Giada's Fried Smashed Potatoes with Lemon Sauce

Did you think these were portabella mushrooms?  Guess again.  These are "fried smashed potatoes."

If you are a follower of this blog, you know that I have never met a potato that I didn't like.  Actually, I probably qualify as an addict.  Love, love, love potatoes fixed just about any way.  But, I am always on the lookout for new recipes and this one is fabulous.  

I like to watch the Food Network on Saturday and Sunday mornings when I wake up early - which is pretty much always.  Remember when you used to sleep in on the weekends?  Don't know what happened with that, but I know that the cooking shows start at  6 am.  

Giada De Laurentis is one of my favorite shows.  Her recipes are relatively easy and have always been really, really good.  She was preparing her "fried smashed potatoes" and I KNEW that recipe had my name all over it. I looked it up online so that I would get all the ingredients right.  It is fairly simple and really, really good.  The first time I made these potatoes and the yummy, nummy lemon sauce, Dan declared he could eat the sauce on just about anything.  He does not usually eat sauces or condiments - especially if they contain vinegar.  He is a no vinegar kind of guy.  But, this sauce is made with olive oil and fresh lemon juice and is, simply put, "heavenly."  The picture doesn't make you think heavenly, but if you could taste it you would think otherwise.

Here is what you need for this recipe:

Ingredients:

About 2 pounds of small, red potatoes like red bliss, or ruby bliss, or you can use fingerling potatoes

3 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme

kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper

3 whole garlic cloves, peeled

1/4 cup olive oil

Wash the potatoes and place in a pan deep enough to cover with water.  Boil potatoes until fork tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.  Remove from heat, drain and let cool.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, place the potatoes on a cutting board, and "smash" with the heel of your hand.

Heat 1/4 cup good olive oil over medium high heat.  I used my electric skillet, but you can also use a large saute pan.   Add the three cloves of peeled garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly browned.  Remove the garlic.  This "perfumes" the oil and adds extra flavor to the potatoes.

Place your "smashed" potatoes in the olive oil and cook on each side until brown and crispy.  Turn and brown other side.

Remove browned and crispy potatoes from pan and place on a platter.  Make the lemon sauce.

Place 3 Tbsp good olive oil, 3 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice, 2 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley and 1 Tbsp fresh chopped thyme in a bowl and mix vigorously with a fork or whisk.  Season to taste with some kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Place the bowl of lemon sauce on the table so that each person can place as much sauce as they want on their serving of potatoes.  The light, lemony sauce flavored with the fresh herbs is simply divine on the crispy, brown potatoes.  We had these with our fish on Friday night and they are terrific.  You might even want to try a little of the lemon sauce on the fish.  Yummmmmmy!

If you are a potato lover like me, or if you are looking for a new side dish to serve, give these wonderful "fried smashed potatoes" a try.  And, don't forget the lemon sauce!  It is worth the effort, believe me!  

Everyday Donna

Things to Remember:

"Only two things in this world are too serious to be jested on, potatoes and matrimony."Irish saying.