Crispy Smashed Potatoes + Spicy Aioli
A recipe by Jodi Moreno
Amidst the limbo we live in, not knowing when we’ll get to eat out at our favorite restaurants or travel to see friends and family, we’ve been so grateful to catch up with super talented people we’ve partnered with in the past and see how they’re coping in these times of uncertainty.
A few weeks ago, we reached out to our friend Jodi Moreno-a truly amazing chef and cookbook author-to catch up. Jodi was our partner chef for a Supper we hosted on Long Island, back in October 2018. She put together a fabulous menu that started the feast with clams in jalapeño butter and ended it with an indulgent chocolate cake. This time around, we asked her to share her staple recipe for crispy smashed potatoes that we know you will love!
In early March-at the beginning of lockdown-Jodi found herself in Mexico City for work and after some consideration, she decided to spend this time down there. From her temporary home in Mexico City, Jodi walked us through this recipe and showed us how she incorporated some ingredients she’s come across in Mexico to take this dish to the next level. You can see Jodi chatting about this recipe on our IGTV here.
Earlier this week we made these crispy potatoes ourselves and we assure you, the addition of dried piquín peppers to this aioli is heavenly! We will definitely make more of it to go with other foods beyond potatoes. That said, this whole dish is a real party of flavor and textures and we absolutely think you need to try it!
If you enjoy this recipe and are a fan of wholesome foods, follow Jodi on Instagram, visit her website, or purchase her book More with Less:Whole Food Cooking Made Irresistibly Simple for more recipes.
“While each part of this recipe can be made separately, when served together the elements harmonize and take the humble crispy potato to a new level. Another great thing about this recipe is that you can get experimental. Here, I am using ingredients such as hoja santa and piquín chilies because they are produced and readily available in Mexico, however, so many other herb and spice combinations would work here. For herbs, you could use parsley, basil, sage or rosemary. For spices, you could try another dried chili, or a spice such as coriander, or just make a classic aioli without the spice.”
Crispy Smashed Potatoes + Spicy Aioli + Crispy Herbs
Serves ~4, as a side dish
Ingredients
For the potatoes
2lbs of any variety of small potato
A splash of white or apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt
Extra virgin olive oil
Black pepper
For the aioli
6-7 piquín chilies (optional)
2 teaspoons of salt
8 peppercorns
1-3 small cloves of garlic, peeled
Juice of ½ a lemon
1 large egg, room temperature
¾ cup of canola or neutral vegetable oil
¼ cup of olive oil
For the crispy herbs
A large handful of an herb of your choice: parsley, basil, sage, rosemary, hoja santa.
Neutral vegetable oil
zest of ½ a lemon
Method
Boil, smash, and roast the potatoes
Wash the potatoes well. Place the potatoes in a large pot, and fill with cold water and a splash of vinegar and about 2 tablespoons of salt.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-high heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until fork tender, but still slightly firm.
Strain the potatoes, and rinse with cold water to cool them down. Transfer them to a large baking sheet, and smash / flatten the potatoes using the palm of your hand or the back of a spatula. At this point, you can allow the potatoes to sit and come to room temperature before roasting, or keep them in the fridge until you're ready to serve. **There are theories that a chilled potato will make a crisper potato, but I haven't found it makes much of a difference than if they are still warm going into the oven.
Pre-heat the oven to 450º.
Drizzle (drench) the potatoes in olive oil. Really make sure that they have a good coating on them. This will keep them moist and make the outside nice and crispy. Season well with salt and pepper.
Roast the potatoes for about 30 minutes. Keep checking on them from time to time. They may need more or less depending on your oven. They should have a golden brown crispness to the edges.
While the potatoes are boiling and roasting, you will make the aioli and crisp the herbs:
To make the aioli, start by adding the (dry ingredients) the piquin (dried chili), salt, and peppercorns, to a mortar and pestle, and grind until it’s a fine powder. Add the garlic, and grind until a fine, cohesive paste is formed. Then, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon and dissolve the powder/paste. Transfer that to a food processor or blender and add the egg. Give it a pulse to incorporate the egg into the mixture. Then, while the blender or food processor is running, add the vegetable oil at a slow, steady stream. Then add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Your aioli should have a good consistency at this point, thick and creamy. Transfer to a bowl, and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Then, crisp the herbs. Heat a small slick of oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the herbs, and cook for 1-3 minutes until super crispy (but not brown), and then transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
Assemble the dish
To assemble, take a large serving platter and smear half of the aioli, and then place the potatoes on top. Finish by sprinkling the crispy herbs over top, and then zesting half of the lemon. Keep the other half of the aioli on the side for dipping, etc. Serve immediately.
