Crispy Potato Salad with Ballpark Boom Aioli

The reason most potato salad is sad is the same reason most potatoes are sad. They got boiled into oblivion and then drowned in mayo. This version flips it. You boil the potatoes whole until just tender, smash them so they have rough edges, roast them hot until those edges turn crispy and lacy, and then toss them warm with a Ballpark Boom aioli that uses the heat of the potatoes to bloom the sauce. The result is a potato salad with crispy bits, soft creamy middles, and the sweet-mustard-fast-habanero-kick of the Boom doing the heavy lifting. Goes with burgers, ribs, grilled chicken, or eaten standing up at the counter.

What you need

Food:

1.5 lbs baby potatoes (Yukon Gold or red, mixed is nice)

2 tbsp kosher salt (for the boiling water)

3 tbsp neutral oil

1/2 cup good mayo (Hellmann's, Kewpie, or homemade. Kewpie gives a deeper egg-yolk flavor.)

4 tbsp TGCS Co Ballpark Boom (pull to 3 tbsp for heat-shy crowds, push to 5 if you're a Boom-head)

1 tbsp Dijon (optional, adds extra mustard backbone)

1 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice

2 stalks celery, diced small

3 green onions, sliced thin

2 tbsp fresh chives or dill, chopped

Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Equipment:

Large pot for boiling

Sheet pan

The bottom of a flat glass or a small saucepan for smashing

Large mixing bowl

How to cook it

1. Preheat your oven to 450 F. Yes, that high. We want crispy edges, not steamed potato. (425 F works too if your oven runs hot.)
2. Put the whole baby potatoes in a large pot, cover with cold water by 2 inches, add 2 tbsp kosher salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 15 to 18 minutes until a knife slides in easily but the potato isn't falling apart. (Larger potatoes take longer. Test with a knife, not a clock.)
3. Drain and let them sit for 5 minutes. The steam needs to escape or they won't crisp.
4. Drizzle the sheet pan with 2 tbsp of the oil. Lay the potatoes on the pan with space between them. Using the bottom of a flat glass or a small saucepan, gently smash each potato so it cracks open and flattens to about 1/2 inch thick. You want jagged edges. Some will fall apart, those are bonus crispy bits.
5. Drizzle the remaining 1 tbsp of oil over the tops, season aggressively with kosher salt and black pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes until the edges are deeply golden and crispy. Don't flip, the bottom is doing the same thing.
6. While the potatoes roast, make the aioli. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, Ballpark Boom, Dijon if using, and vinegar until smooth. Taste, it should taste assertively mustardy-sweet with a slow building heat. Adjust salt and pepper.
7. When the potatoes come out of the oven, let them sit 2 minutes. You want them warm, not screaming hot, so the mayo doesn't break.
8. Tip the warm potatoes into the bowl with the aioli. Add the celery, green onions, and most of the herbs. Toss gently. You want some smashed potato to stay smashed and some to fall apart into the dressing. That's the texture you're chasing.
9. Plate it in a wide shallow bowl. Scatter the rest of the herbs on top, add an extra grind of black pepper. Best served warm or at room temp. Fridge cold dulls the heat of the Boom, so if you're making ahead, let it sit out 30 minutes before serving.
10. ENJOY!