Smashed Potatoes with Horseradish Crème Fraîche
by Suzanne Goin
For a twist on classic mashed potatoes, borrow this technique from Chef Goin's restaurant AOC: Boil tiny fingerling potatoes, crush them slightly, enrich them with butter, and top them with crème fraîche. Here, a little horseradish heats things up, a perfect complement to the slow-roasted prime rib.
Serves six.
3/4 cup crème fraîche
3 Tbs. prepared horseradish, more to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 lb. small fingerling potatoes or baby potatoes, such as baby Yukons or Red Bliss
4 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Combine the crème fraîche and horseradish in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and more horseradish, if you like.
Put the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with cold water (by about 2 inches), and add 1 Tbs. salt. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat to medium low, and simmer gently until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a skewer, 15 to 20 minutes. Reserve about 1/4 cup of the water and drain the potatoes.
Let the potatoes cool for a moment and then slightly smash them with a wooden spoon just until they crack open. Return the potatoes to the pot over medium heat. Add the butter and 3/4 tsp. salt. Stir to coat the potatoes with the butter. Add a few tablespoons of the reserved potato water to help coat and glaze the potatoes. Stir in the parsley, taste, and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Top each serving with crème fraîche and a sprinkle of pepper.
Make Ahead Tips
After boiling and draining the potatoes, you can hold them for a few hours before finishing them. Reheat them by immersing in boiling water until they’re heated through, about 5 minutes, then proceed with the recipe as directed above.
nutrition information (per serving):
Size
:
based on six servings;
Calories
(kcal):
270;
Fat
(g):
19;
Fat Calories
(kcal):
170;
Saturated Fat
(g):
12;
Protein
(g):
4;
Monounsaturated Fat
(g):
5;
Carbohydrates
(g):
21;
Polyunsaturated Fat
(g):
0.5;
Sodium
(mg):
610;
Cholesterol
(mg):
45;
Fiber
(g):
4;
From Fine Cooking 82
, pp. 46
December 1, 2006
