Crispy Idaho® Potatoes with Sweet Chili and Garlic Labna

Idaho® fingerlings are cooked until fork tender, then deep fried until crispy to form the base for a duo of sauces. Fresh and roasted garlic infuses the labna, and the chili sauce gets its kick from fresh ginger and Fresno peppers.

Ingredients:

Garlic Labna (Yield: 1 quart)

  • 16 ounces labna or plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 lemons, zested and juiced
  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 tablespoon roasted garlic, puréed
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Sweet Chili Sauce (Yield: 1 quart)

  • ½ pound white onions, sliced
  • 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
  • 1 ounce fresh ginger, roughly chopped
  • ½ pound Roma tomatoes, diced
  • 3 Fresno peppers, diced
  • ½ pound red bell peppers, diced
  • 1½ cups red wine vinegar
  • 1½ pounds sugar

Crispy Potatoes and Assembly

  • 3 pounds small Idaho® Fingerling or red Creamer potatoes, unpeeled, washed and quartered lengthwise
  • 4 quarts water
  • 1 cup salt
  • 1 garlic head, sliced in half crosswise
  • 6 thyme sprigs
  • 4 quarts canola oil for frying
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1 lemon, quartered and seeds removed
  • ⅔ cup Garlic Labna (see recipe)
  • ⅔ cup Sweet Chili Sauce (see recipe)
  • 2 tablespoons chives, minced

Directions:

Garlic Labna

  1. Add all ingredients to a medium mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Refrigerate leftover mixture.

Sweet Chili Sauce

  1. In a 4-quart saucepan with rounded bottom, sweat onion, garlic and ginger over medium-high heat until onion starts to turn translucent, 3 to 4 minutes.
  2. Add tomato and cook down, about 20 minutes.
  3. Add peppers and cook until soft, 4 to 5 minutes.
  4. Stir in vinegar and sugar and blend with an immersion blender.
  5. Continue to cook over medium heat until mixture is reduced down to 1 quart, about 30 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Crispy Potatoes and Assembly

  1. In a medium pot, combine potatoes, water, salt, garlic and thyme and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
  2. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 20 minutes, and remove them with a slotted spoon. Set aside to cool. Once cool, press them with your hand or the back of a spoon until they flatten but hold their shape.  
  3. Meanwhile, in an 8-quart stockpot, a Dutch oven or a deep fryer, preheat the oil to 350°F. Working in batches if necessary, carefully lower potatoes into oil and fry until golden brown and crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and season with salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.
  4. Spread warm potatoes on a platter and top with ⅔ cup Garlic Labna, then drizzle with ⅔ cup Sweet Chili Sauce. Finish with minced chives and another squeeze of lemon.
Print Recipe

Yield: 6

Source:
Julia Sullivan
Henrietta Red; The Party Line catering company
Nashville, TN

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