“But our goal, remember, is to feed around our table the people we love. We’re not chef’s or restauranteurs or culinary school graduates, and we shouldn’t try to be. Make it the way the people you love want to eat it.” – Shauna Niequist, Bread and Wine

Shauna Niequist’s book, a collection of love stories that are about how we connect to each other through food and at the table resonates with me deeply. All the cooking I do is for one purpose, to bring people to my table. I consider it one of the most important things I do.

I always made dinner the most important part of my family’s day. When my kids were young, I cooked every day except for Saturday. That would-be date night for me and my husband.

Then our two children went off to college and we found ourselves to be empty nesters and I still cooked most nights. It was a time for my husband and I to connect, to relax and catch up. Now they are both back and living at home, and dinner continues to be the most important part of our day. I can see that my boys appreciate it even more, this time. We have reconnected in a different way. They seem disappointed on the days when my husband and I go out. It helps too, that they love my cooking. Our dinners are something that will be with them forever. I am extremely grateful for that.

So, if you feel like gathering at the kitchen table, this is one recipe that will steal everyone’s hearts. The potatoes roast beautifully to a golden brown in the oven and are fluffy on the inside (the secret to that is boiling them first). The gremolata is the gem of this dish. The whole grain mustard seeds cause quite a bit of pleasant pucker, while the parsley and dill bring it back to savory. This dish will be a perfect side to any main dish you prepare.

This recipe is courtesy of Beautiful by Athena Calderone, and will serve 4 to 6 people who enjoy good food as much as they enjoy good company.
Ingredients for Smashed Potatoes with Jalapeno Gremolata

2 pounds baby new potatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Small handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Small handful fresh dill, roughly chopped
2 jalapenos, 1 seeded and finely diced, the other cut into rounds
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 lemon
Zest of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
Flaky sea salt for serving

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add the potatoes and simmer until they are tender, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of your potatoes.

Drain in a colander.

Using a flat-bottomed cup or mug (I used the back of a large spoon), gently smash the potatoes.

Turn them onto a baking sheet; use two sheets if necessary to avoid overcrowding.

Drizzle the potatoes generously with some oil and season with salt and pepper.

Roast until they are golden, about 15 minutes, then flip and roast until golden and crisp all over, about 10 minutes longer.

In a small bowl, mix together the parsley, dill, diced jalapeno, and garlic.

Zest half of the lemon over the mixture, add the olive oil and toss to combine.

Season with salt and pepper.

Toss the roasted potatoes with the mustard, then arrange them on a platter.

Spoon the gremolata over the potatoes and scatter them with the jalapeno rounds.

Zest the remaining lemon zest over half the platter.

Drizzle the potatoes with lemon juice from one lemon half.

Sprinkle with flakey sea salt and serve immediately.

It’s that simple!