Recently, as the temperatures here approached highs of 2 degrees Fahrenheit, our furnace stopped working! It was something we had all been “bracing” for, as it was older than me. But the timing really was comical. Thankfully, the replacement was installed the next day. And thank you to my landlord parents for shelling out for the top-of-the-line furnace! Sure, it cost more than I make in five months of work. But! The company installing it gave us a gift for our business! Three spice blends!
I felt I had to put them to use, and make $15,000 roasted potatoes with the “Spuds” seasoning. I also wanted to make and post about these smashed roasted potatoes that my mom made around the holidays this year, since they’re a fun way to do roasted potatoes.
To be clear: these are not meant to be a health food. The potatoes are a vehicle for fat, cheese, and seasoning. Smashing them increases the surface area for the fat. But I think some decadence is allowed in these winter months. We’ve just got our furnace back. Let’s revel a bit! We’re eating decadent potatoes in a warm house!
These also feel like something that should be part of a good ol’ “meat and potatoes” pairing. But… I’m not a huge meat and potatoes kind of gal! But we managed to pull together a burger recipe. I wasn’t going to do an outright steak or anything, but burgers with caramelized onion and cheese is easy enough. More my speed, if we’re making red meat. And, my niece is a big meat-eater, so it worked out!
I’m a big fan of these YouTube videos by Alvin Zhou, like 100 Hour Brownies, or 150 Hour Chocolate Cake. Where a lot of those 100+ hours are just waiting with the baked good in your fridge while the flavors settle. Calling these $15,000 roasted potatoes feels similar, because… yes, the seasoning did cost $15,000, but also…. not really.
Now, to all my dedicated readers, since I know you all personally by name, I can say with sincerity that I hope your furnaces do not break this year. And you can make these potatoes, but they’ll be more like $5 potatoes.
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Adapted from The Modern Nonna
Ingredients
1 pound baby yellow potatoes
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) melted unsalted butter
1 tablespoon Spud seasoning (Or, 1.5 tsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp Italian seasoning/oregano, and 1 tsp salt)
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Add the potatoes to a big pot of water. Let it come to a boil and boil until fully cooked and tender, about 15-20 minutes.
- Allow the potatoes to cool until easier to handle, about 10 minutes. While they’re cooling, mix the melted butter, parmesan and seasoning in a small bowl.
- Once the potatoes are cooled, line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Place potatoes on the sheet pan, take a glass, and gently press down on each one. Be very gentle and careful as they can break.
- If the potato gets stuck onto the bottom of the glass, take a knife and gently slide it off. Then, drizzle the butter and parmesan mixture over the top of the potatoes. Flip them over to really coat them in the mixture.
- Bake at 400F until crispy, about 30 minutes.
- Let them cool. Letting them cool is crucial as they will fall apart and be soft if you don’t.
- Serve with dinner or as appetizer, with whatever dips you desire.