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Smashed Fingerling Potatoes

PAT I told y’all, I can’t have steak without potatoes, and fingerling potatoes are my choice. These rich and creamy little darlings are about the size of my fingers, and they are firm enough to withstand the heat of my grill. A great tip for grilling potatoes is to boil them a bit first; this will give you faster and more even grilling. The olive oil will keep them moist and let the rosemary and garlic do their aromatic thing.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 6

Ingredients

2 pounds fingerling potatoes, scrubbed well
Kosher salt
Olive oil, to coat
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Slip the potatoes into a large pot of cold water, and bring to a boil. Add a few large pinches of salt, and simmer until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, and let cool for about 20 minutes.

    Step 2

    Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, place them on a sheet tray and gently press them down to flatten. (It helps to use the edge of a large clean chef’s knife, pressing the potatoes down flat one at a time, until they flatten to a 1 1/2-inch thickness.) Drizzle on the olive oil, and add the garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Gently toss until the potatoes are well coated.

    Step 3

    Heat your grill to medium heat. Remove the potatoes from the sheet tray, and grill them until they are golden brown and crisp, about 4 or 5 minutes per side.

    Step 4

    Remove the crispy potatoes to a platter. Give them a taste, and add more salt and freshly ground black pepper if necessary.

  2. NOTE

    Step 5

    The trick here is to not overboil your potatoes. You don’t want the potatoes to crumble and fall through your grill grates!

Image may contain: Pat Neely, Human, Person, Food, Meal, Restaurant, Cafeteria, and Buffet
Reprinted with permission from The Neelys' Celebration Cookbook by Pat and Gina Nelly. Copyright © 2011 by Pat and Gina Nelly with Anna Volkwein. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Pat and Gina Neely are restaurateurs, best-selling authors, popular speakers, and hosts of the Food Network hit series Down Home with the Neelys. They recently opened their first New York City restaurant, Neely's Barbecue Parlor. They live with their daughters in Memphis, where they enjoy cooking at home with family and friends. Ann Volkwein is a best-selling food and lifestyle author based in New York City and Austin, Texas. Her previous books include: The Arthur Avenue Cookbook, Chinatown New York, Mixt Greens (with Andrew Swallow), and, with Guy Fieri: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; More Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives; and Guy Fieri Food.
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