Crispy smashed potato salad with herby yoghurt and brown butter caramelized leeks

A potato salad can take many forms, but so many of these forms are a bit sad. The heavy mayonnaise-d ones I think we can all agree are trash. French-ish ones with a mustard base can definitely taste okay, but even those are texturally boring. What if you wanted the summery vibes of a potato salad, with the crispness of roasties? Fear not, there now is a potato salad for you. Best enjoyed with a side of BBQ this weekend!

Ingredients #

Ingredients for 2

• 600gr small fresh potatoes
• 1 leek
• 50gr butter
• Fennel seeds
• Chili flakes
• A few heaping tablespoons of greek yoghurt
• Small bunch of dill
• Small bunch of mint leaves
• 1 lemon
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Black pepper

Method #

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Celsius.

2. Fill a pot with the potatoes (no need to peel them, cause why) and cover them with water. Season water heavily and bring to a boil, cooking the potatoes until they’re fork tender. How long this will take is greatly dependent on the size of your potatoes so just keep poking ‘em with a fork.

3. While the potatoes are cooking, cut the leek in half lengthwise, rinse well, then cut crosswise in thin half-rings. Brown the butter in a skillet together with a teaspoon each of fennel seeds and chili flakes. Add the leeks and a big pinch of salt to the skillet and fry low and slow until soft, jammy and lightly caramelized.

4. When the potatoes are ready, drain the water and put them on a baking tray. With a fork or spatula press on the potatoes to smash them slightly, breaking their skin and exposing some of the fluffier insides so we can get them supremely crispy in the oven.

5. Drizzle the smashed tates with olive oil and season them with salt. Pop them in the oven to get golden brown and crispy, about 15 minutes depending on the strength of your oven.

6. In the meantime finely chop the dill and mint and mix it through the yogurt together with the zest of the lemon as well as the juice of half of it. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

7. When the potatoes are golden brown and crispy, you’re ready to plate! On a serving plate spread out the herby yoghurt, top with a mountain of your crispy potatoes followed by the jammy leeks, and enjoy!

Decidedly not mayonaise-y, decidedly crispy, really not a potato salad at all actually, but absolutely will still your cravings.