Salt-Crusted Fingerling Potatoes

Name: Salt-Crusted Fingerling Potatoes
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 pound fingerling potatoes, washed; 3 cups water; 1/2 cup Kosher salt; 2 garlic cloves, skins on; 1 cup Italian parsley, washed, leaves only; 1 cup cilantro, washed, leaves only; 1/2 cup olive oil; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

By David Latt

Total Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 5(346)
Comments: Read comments

This is a delicious appetizer that can be cooked in a few minutes, adapted from a dish served by José Andrés at The Bazaar, his restaurant in Los Angeles. Over several visits, I enjoyed his extravagant treats, like the sticks of foie gras wrapped in cotton candy and the crispy cones filled with cauliflower cream and American caviar, but the dish I kept thinking about was “Salty Wrinkled Potatoes.” He flies in potatoes from Cape Verde. I pick up fingerling potatoes from our local farmers’ market and can’t tell the difference. Select the smallest fingerlings you can find.

Featured in: A Deceptively Simple Appetizer

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

1pound fingerling potatoes, washed
3cups water
½cup Kosher salt
2garlic cloves, skins on
1cup Italian parsley, washed, leaves only
1cup cilantro, washed, leaves only
½cup olive oil
¼teaspoon black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Put the potatoes, water, and Kosher salt into a pot and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. With a wooden skewer, test to see if they are tender. Pour off most of the water, reserving as much salt as possible.
Step 2
Lower the heat and keep a watchful eye on the potatoes. The goal is to let the water evaporate so the potatoes are coated in salt. Be careful not to burn the salt or the potatoes. Cook another 3 to 4 minutes, then remove the potatoes and let cool.
Step 3
Use a kitchen towel to wipe the excess salt off each potato, leaving only a light dusting of salt on each. Clean the potatoes one by one so the skins don't break.
Step 4
To make the dipping sauce, start by putting the garlic cloves on a skewer. Char them on an open flame. Brush off the blackened skins and roughly chop. Place the parsley and cilantro leaves, the roasted garlic, black pepper, and olive oil into a mini-blender and puree to a smooth consistency.
Step 5
Pour the sauce into a small bowl. Serve the potatoes and sauce at room temperature.

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Ratings

5 out of 5

346 user ratings

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Comments

Stuart7 years ago

This is a recipe that deserves a revival. When it was first published, if I remember correctly, it caused a bit of a sensation. The dipping sauce is pure flavor and the potatoes end up with just the right amount of salt, believe it or not. Last week's "Amanda Cohen's Secret Weapon Stir-Fry Sauce," with its concentration of green flavor, reminded me to search for this one. Make it a couple of hours before guests arrive.

Mike “The Kitchen Wench” Ciccaroonie5 years ago

I found cooking the potatoes in a wide shallow pan seemed to help with the last step, since the potatoes were in a single layer so all got exposed to the salt. I wished I had roasted the garlic cloves longer - mine were still mostly raw, and two was a bit much in the pesto dip.

Leslie7 years ago

This was delicious. I used parsley and a finely chopped scallion for the the sauce because that's what I had. Also added a teeny bit of anchovy. Yum!

B9 months ago

Is it even possible to burn salt?

Sally1 year ago

The sauce is amazing!

ZGBNM1 year ago

This is the best and easiest version of this recipe I have found. The only issue is what to do if you don’t have a gas stove. I threw the cloves in the oven for a few minutes but only because the oven was already on.

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