Smashed Potatoes & Garlic Mint Yogurt
With roasted fennel & their fronds
With roasted fennel & their fronds
An easy weeknight dinner side that pairs well with essentially any protein, and a staple dinner party side of mine: you can prep the yogurt in advance, boil the potatoes early on, then add the potatoes and fennel to the oven 40 minutes before you’re ready to eat. If you’re having a hard time finding mint this time of year, you can always opt for parsley for a similar effect! The fennel here ends up perfectly tender with some golden, crisp edges and this is my favorite way to make it—a great intro to fennel if you haven’t made it before.
Ingredients:
For the Garlic Herb Yogurt
1 Cup Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
Juice and zest of 1 small lime
2 large cloves of garlic, smashed and finely sliced
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon of olive oil
For Roasting
1 pound peewee potatoes, 1-2” big, or small gold potatoes sliced in half
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced into rings, plus fennel fronds for serving
1/2 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For Serving
About 15 mint leaves
About 15 sprigs of dill and/or fennel fronts
Pinch of pink peppercorns, optional
Pinch of chili flake, optional
Flaky salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Heavily salt a large pot of water over high heat, and carefully lower the potatoes in once boiling. Once fork tender, 15 mins, drain and set aside to cool slightly until you’re able to handle them.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 425ºF and line a sheet pan with parchment paper, then place the fennel rings evenly around the pan.
Gently crush the potatoes with the bottom of a shot glass (or other sturdy glass) until they are flattened but still very much intact, then add them to the sheet pan with the fennel, and coat very generously (about a half cup) with olive oil until everything is glistening. Season liberally with freshly ground black pepper and a teaspoon of kosher salt. Toss to coat.
Add to the oven and set a timer for 35 minutes, tossing the potatoes and fennel halfway through. Once done, set aside to cool slightly. *Check and be sure that your oven isn’t getting too hot, I highly recommend an in-oven thermometer for everyday cooking!
Meanwhile, make the garlic mint yogurt by adding 1 cup of Greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp. roughly chopped mint leaves, the juice and zest of 1 lime, 2 smashed and chopped cloves of garlic, 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a small bowl, and mix until combined. Taste and see if you’d like more salt: it should be punchy and bright. Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.
To serve, add the yogurt to the bottom of a shallow bowl or plate, topping with the potatoes and fennel, mint leaves, fronds and/or dill, a pinch of flaky salt, more freshly ground black pepper, and a pinch or two of pink peppercorns and chili flake if you’d like. Enjoy 🪄
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