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Bon Appétit

Green Garlic Romesco With Crispy Smashed Potatoes

By Phil Saneski

5.0

(1)

Green Garlic Romesco With Crispy Smashed Potatoes on a white plate with sauce with brown shiny spoon
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua

It’s hard to know which part of this dish is more appealing: the buttery new potatoes, which are boiled, smashed, and crisped up in the oven, or the tangy and rich rust-red romesco you swipe them through. Phil Saneski, culinary manager at Farming Hope and Refettorio San Francisco, a community kitchen and gathering space, developed this recipe as a celebration of California produce and as a way to turn imperfect red bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and day-old bread into a savory, versatile sauce. If you have any romesco left over, serve it with roast chicken, fish, or raw or cooked vegetables.

What you’ll need

Ingredients

1 green garlic stalk, white and pale green parts only, cut into 1" pieces, or 2 garlic cloves plus 4 scallions, cut into 1" pieces
1 cup raw almonds
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 oz. day-old bread, cut into 1" cubes (about 1 cup)
2 large red bell peppers, ribs and seeds removed, coarsely chopped
8 oz. cherry tomatoes (about 1½ cups)
½ cup (packed) cilantro leaves with tender stems
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt
2 lb. new potatoes or small waxy potatoes
Kosher salt
⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more
4 scallions, dark green parts only, thinly sliced
Flaky sea salt

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cook green garlic, almonds, and oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden, about 5 minutes. Let cool until lukewarm, about 5 minutes.

    Step 2

    Pulse bread in a food processor or blender until finely chopped. Add garlic mixture, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, and lemon juice and process or blend until mostly smooth. Season with salt if needed. Do ahead: Romesco can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill.

  2. Step 3

    Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 425°. Place potatoes in a large pot and pour in cold water to cover; season very generously with salt. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cover. Simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 minutes (time will vary depending on the size of your potatoes; be careful not to overcook). Drain; transfer potatoes to a rimmed baking sheet and let cool slightly.

    Step 4

    Drizzle ⅓ cup oil over potatoes and toss to coat; season lightly with more salt. Using a measuring cup, smash each potato. Roast potatoes until golden brown and crisp, 35–40 minutes.

    Step 5

    Spread romesco on a platter; spoon potatoes over. Drizzle with oil, top with scallions, and season with sea salt.

TagsDinnerSideVegetarianVeganHealthyishDairy FreePotatoRoot VegetableVegetableTomatoCherry TomatoBell PepperAlmondNutRoastSpringBon Appétit

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