Smashed Potatoes with Rosemary
- 2 pounds fingerling potatoes (about 20 small potatoes; or substitute small Yukon Gold potatoes)
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh rosemary needles
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
- 8 large garlic cloves, smashed with the flat side of a knife
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
- 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- Maldon sea salt or another flaky sea salt, such as fleur de sel
- 5 to 7 rosemary branches
- Combine the potatoes, chopped rosemary, butter, garlic, salt, and 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.
- When the butter melts, stir to combine, then cover the pan with a lid and cook the potatoes until they are tender when pierced with a fork, about 30 minutes.
- Uncover the pan, remove the potatoes from the pan, and set them aside to cool slightly.
- Remove the garlic with a slotted spoon and discard, reserving the oil and butter in the pan.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to touch, one at a time, place the potatoes on a flat surface and use the heel of your hand to smash them 1/2 inch thick, pressing evenly to prevent the potatoes from breaking apart.
- Slide the potatoes off the surface rather than lifting them, to help keep them intact.
- You can prepare the potatoes to this point up to several hours in advance.
- Proceed just before you are ready to serve them.
- Add 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil to the oil-butter mixture, or enough so the fat in the pan is 1/2 inch deep, and heat over medium-high heat until the oil is almost smoking and slides easily in the pan, 2 to 3 minutes.
- If the oil begins to bubble, reduce the heat slightly.Working in two or more batches, add the smashed potatoes in a single layer to the pan, season with salt, and cook until they are deep brown and crisp, about 3 minutes per side.
- Remove the potatoes to paper towels to drain and season them with sea salt.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan, or more as needed, and heat before adding the second batch.
- Cook the remaining potatoes in the same way.
- To fry the rosemary, pour enough olive oil into a small skillet or saucepan to fill it 1 inch deep and line a small plate with paper towels.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a pinch of salt sizzles when dropped into it.
- Add the rosemary and fry for about 30 seconds until crisp but not brown.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the rosemary from the oil, transfer to the paper towels to drain, and season with salt.
- Strain the rosemary-infused oil through a fine-mesh strainer and reserve it to fry rosemary another time, to make vinaigrettes, or to drizzle over grilled meats or vegetables.
- (The rosemary can be fried up to several hours in advance.
- Store it in an airtight container at room temperature.)
- Serve warm, with the fried rosemary branches scattered on top.
potatoes, rosemary needles, butter, garlic, kosher salt, extravirgin olive oil, salt, rosemary branches
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/smashed-potatoes-with-rosemary-393638 (may not work)