Romesco Topped Potato Bites Recipes

ROMESCO-TOPPED POTATO BITES

Steps:

• 1. Combine the potatoes, 2 of the garlic cloves, the peppercorns and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a medium pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are just tender when pierced with a thin knife, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and cool until still warm but no longer hot.
• 2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Slice the remaining 2 garlic cloves and add to the oil along with the bread pieces. Cook, stirring, until the bread is golden, about 3 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor and add the red peppers, vinegar, smoked paprika, tomatoes and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Puree until smooth.
• 3. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Cook the Serrano until crispy, turning, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and then break into small pieces.
• 4. To serve: Halve the warm potatoes and scoop out a small bit of the insides using a 1/4-teaspoon measure. Top the halves with a bit of the romesco sauce, sour cream, crispy Serrano shards and a sprinkle of parsley.

ROMESCO POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Place the potatoes in a roasting pan and toss well with 2 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and a heaping teaspoon salt. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and roast the potatoes about 50 minutes, until tender when pierced (the time will really depend on size, age, and variety of potatoes). When the potatoes have cooled, reserve the garlic, discard the bay and thyme, and crumble the potatoes into chunky pieces with your hands. Squeeze the garlic out of its skin and set aside.
• Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. (To get the potatoes nicely browned and crisp, don't overcrowd them. You may have to use two pans or brown them in batches.) Pour in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, turn the heat to medium-high, and wait 1 minute more. Add the crumbled potatoes, and season with the thyme leaves, salt, and pepper. Sauté the potatoes 6 to 8 minutes until they are crispy on one side. (Don't try to move them or turn them if they are stuck to the pan; they will eventually release themselves-just be patient.) After they've browned nicely on the first side, turn them to let them color on all sides. Once they're nicely browned on all sides, spoon the romesco and reserved garlic into the hot potatoes. Toss and stir to coat them well. Taste for seasoning. Toss in the parsley. Or, if you're not ready to serve the dish yet, turn off the heat and leave the potatoes in the pan; then, just before serving, reheat for a few minutes and toss in the parsley at the last moment.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Remove and discard the stems and seeds from the chiles, and then soak them in warm water for 15 minutes to soften. Strain the chiles, and pat dry with paper towels.
• Meanwhile, spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, until they smell nutty and are golden brown.
• Heat a large sauté pan over high heat for 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and wait a minute. Fry the slice of bread on both sides until golden brown. Remove the bread from the pan and cool. Cut it into 1-inch cubes and set aside.
• Return the pan to the stove over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and the chiles and sauté for a minute or two. Add the tomatoes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until the tomato juices have evaporated and the tomato starts to color slightly. Turn off the heat, and leave the mixture in the pan.
• In a food processor, pulse together the toasted nuts, garlic, and fried bread until the bread and nuts are coarsely ground. Add the chile-tomato mixture, and process for 1 minute more.
• With the machine running, slowly pour in the remaining 1 cup olive oil and process until you have a smooth purée. Don't worry, the romesco will "break" or separate into solids and oil; this is normal. Add the parsley, and season to taste with lemon juice, sherry vinegar, and more salt if you like.

POTATO BITES

Steps:

• Put 12 halved baby red potatoes in a saucepan and cover with salted water. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until fork-tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain, then rinse under cold water. Trim the bottoms of the potatoes and stand cut-side up on a platter; season with sea salt. Top with creme fraeche and chopped chives, dill and/or parsley.