This appetizer from José Pizarro,
Spanish cookbook author and restaurateur
, will kick off a party with
heart-thumping flavors, invite ice-breaking questions (are those fossils? how do
I eat them?), and break down any notions of proper etiquette (spoiler:
Everyone’s fingers are going to get salty).
You’re essentially just boiling potatoes. But you
do it in a wide, shallow pan, in a single layer, without a lid. And with a lot
of sea salt. The water bubbles away, and in 20 minutes, the potatoes have sort
of steam-boiled tender. A dusty layer of salt covers the potatoes like ash. The
outsides look fiercely salty, but the middles are creamy and gently seasoned, so
an initial slap of salt and pop of taut skin quickly gives way to buttery flesh.
The kicker is a cuminy, garlicky cilantro mojo—a green sauce you bang out in a
mortar and pestle or mini food processor, perfect for dragging your crusty
potatoes across.
Altogether it’s so good you won’t want to wait for
your next dinner party to make it again. And that’s okay—it makes a great
any-night side, too. Just grill a steak or chop or butterflied chicken to go
with it, and the mojo will get even more play.
Serves 6
This appetizer from José Pizarro,
Spanish cookbook author and restaurateur
, will kick off a party with heart-thumping flavors, invite ice-breaking questions (are those fossils? how do I eat them?), and break down any notions of proper etiquette (spoiler: Everyone’s fingers are going to get salty).
, will kick off a party with heart-thumping flavors, invite ice-breaking questions (are those fossils? how do I eat them?), and break down any notions of proper etiquette (spoiler: Everyone’s fingers are going to get salty).
You’re essentially just boiling potatoes. But you
do it in a wide, shallow pan, in a single layer, without a lid. And with a lot
of sea salt. The water bubbles away, and in 20 minutes, the potatoes have sort
of steam-boiled tender. A dusty layer of salt covers the potatoes like ash. The
outsides look fiercely salty, but the middles are creamy and gently seasoned, so
an initial slap of salt and pop of taut skin quickly gives way to buttery flesh.
The kicker is a cuminy, garlicky cilantro mojo—a green sauce you bang out in a
mortar and pestle or mini food processor, perfect for dragging your crusty
potatoes across.
Altogether it’s so good you won’t want to wait for
your next dinner party to make it again. And that’s okay—it makes a great
any-night side, too. Just grill a steak or chop or butterflied chicken to go
with it, and the mojo will get even more play.
SALT-CRUSTED POTATOES
2¼ pounds (1kg) evenly sized waxy new potatoes, such as fingerling, scrubbed but unpeeled
CILANTRO MOJO
3 large cloves garlic, roughly
chopped
1 green chile, seeded and
chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
flakes
Leaves from a bunch of fresh
cilantro, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin
seeds
Scant ½ cup (120ml) extra-virgin
olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar,
muscatel if possible
1 To make the potatoes, put the
potatoes in a wide, shallow pan in which they fit in a single layer. Add 2
tablespoons of salt and 1 quart (1L) of cold water (just enough to cover), bring
to a boil, and leave to boil rapidly until the water has evaporated. Test one of
the larger potatoes for tenderness with the tip of a paring knife. If there’s
still some resistance, add more water and continue boiling. Once the potatoes
are tender and the water has evaporated, turn the heat to low and continue to
cook for a few minutes, gently turning the potatoes over occasionally, until
they are dry and the skins are wrinkled and covered in a thin crust of
salt.
2 Meanwhile, make the cilantro
mojo. Put the garlic, chile, and salt in a mortar and pound into a paste.
Add the cilantro and pound until the leaves are incorporated into the paste. Add
the cumin and gradually mix in the oil to make a smooth sauce. Just before
serving, stir in the vinegar and spoon into a small bowl.
3 Pile the hot potatoes onto a plate and serve with the
mojo, instructing your guests to rub off as much salt from the potatoes as they
wish before dipping them in the sauce.
3 large cloves garlic, roughly
chopped
1 green chile, seeded and
chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
flakes
Leaves from a bunch of fresh
cilantro, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin
seeds
Scant ½ cup (120ml) extra-virgin
olive oil
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar,
muscatel if possible
0 التعليقات: