Spicy Smashed Potatoes and Blistered Peppers

No ratings yet

Spicy Smashed Potatoes and Blistered Peppers

Spicy smashed potatoes with blistered peppers bring the heat and smoke of the Fire Swamp from The Princess Bride to life, with crispy, paprika-spiced potatoes and charred pepper aioli.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1 20

Total Time1 40

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Spanish

Servings: servings

Calories: 643kcal

Author: Alison Wiebe

Ingredients

Spicy Smashed Potatoes and Blistered Peppers

3 lb (1.36 kg) baby potatoes
½ cup (125 ml) olive oil plus extra as needed
1 ½ (9 g) kosher salt plus extra as needed
1 tsp (5 g) onion powder
1 tsp (5 g) garlic powder
¼ - 1 tsp (1-5 g) cayenne pepper *see note
½ tsp (2.5 g) smoked paprika
½ tsp (2.5 g) paprika or hot paprika
½ tsp (3 g) black pepper
1 lb (454 g) shishito peppers **see note

Roasted Red Pepper Aioli

1 red bell pepper
6 cloves garlic peeled
1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice
1 ¼ cups (300 ml) mayonnaise
1 tsp (5 g) smoked paprika
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
¼ - ½ tsp (1-3 g) cayenne pepper
¼ tsp (3 g) black pepper

Instructions

To make the potatoes, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with kosher salt and add the baby potatoes. Cook the potatoes just until they are fork-tender. They should be cooked through but not falling apart. Drain the potatoes and set aside to cool slightly.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, paprika, and black pepper. Set aside.
To roast the bell pepper on a gas range, place the pepper directly on the grate over the gas flame and allow to cook until the skin is completely blackened. Use tongs to flip the pepper until blackened on all sides.
Alternatively, you can broil the pepper in the oven to blacken the skin. Simply cut the pepper in half and place skin side up on a baking sheet. Broil on high flame until the skin surface is completely blackened.
Immediately place the blackened pepper into a bowl and cover with cling film. The steam generated will soften the blackened skin and make the pepper easier to peel. After about 30 minutes, take the pepper out and cut open. Scrape out the white core and seeds. Use the back of a paring knife to scrape the blackened skin off the pepper. When peeled, rinse and dry the pepper to remove as much of the blackened bits as possible.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a large sheet pan. Spread the cooked potatoes out evenly on the baking sheet. Using the bottom of a glass, or your palm, press down to smash the potato. Repeat with the remaining potatoes. Brush the spicy oil generously over the potatoes.
Roast the potatoes for 30 minutes or until the bottoms begin to brown. Flip the smashed potatoes over and brush with the remaining spicy oil. Continue roasting until the potatoes are crispy and well browned, another 20 to 30 minutes.
To make the aioli: place the roasted pepper in a small blender or food processor along with the garlic cloves and lemon juice. Blend to a smooth purée. In a mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, puréed pepper mixture, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, kosher salt, and pepper. Whisk together and chill until serving.
To blister the peppers, place a stainless steel or cast iron skillet over hight heat and add the olive oil. When the pan is hot, carefully add half of the Shishito peppers. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, flipping the peppers until blistered on both sides. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with kosher salt. Repeat with the remaining peppers.
To serve, layer the smashed potatoes and blistered peppers on a serving platter and serve with the roasted pepper aioli. Enjoy!

Notes

*Adjust the amount of cayenne pepper to your preferred heat tolerance.

**If you can't source Shishito peppers, then Padron peppers make a great substitute. If you like spice, then jalapeño peppers would work, be sure to seed and core them before blistering. Mini bell peppers are another option, although the flavour will be different.

Nutrition