Monday 24 September 2012

Smashed Potatoes with Herbed Butter



I've made these once before. The first time instead of using the greek spices I used fresh dill. Unfortunately, the time for fresh dill has come and gone and I was left staring at the dried spice drawer trying to come up with a substitute. I briefly considered some Montreal Steak Spice (which would be very good I'm sure), but not exactly what I was hoping for, for tonights dinner. So, I went garlicky and lemony and let me tell you, it has been hours now since I ate and my mouth is still burning from the garlic. What I'm trying to say is, if you aren't a huge garlic fan (let me slap some sense into you...kidding) you might want to reduce the number of garlic cloves in this. Then again maybe not, as I was using amazingly fresh and crisp (not rubbery in the slightest, hallelujah), local farm garlic. So I think it may have had a bit more of a kick than the grocery store variety would have.

The idea for smashing the potatoes has come from multiple blogs. The herbed butter is my own creation.

Makes 8 servings




Ingredients

16 medium Red Potatoes
1/2 C. Butter
Zest of 1 Lemon
1 Tsp. Lemon Juice
1/2 Tsp. Hot Sauce
5 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Tsp. Greek Spice Blend
Salt
Pepper

Directions

~Bring a large pot of water to the boil and place potatoes in the pot.
~Meanwhile in a small bowl, whip the butter until it is smooth.
~Zest the lemon and add it in to the butter along with the lemon juice, hot sauce, minced garlic and greek spices.
~Mix well to combine.
~Place into fridge while the potatoes boil, allowing for the flavours to develop.
~Boil potatoes until they are fork tender. Then drain.
~Preheat oven to 375 F.
~Grease a cookie sheet and line up the potatoes on it.
~With a potato masher, gently press evenly on the top of each potato to crush it just enough so the whites of the potato are visible.
~Place a dollop of the butter mixture on top of each smashed potato and then spread so it covers the entire top surface.
~Season with salt & pepper
~Bake potatoes in the oven (or on the BBQ as I had to do) until the top surface begins to brown and crisp (10-12 minutes).
~Serve with a dollop more of the herbed butter.

Enjoy (and don't think of all the cholesterol)!


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