Crash Hot Potatoes

[jennyema]

Perhaps I should be embarrassed to say this, but I almost never cook any recipe exactly the way the author wrote it. I just can't help myself, I've developed my own ideas about how things should be cooked and I'm too headstrong to follow instructions. When I cook this crash recipe I'll read the recipe and maybe make a few notes in my head, and then I'll go right along and cook the recipe my way. I understand of course that you can't criticize the author or the original recipe unless you follow it exactly.

I think of recipes more as concepts than as procedures which much be followed. For me vague recipes are better.

I agree entirely.

I think of them more as ideas.

Something like Julia Child's beef burgandy, I'll make it the first time pretty much by the recipe and then improvise or change things after that.

Or if I'm entirely unfamiliar with a technique or ingredient, Ill follow it the first time.

 

[niquejim]

Boil them, smash them and deep fry them. Finish with whatever seasonings you like and a good dipping sauce. Serve with a "fancy pants" burger...you won't be sorry

 

[babetoo]

i thought the recipe was clear and easy to follow. haven't made them, but will be on list for guests.

 

[buckytom]

it is a clear and straightforward recipe, babe. the only two things that needed to be stressed, as jenny and i pointed out, were that you need to cut open the spuds before smashing down to expose the flesh, and the sticking a soaking wet (from par boiling) potato in an oven requires a very hot oven in order to crisp properly without just drying them out while you wait for those promised browned edges.

my first time making them was prety bas as well. they didn't smash like the pics, looking more like a car ran over them.

also, even a 400 degree oven merely began to dehydrate the soggy potatoes over a long time while i waited for them to crisp.

 

[forty_caliber]

Made a batch of these for supper tonight. Used the convection roast function on the oven that intermittently activates the broiler. Seasoned with finely diced rosemary from the garden, salt and pepper. All I can say is AWESOME. They turned out great. Will be serving the leftovers as hash browns with breakfast tomorrow.

.40

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

it is a clear and straightforward recipe, babe. the only two things that needed to be stressed, as jenny and i pointed out, were that you need to cut open the spuds before smashing down to expose the flesh, and the sticking a soaking wet (from par boiling) potato in an oven requires a very hot oven in order to crisp properly without just drying them out while you wait for those promised browned edges.

my first time making them was prety bas as well. they didn't smash like the pics, looking more like a car ran over them.

also, even a 400 degree oven merely began to dehydrate the soggy potatoes over a long time while i waited for them to crisp.

I think you've picked two of the essences of this recipe (1) your potatoes should be very well steamed before you smash them, and (2) your oven should be very hot in order to brown or crisp them.

Made a batch of these for supper tonight. Used the convection roast function on the oven that intermittently activates the broiler. Seasoned with finely diced rosemary from the garden, salt and pepper. All I can say is AWESOME. They turned out great. Will be serving the leftovers as hash browns with breakfast tomorrow.

I think a very good point you made is to use fresh rosemary. This recipe is slated to fail if your rosemary isn't fresh. And I scoff the twigs in the recipe in the OP. I never thought that would work. The recipe should use fresh, chopped rosemary leaves.

You could maybe introduce herbs at a late/appropriate stage of cooking...

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I think I'll boil up some taters tonight for these in the morning. Get the Griddler set up, some French Toast, mandarin syrup, while the griddle is hot.

I love orange and rosemary together.

 

[Claire]

It looks to me like any problems with the recipe are with the fact that the potatoes need to be completely cooked before the smush and browning. All you're doing is putting a browned crust on the potatoes. I've tried the various versions of cooking the potatoes in the beginning, and it doesn't make much difference. Americans Test Kitchen baked them with some water in the bottom of the pan if I remember right, but I've boiled, pressure cooked, (for more than the two of us) and nuked with no real difference in flavor. They just have to be completely cooked before you smash them. There are only two of us, so the griddler (or alternately, a skillet) makes more sense than the oven.

It is breaking my heart that I went to the grocery store and they had the very loveliest yukon gold real babies! But I have enough potatoes (regular yukon golds) to last a month, so couldn't take advantage of them. Ouch!

 

[slett]

This looks very tasty! I'm going to try making these with a butter, oil, onion soup mixture drizzled over.

 

[msmofet]

Made a batch of these for supper tonight. Used the convection roast function on the oven that intermittently activates the broiler. Seasoned with finely diced rosemary from the garden, salt and pepper. All I can say is AWESOME. They turned out great. Will be serving the leftovers as hash browns with breakfast tomorrow.

.40

My oven has a convection roast function also. What temp did you use and for how long?

 

[JGDean]

I'm going to try it using grapeseed oil that has had fresh rosemary and garlic sitting in it for about a week. I think straining off the herb and garlic will give it a good flavor without burning. Maybe sprinkle with fresh chives after baking.

 

[jennyema]

I'm going to try it using grapeseed oil that has had fresh rosemary and garlic sitting in it for about a week. I think straining off the herb and garlic will give it a good flavor without burning. Maybe sprinkle with fresh chives after baking.

Hopefully you kept it in the fridge.

Keeping fresh herbs or galric in oil can produce botulism.

You should keep the oil cold and throw it out after a week or 10 days.

 

[slett]

Just made these with a butter/oil onion soup mixture drizzled over, S&P and just a pinch of parmesan. Cooked at 450 on the roast convection setting. One word.....
AWESOME!

 

[4meandthem]

Made these last night = YUMMO!

 

[FrankZ]

I made these last night. I might have been a tad too generous with the olive oil in the pan and Kathleen found them to be a tad oily tasting.

Our tater smasher worked a treat to scrunch them though.