I decided to keep it classy this year for Superbowl.
Generally, for sporting events I stick with traditional American-style pub food like chicken wings, potato skins, dry ribs, and nachos. Greasy, salty, cheesy, delicious (and very unhealthy) snacks seem to be a requirement for the viewing of sports in one’s home, and I’m usually happy to oblige. However, this year we were up for something a little bit different, albeit not necessarily less unhealthy.
We did a spread of Spanish-inspired tapas served with a nice bottle of red wine. I made spicy maple-roasted nuts, olives, fried chorizo and bread cubes drizzled with olive oil and chopped parsley, tomato nests (hollowed-out tomatoes, each filled with an egg and manchego cheese, baked until the egg is just set), and today’s feature: crispy roasted potatoes with a creamy roasted garlic dip.
Let’s talk about the dip for a moment. This dip is incredibly delicious and versatile. I love that the garlic is roasted before being mixed with the other ingredients, because roasting the cloves mellows out the sharp, raw taste but leaves you with a rich garlic flavour that pairs well with potatoes, raw or cooked vegetables, chips, bread, or anything else you could possibly want to dip.
This is my favourite way to cook potatoes, and we probably eat roasted potatoes at least once a week in our house. You don’t get the ultra-crispy exterior that you might if you deep-fried them or roasted them in a half inch of fat, but with a hot oven and just a little bit of oil, the outsides of these potatoes get pleasantly crisp and the insides are perfectly soft and fluffy.
You can eat these hot from the oven, at room temperature, or even (if you’re like me) enjoy the leftovers cold while you’re standing in front of the refrigerator with a potato container in one hand and the dip bowl in the other. No? Just me?
- 8-10 large cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
- Salt & pepper to taste
- About 20 baby potatoes, cut in half
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Pinch of cayenne (optional)
- Chopped scallions (or chives) for serving
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place garlic cloves and olive oil in a small oven-proof container. Cover and roast until the garlic is soft and tender, about 20 minutes. Cool slightly, until the cloves are cool enough to handle. Leave the oven on.
- Peel the cloves, and mash on a cutting board with a fork. Sprinkle with salt and mash into a paste. Scrape paste into a small bowl and add sour cream, mayo, paprika, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Stir to combine and taste for seasoning. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Line a baking sheet with tin foil and grease or spray the foil. In a medium bowl, toss potatoes with olive oil, salt, pepper and cayenne. Spread into an even layer on prepared baking sheet, making sure the potatoes are sitting cut side up.
- Roast for 20 minutes, then flip the potatoes over (to be cut-side down) and continue to roast until crispy, golden, and cooked through, about 15-20 more minutes.
- Serve immediately or at room temperature, sprinkled with scallions or chives, with the roasted garlic dip on the side.
