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[Crispy Smashed Potatoes]

Have you heard of "crispy smashed potatoes," a hot topic on social media? Boiled or steamed potatoes are smashed flat with the bottom of a cup or a fork, coated with olive oil, and baked in an oven or frying pan until crispy on the surface. Although salt alone is fine for seasoning, herbs such as garlic, rosemary, thyme, Parmesan cheese, and sour cream as a dipping sauce are sometimes used, making this dish varied, easy, and arrangeable.

The key to making crispy smashed potatoes is to cook them just enough so they do not become too soft, and if you want them to be crispier, cool them in the refrigerator or freezer after boiling and mashing them to remove all the moisture from the surface before baking them.

Potatoes are believed to have originated in the Andes Mountains of South America, and were introduced to Japan around the 17th century by Dutch ships via "Jagatara" (the old name for Jakarta, Indonesia). The Japanese name for potato changed to "jagaimo" through "jagatara-imo." Potatoes, which belong to the eggplant family, are eaten from the "underground stem," which is the stem part of the potato. As they grow, the starch is stored in this part of the potato and it enlarges into a mass, hence the name "tuber."

Potatoes are in season in spring and fall, with new spring potatoes around May and June. Spring potatoes are characterized by their thin skin, and the fluffy type Danshaku and Kitaakari are suitable for smashed potatoes. Please try it for yourself.

Rikucho Ogasawara's Fish Pan
https://www.shokunin.com/en/rikucho/fishpan.html
Honma Kazuo Shoten's Straw Pot Stand L
https://www.shokunin.com/en/honma/nabeshiki.html

References
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/crispy_smashed_potatoes_70636 (recipe)
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ジャガイモ