Crispy Roasted Potatoes with Horseradish & Vegan Garlic Aioli

A variation of the crispy potates served at the Gjelina restaurant in Venice, CA that turned a humble side dish to a mainstay in my memory for so long that I had to recreate it.. Here's a staple of our current weeknight meals.

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Crispy Roasted Potatoes with Horseradish & Vegan Garlic Aioli

Side Dish, Serves 4 

Ingredients

Potatoes

• 1½ pounds baby potatoes

• 3 tablespoons Avocado Oil

• 2-inch knob of fresh Horseradish, grated, or 1 teaspoon of wasabi powder, sprinkled

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil for drizzling

• Cayenne pepper, optional & to taste

Aioli

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• ½ teaspoon pink salt

• 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise and coconut yoghurt or ¼ cup of coconut yoghurt for a vegan version—we like this coconut yoghurt and pre- & 50 billion probiotic plant-based yoghurt

• 2 teaspoons sumac

• 1 tablespoon dried or fresh dill, more for topping

Directions

1. Clean then place the potatoes in a large pot with an inch of water & a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil then lower the heat to medium-low to simmer for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are firm but tender.

2. Drain then rinse the potatoes under cold water to stop them from cooking. Let them cool on a dishcloth.

3. Make the aioli with your preferred version as the potatoes cool. Whisk together the yoghurt or yoghurt & mayonnaise base with the dill, garlic, sumac, and salt & pepper to taste.

4. Once the potatoes have cooled, gently smash them until flat or quarter them. I like mixing them up.

5. Heat the oil in a large cast iron pan over medium heat.

6. Add the potatoes and make sure not to overcrowd or pile on top of one another. Cook the potatoes until golden brown, about five minutes on each side.

7. Transfer the potatoes to a large serving platter. Drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, drizzle with the aioli, a dash of cayenne pepper, and grated fresh horeseradish or sprinkle with wasabi powder (I did the latter here for experimentation, but I prefer the former). You can also pickle red onions to complement this dish, the recipe of which can be found here.