Rosemary Smashed Potatoes

It is shaping up to be a pretty amazing long weekend, I must say! What are all of you up to? I know many people take the opportunity to travel over Memorial Day weekend, but Stuart and I decided to stay put and just relax. On Friday night we tried a Mexican restaurant called El Camino for the first time, complete with a margarita or two (I had the mole enchiladas). On Saturday night we saw the new Star Trek movie, and then today we hiked up to Heather Lake and played in the snow at the top (yes, snow!) and then had grilled ELK burgers at our friend Lauren's house. Her dad decided to surprise us by neglecting to say that the burgers were elk until we were a good halfway through. Good thing I enjoyed it immensely and didn't care - a good burger is a good burger!

Speaking of good food, I think that I found the holy grail of potato recipes. And obviously, it is my duty to now share that recipe with you. It all started when I ate the amazing smashed potatoes served at a restaurant called Lola here in Seattle, and finally decided to try and replicate them. I must say, I think I came pretty damn close. They are so crispy, flavorful and good that I think I *might* even like this form of potatoes better than mashed potatoes. Which is saying something, considering my favorite meal on earth is a traditional Thanksgiving dinner complete with mounds of fluffy white potatoes.

Ingredients:

3 lb. baby Yukon Gold potatoes, each 1 to 2 inches each in diameter

Salt, to taste

1/4 cup olive oil, plus more as needed

1 fresh rosemary sprig plus 1/2 tsp. chopped rosemary (can substitute dried rosemary)

2 Tablespoons butter

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.     Put the potatoes in a large pot and add water to cover by 3 inches. Season the water with salt.

2.     Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes. Drain well in a colander.

3.     Transfer the potatoes to a flat surface or cutting board and let cool slightly. Using the smooth side of a meat tenderizer (I used the bottom of a wide water glass), carefully smash each potato to about 1/2-inch thickness, until the potato just begins to fall apart but is still in one piece. If some do fall apart do not worry, they will still taste delicious! 



4.     In a griddle pan over medium-high heat, warm the 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the rosemary sprig and fry until crispy, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.



5.     Working in batches and adding more olive oil to the griddle pan as needed, sear the smashed potatoes, turning once, until well browned and crispy, about 3 minutes per side. Add 1/2 to 1 Tablespoon butter during the last 1 minute of cooking.

6.     To serve, transfer the potatoes to a warmed serving bowl and serve immediately.