato using the bottom of a glass or the side of a knife until they are about half their original thickness, while trying to keep them as intact as possible.
- Heat about two inches of canola oil in a large Dutch oven (I used my Le Creuset) to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add the smashed potatoes in batches and cook in oil for 4-5 minutes, turning once after 2 minutes (if they are browning too quickly, turn down the heat).
- Remove from oil to paper towel lined plate to absorb the excess oil.
- Transfer potatoes to serving dish and top each with a small dollop of sour cream, a small piece of smoked salmon, salt and pepper to taste and some chopped chives (you could actually top with any number of toppings such as sour cream, bacon and cheddar cheese, or cream cheese, smoked salmon, onions and capers, for example… the possibilities are endless).
