Spicy Garlic Cilantro New Potatoes

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Baby potatoes get parboiled in heavily salted water, smashed just enough to fracture their skins, then crisped in a wide skillet of olive oil until the edges shatter. A raw jalapeño-garlic-cilantro relish goes on off the heat so it stays green, sharp and loud — the kind of seafood-house side dish you end up eating instead of the fish. Cheap, fast and hard to ruin.

Ingredients

• 2 lb baby new potatoes (1 to 1 1/2 inches)
• 3 tbsp kosher salt, for the boiling water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• kosher salt and black pepper, to finish

• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced or grated
• 1 large jalapeño, seeded if you like and minced
• 1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 pinch sugar

Instructions

1. Scrub the potatoes and put them in a large pot. Cover with cold water by 2 inches and add the 3 tablespoons kosher salt — the water should taste aggressively salty. Bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Boil 12 to 15 minutes, until a paring knife slides into the center of the largest potato with no resistance. Don't undercook them; the interiors need to be fully creamy because the skillet stage only crisps the outside.
3. Drain well and let the potatoes steam-dry in the colander for 5 to 10 minutes. Dry potatoes are the whole game here — surface moisture means steaming instead of browning.
4. While they dry, make the raw mixture: in a small bowl stir together the minced garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pinch of sugar. Set aside at room temperature; do not heat it.
5. Set the potatoes on a cutting board or sheet pan and press each one gently with the bottom of a glass or a measuring cup until it cracks open and flattens to about 3/4 inch. You want fractured edges, not mashed potatoes.
6. Heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large (12-inch) cast-iron or heavy nonstick skillet over medium-high until it shimmers, about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes cut-side down in a single layer, working in two batches if they don't all fit without crowding.
7. Cook undisturbed 5 to 7 minutes, until the undersides are deep golden and crusted. Flip and cook another 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with the smoked paprika and cayenne in the last 30 seconds and toss once so the spices bloom in the hot oil without scorching.
8. Kill the heat and let the pan sit for 1 full minute — if the pan is ripping hot, the garlic will turn bitter and the cilantro will go army-green. Then pour the raw garlic-cilantro-jalapeño mixture over the potatoes and toss to coat.
9. Season with more salt and plenty of black pepper, transfer to a platter (leave the potatoes loose, not piled deep) and serve within 10 minutes while the crust holds and the herbs are still bright.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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