Last year at this time I made plans to cook homemade corned beef and cabbage this year for St. Patrick's Day. I scoured the internet researching the process of making the dish and then filed it away into the depths of my mind for 11.5 months. Fast-forward to this year and I went and became a crunchy, granola-eating vegetarian. Way to ruin a good plan, Lindsay! Jake, not a vegetarian, isn't pleased. Lily doesn't care what I cook as long as she is allowed to explore the house half-clothed.
Luckily, I spent time parusing Shockingly Delicious this past fall in order to make Dorothy's Bob Andy pie and stumbled across a perfect Irish-style recipe. Well, my specific potatoes came from Idaho, but with a name like Irish Road Kill I knew that I would still feel shamrock-worthy. And I did! The potatoes came out delicious. And they are a perfect side dish for corned beef if you are more of an omnivore than I am.
Crispy Potato Smashers (a.k.a. Irish Road Kill)
Petite golden potatoes (or any thin-skinned potato, but I like the little ones) Olive oil Sea salt (or kosher salt, or seasoned salt) Freshly ground pepper Toppings (optional): grated cheese, sour cream, spices, herbs, or whatever you are in the mood for
Turn oven on to 425 degrees; position a rack in the middle of the oven.
Wash and dry potatoes, and with a knife, make a small slit in the top of each. Place them on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high for about 5 minutes or until they are soft. Meanwhile, lightly film a low-sided baking sheet or baking pan with olive oil.
Remove potatoes from microwave oven and arrange them in the baking pan, leaving a inch or two between potatoes. One by one, use a paper plate between your hand and the potatoe and flatten each potato to about 1/4 - 1/2 inch thick. Or use a potato masher and push down hard once on each potato. The skin will break and the soft potato will spread out yet will remain one piece.
Drizzle olive oil on each potato (2-3 teaspoons per potato, depending on how heavy your hand is) and sprinkle each with a pinch of salt and a grinding of fresh pepper.
Bake 20-30 minutes, until they are browned and crispy. Remove from oven and serve. Use toppings as desired.
Source: Shockingly Delicious
