Smashed red potatoes

These smashed potatoes will be a hit in your household.

Contributed by Preston Maring, MD


Smashed red potatoes

I modified a recipe from the Sunday New York Times, reducing the fat by frying these in a nonstick pan with just a little oil instead of in a 10-inch skillet half filled with oil. I also left out the eggs.

Buy small organic new red potatoes no bigger than about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. The NYT recipe also suggested peeling the potatoes, but I think the skins are fine to eat. They help hold the potatoes together when you smash them. These made me smile.

Servings: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes
  • 2 large sprigs fresh rosemary
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
  • Large pinch crushed red chili flakes
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon canola or safflower oil

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.  
  2. Line a baking sheet with a couple layers of paper towel. 
  3. In a large pot of water, add the potatoes, 1 sprig of rosemary, and 2 peeled cloves of garlic. Bring to a boil then simmer until the potatoes are just fork tender, about 20 minutes but check at 15. Drain the potatoes discarding the rosemary and garlic.  
  4. When the potatoes have cooled a bit, smash them gently with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass so they flatten a bit. The skin will break here and there but they will pretty much hold together. 
  5. To make the vinaigrette, strip the rosemary from the remaining sprig and mince it. Mince the third garlic clove.  
  6. In a small bowl, add minced rosemary and garlic with the lemon zest, juice, and crushed red chili.  
  7. Whisk in the olive oil then season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. 
  8. In a nonstick skillet, heat the canola or safflower oil.
  9. "Fry" the potatoes until brown on both sides.  Layer on the baking sheet and keep warm until you are ready to serve.
  10. When ready, drizzle with the vinaigrette and serve.

Nutrition information (per serving)

  • Calories: 180
  • Total fat: 9 g
  • Saturated fat: 1 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg
  • Sodium: 7 mg
  • Total carbohydrate: 21 g
  • Dietary fiber: 1 g
  • Total sugars: 0 g
  • Protein: 3 g

Note: Nutrition information does not include added salt.