Herbes de Provence Crispy Smashed Potatoes

Buttery baby potatoes emerge creamy on the inside and crispy on the exterior thanks to a quick sear in enameled cast iron. The floral, herbaceous flavors of herbes de Provence are a natural complement to the earthiness of the potatoes – the herbs are ground together with the salt to create your own unique seasoning.

1 pound mixed baby potatoes

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

Extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons coarse sea salt

1 tablespoon dried herbes de Provence

Place the potatoes in a stock pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then immediately reduce to a simmer. Cook the potatoes until you can pierce them easily with a fork, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain the potatoes. Place the potatoes on a clean towel to cool off and dry.

Meanwhile, place the sea salt and dried herbs into a small bowl and mix together. Place in the salt mill, set to a fine grind and grind into an even layer onto a small plate. Set aside.

Heat an enameled cast iron skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Lightly coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil and add 1 tablespoon of butter per batch of potatoes. Working in batches, add half of the potatoes to the pan.  Gently smash the potatoes with a spatula or fork until they are about 1/2 inch thick.

Season the potatoes with the herbes de Provence salt mixture.  Cook on the first side until the potatoes are browned and crispy, about 3 minutes. Flip and repeat cooking on the other side. Remove the potatoes from the pan and season with more salt to taste before serving.