Tyler Florence Fridays: Farmer's Market Potatoes, Part Two

Last week I told you about my Red Chieftans. This week, I'll tell you about my All-Blue potatoes and the recipe I made with those.

Yes, these potatoes were really blue on the inside, though once you cook them, they tend to look more purple. Wish I'd have remembered to take a before and after of the potatoes. They were so pretty to look at! Also wish I'd have bought alot more, since the next time I went to the Farmer's Market, they were sold out of the All-Blue's for the year.


Back to my recipe. Again, these potatoes were destined to be used in a Tyler Florence recipe. This time for Crispy Twice Cooked New Potatoes with Garlic Aioli. (Try saying that five times fast!)

I admit, the biggest draw for this recipe, for me at least, was the garlic aioli. I love garlic. Love it. And I love garlic sauce on crispy potatoes (had to give them up at my favorite Shawarma place as they were too much like fries and mayo, though oh sooooooo good!)

Roast your potatoes in the oven with some olive oil, salt and pepper, until they are tender. Then nick a little x on the bottom of the potatoes, so they don't explode, and deep fry them until they are crispy on the outside. Again, too much like fries, so I pan sauted mine instead, with a lot less oil, and they came out fine.

The aioli is make ahead, sort of, since you roast your garlic in foil at the same time you roast the potatoes for the first step. And since I roasted my potatoes, made my aioli, went to work, and finished the potatoes after work, I call it make ahead. Which works for a dinner party as well, prepping in advance and then finishing the potatoes before serving.

Sure, the potatoes would have been crispier if I'd have deep fried them, but then I wouldn't have felt like I could eat them. Instead they were a bit crispy and very lovely. Great cold the next day, dipped into the left over aioli.

And that is the tale of my Farmer's Market Potatoes, both tasty, both made with Tyler Florence Fridays in mind. And both being made again.

Crispy Twice Cooked New Potatoes with Garlic Aioli
by Tyler Florence, as found on the FoodNetwork

20 to 30 small new potatoes
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Garlic aioli:
2 heads garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 sprig thyme
1 tablespoon water
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 jumbo egg yolk
1 lemon, juiced
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream
Chopped chives, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Lay potatoes out in a single layer on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss the potatoes around so they are evenly coated and pop in the oven to roast for 35 to 40 minutes until tender.

Cut a heads of garlic through the middle, horizontally, and put in a foil pouch with olive oil, thyme, water, and salt and pepper. Seal the pouch around the edges and roast in the oven with the potatoes - this will be used for the aioli.

When the potatoes are done and warm enough to handle make an X cut on 1 side of the potato and then squeeze gently from the bottom to form a flower-like shape. Heat a pot of oil for deep frying to 350 degrees F and fry the potatoes until crispy and golden. Drain on paper towels and season with kosher salt.

Remove the garlic from the pouch and squeeze out the flesh. Add the roasted garlic, egg, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a blender and process. Pour in the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until the aioli emulsifies. Fold in sour cream and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish with chives.