Romesco Potatoes

You know I'm always game for another potato recipe... I could very easily live off of potatoes for the rest of my life. This turned out to be a fresh new spin for the typical spud.

Romesco Sauce
5 ancho chiles (found dried in the aisle with Mexican specialty foods and spices)
2 tablespoons raw almonds
2 tablespoons blanched hazelnuts
1 cup olive oil + 4 tablespoons
1 thick slice of bread
1/3 cup canned pureed tomatoes
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
1/2 lemon, for juicing
A splash of red wine vinegar
Salt

Potatoes
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic, crushed with the back of a knife
2 bay leaves
6 springs thyme, plus 2 teaspoons thyme leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Wash the potatoes and stick them in the oven until fork tender.

In the meantime, remove and discard the seeds and stems from the chiles, then soak in warm water for 15 minutes to soften. On a small baking dish add the almonds and blanched hazelnuts and roast them in the oven for 8-10 minutes until they start turning golden and become fragrant.

To make the sauce: Over medium heat add 2 tablespoons of oil to a saute pan, once hot fry the bread on both sides until golden brown. Once the bread cools cut it into 1-inch cubes and set aside. Return the pan to the stove over high heat, add 2 more tablespoons of olive oil, once hot add the chiles, saute for 1-2 minutes. Add in the pureed tomatoes and a hefty punch of salt, cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring until some of the liquid has evaporated. Turn the heat off, leaving the chile-tomato mixture in the pan.

In the food processor pulse together the toasted nuts, garlic and fried bread until coarsely ground. Add in the chile-tomato mixture and process for another minute. With the machine running, slowly pour in the remaining up of olive oil and process until smooth. Don't panic when the sauce 'breaks' (separates into solids and oils), this is normal. Add the parsley, then season with lemon juice, vinegar and salt. Set the sauce aside while getting the potatoes ready.

Once the potatoes are fork tender pull them out of the oven and place them in a large casserole dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Using the fork, crush the potatoes into the pan, leaving some large chunks of potato intact. Drizzle with the olive oil, a hefty pinch of salt, and some fresh pepper. Scatter the garlic over top along with the bay leaves and thyme sprigs and leaves. Stick back in the oven and roast for another 15 minutes.

When the potatoes are done remove the thyme twigs and bay leaves before spooning a cup of the romesco sauce over top. Serve warm. Store leftover sauce in freezer for later use.

Recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen