Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic Aioli

Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C).

To roast the garlic, cut off the top 1/2 inch (12 mm) of the garlic head, exposing the tops of the cloves, and place the head on a sheet of aluminum foil. Drizzle the garlic lightly with olive oil and wrap tightly in the foil, crimping the edges to seal. Place directly on the oven rack and roast until the garlic is slightly softened, about 1 hour. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, make the aioli. In a blender, combine the egg yolks and half of the lemon juice. Blend until combined. With the blender running on low speed, gradually add the oil in a slow, steady stream. (If the sauce becomes too thick, you can add a few drops of water to thin it.) When all of the oil has been added, squeeze the pulp from the garlic cloves into the aioli and continue blending until thoroughly incorporated. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and whisk in the remaining lemon juice to taste. Whisk in up to a few tablespoons of water, if needed, to reach the desired consistency (you want it to be just a little looser than mayonnaise). Cover and refrigerate until ready to use. (The aioli can be made up to 3 days in advance.)

Put the potatoes in a large pot and add water to cover by 3 inches (7.5 cm). Season the water with kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a fork, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain well in a colander, transfer the potatoes to a towel-lined baking sheet and let cool slightly.

In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion is softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and paprika. Reduce the heat to medium-low and gently simmer until the flavors are combined, about 10 minutes. Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, use the palm of your hand to lightly smash each potato until they are flattened but not falling apart.

Line a baking sheet with paper towels and set aside.

In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, pour canola oil to a depth of 1/4 inch (6 mm). Heat until shimmering. Add the rosemary and thyme sprigs to the pan and fry, turning occasionally, until browned. Using tongs, remove the herbs from the pan and discard.

Add half of the potatoes to the pan in a single layer and fry until golden and crisp on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn the potatoes over and cook until almost crisp on the second side, about 4 minutes more. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to the prepared baking sheet to drain. Repeat to fry the remaining potatoes and transfer them to the baking sheet as well.

Add the butter to the pan. When the butter is melted, return all the potatoes to the pan and turn them a few times to coat them in the butter.

Transfer the potatoes to a serving platter and sprinkle with sea salt. Drizzle with the tomato sauce and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve with roasted garlic aioli alongside for dipping. Serves 8.

Recipe courtesy of Chris Lanier, co-founder and chef of Ravenwood, Kerhonkson, NY