Chef Ally
Artichokes Braised in Olive Oil
Tender baby artichokes surrendered to good olive oil, garlic, and lemon, cooked low and slow until the leaves soften and the hearts turn silky. A dish that asks you to slow down.
Culinary Explorer
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Smashed New Potatoes with Fresh Herbs
Created by
Tender spring potatoes, boiled until yielding, smashed into craggy rounds, and roasted until their edges turn golden and shatteringly crisp, then showered with whatever herbs the garden offers today.
Side Dishes
American
Weeknight
Easter
Dinner Party
10 min
Active Time
40 min cook•50 min total
Yield4 to 6 servings
New potatoes in spring are a revelation. They arrive at the market still wearing bits of earth, their skins so thin and papery you could rub them off with your thumb. These are not storage potatoes. They were in the ground yesterday. That aliveness matters.
Look for potatoes no bigger than a golf ball, with skins that feel almost fragile. Ask the farmer when they were dug. The best ones will not last long on the table because everyone who knows will be reaching for them. Varieties like Yukon Gold, French fingerlings, Red Bliss, or any waxy potato will work beautifully here.
The technique could not be simpler: boil until tender, smash, roast until the edges crisp. The smashing is the whole point. Those rough, craggy edges turn golden and shattering in the heat of the oven while the centers stay creamy and soft. You are creating texture through destruction. The herbs go on at the end, just a shower of whatever is growing. Chives, parsley, dill, a little tarragon if you have it. Let things taste of what they are.
The technique, the tradition, and the story behind every dish.
Discover Culinary ExplorerIngredients
small new potatoes
Quantity
2 pounds (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter)
kosher salt
Quantity
for cooking water, plus more for finishing
good olive oil
Quantity
1/4 cup
divided
unsalted butter
Quantity
3 tablespoons
melted
flaky sea salt
Quantity
to taste
black pepper
Quantity
to taste
freshly cracked
mixed fresh herbs
Quantity
1/4 cup
roughly chopped (such as chives, parsley, dill, tarragon, or thyme leaves)
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| small new potatoes | 2 pounds (about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in diameter) |
| kosher salt | for cooking water, plus more for finishing |
| good olive oildivided | 1/4 cup |
| unsalted buttermelted | 3 tablespoons |
| flaky sea salt | to taste |
| black pepperfreshly cracked | to taste |
| mixed fresh herbsroughly chopped (such as chives, parsley, dill, tarragon, or thyme leaves) | 1/4 cup |
Equipment Needed
- •Large pot for boiling
- •Rimmed baking sheet
- •Flat-bottomed glass or potato masher for smashing
Instructions
- 1
Boil the potatoes
Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by two inches. Salt the water generously until it tastes like the sea. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook until a paring knife slides through the center without resistance, about 20 to 25 minutes depending on size. The potatoes should be completely tender but not falling apart.
Starting in cold water ensures even cooking from the outside in. Hot water shocks the exterior and leaves hard centers. - 2
Prepare for smashing
While the potatoes cook, preheat your oven to 450F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment and brush generously with half the olive oil. The hot oil will crisp the bottoms while they roast.
- 3
Drain and arrange
Drain the potatoes well and let them steam dry for a minute or two. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a few inches between each one. They need room to spread.
- 4
Smash the potatoes
Using the bottom of a sturdy glass, a measuring cup, or a potato masher, press down firmly on each potato until it flattens to about half an inch thick. Some will crack and crumble at the edges. This is what you want. Those ragged bits turn golden and crisp in the oven.
Do not aim for uniformity. The irregular edges are where the magic happens. - 5
Season and roast
Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the smashed potatoes, then brush with the melted butter. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Roast until the edges are deeply golden and the bottoms release easily from the parchment, about 20 to 25 minutes. If you want them crispier, flip halfway through.
- 6
Finish with herbs
Transfer the potatoes to a serving platter while still warm. Scatter the fresh herbs generously over the top. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Serve immediately, while the edges still crackle.
Chef Tips
- •At the farmers market, look for potatoes still dusted with soil. That is a sign they were just dug and have not been washed and stored. Ask the farmer which variety they recommend for roasting.
- •The size of your potatoes matters. Small ones, no bigger than two inches across, cook evenly and smash into the perfect single-serving rounds. Larger potatoes can work but may need to be halved after cooking.
- •Save the potato cooking water. It is starchy and flavorful, perfect for adding body to bread dough or thinning a soup.
- •If you do not have a mix of herbs, a generous handful of just one will do. Chives alone are wonderful. So is parsley. Use what is alive and growing.
Advance Preparation
- •Potatoes can be boiled up to a day ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before smashing and roasting.
- •These are best eaten immediately, while the edges are still crisp. They do not reheat well because the texture is the whole point.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nutrition Information
1 serving (about 180g)
Calories
295 calories
Total Fat
18 g
Saturated Fat
6 g
Trans Fat
0 g
Unsaturated Fat
12 g
Cholesterol
18 mg
Sodium
350 mg
Total Carbohydrates
31 g
Dietary Fiber
4 g
Sugars
1 g
Protein
4 g
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