Spicy smashed potatoes with blistered peppers bring the heat and smoke of the Fire Swamp from The Princess Bride to life, with crispy, paprika-spiced potatoes and charred pepper aioli.
The Princess Bride: A Feast for True Love
Journey to the country of Florin for a feast filled with adventure, intrigue, and most of all – true love. Buttercup and Westley’s love was just the beginning of their story – a story filled with marauding pirates, villainous princes, and the greatest sword fight in history. From Inigo Montoya’s hard-won revenge and Vizzini’s loss at the battle of wits, to Miracle Max’s delicious cure, Buttercup and Westley face many challenges along the way. Indulge in an epic feast that begins on a rustic farm, travels across seas and swamps, introduces us to a host of unforgettable characters, and ends with the greatest kiss of all time.
Into the Fire Swamp
Buttercup and Westley's joy at their reunion is cut short when they are nearly found by Prince Humperdinck and his men. With no other choice, they make their way into the Fire Swamp. Buttercup is certain they won't survive all the terrors of the Fire Swamp – the flame spurt, the lightning sand, and the ROUS's, or rodents of unusual size. As they begin to encounter these terrors, Westley and Buttercup are able to overcome them one by one and eventually make their way out of the Fire Swamp. Their brief happiness is again cut short when Prince Humperdinck arrives to take Buttercup away and imprison Westley once and for all.
Westley: "A few more steps and we'll be safe in the Fire Swamp."
Buttercup: "We'll never survive."
Westley: "Nonsense. You're only saying that because no one ever has."
- The Princess Bride (1987 film)
These spicy, smoky potatoes with blistered peppers perfectly capture the heat and smoke of the terrifying Fire Swamp and its unpredictable flame spurts. Seasoned with smoked paprika and cayenne pepper, these baby potatoes are smashed and then roasted until crispy brown. A bell pepper is charred until black and then blended into a garlicky, smoky aioli. Mild shishito peppers are blistered and served with the potatoes for a delicious spicy and smoky snack.
MORE PRINCESS BRIDE Recipes
- Farmer’s Carrot and Goat Cheese Tart with Honey and Dill
- The Dread Pirate Roberts’ Fisherman’s Pie
- Honey Chorizo Baked Manchego Cheese
- Orange Pomegranate Campari Spritz "Iocane Powder Coctail"
- Grilled Lamb Sandwich with Cherry Tomato Jam
Ingredients for Spicy Smashed Potatoes with Blistered Peppers
Baby potatoes: Small baby potatoes make the ideal smashed potato. I used yellow flesh potatoes but you could certainly use a variety of types, such as yellow flesh, red skinned, or purple
Shishito peppers: This mild East Asian pepper is the perfect pepper if you want delicious pepper flavour but without too much heat. They are often served blistered and eaten whole. While they are typically mild, 1 in 10 can be spicy so keep that in mind. Spanish Padron peppers are very similar and make a great substitute. I find Shishito peppers easier to source in my area, so feel free to choose whichever you prefer. If you can't find either Shishito or Padron peppers, then you might want to try mini bell peppers, although they won't have quite the same flavour. If you don't mind the heat, then jalapeño peppers can be used instead - remove the seeds to make them less spicy if you desire.
Bell pepper: The roasted pepper aioli is made by first roasting and then puréeing a red bell pepper. To save time, you can use a jarred roasted red pepper instead.
Paprika: There are several different styles of paprika available, although sweet paprika is by far the most common. Sweet paprika is usually just styled as paprika and is found in most spice cupboards. Hot paprika, derived from a spicy red pepper, is less common but a great way to add heat to a dish while the smoked variety has a distinct smoky aroma. Smoked paprika adds a layer of smoky flavour to this spicy potato dish. If you don't have smoked paprika, you can use regular paprika instead which will give the same great colour but without that smoky flavour. To add even more heat to this dish, substitute hot paprika for the regular variety in the spicy oil.
How to Make Spicy Smashed Potatoes with Blistered Peppers
Prep the potatoes
Begin by boiling the potatoes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with kosher salt and add the baby potatoes. Cook the potatoes just until they are fork-tender. They should be cooked through but not falling apart. Drain the potatoes and set aside to cool slightly.
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, paprika, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Set aside.
Roast the pepper
Roasting bell peppers is easy if you have a gas range. Place the pepper directly on the grate over the gas flame and allow to cook until the skin is completely blackened. Use tongs to flip the pepper until blackened on all sides. Once the skin is charred, it will be easier to scrape off.
If you don’t have a gas range you can broil the pepper in the oven to blacken the skin. Simply cut the pepper in half and place skin side up on a baking sheet. Broil on high flame until the skin surface is completely blackened.
Immediately place the blackened pepper into a bowl and cover with cling film. The steam generated will soften the blackened skin and make the pepper easier to peel. After about 30 minutes, take the pepper out and cut open. Scrape out the white core and seeds. Use the back of a paring knife to scrape the blackened skin off the pepper. I like to rinse it off at the end to remove as much of the blackened bits as possible.
Roast the potatoes
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly grease a large sheet pan. Spread the cooked potatoes out evenly on the baking sheet. Using the bottom of a glass, or your palm, press down to smash the potato. Repeat with the remaining potatoes. Brush the spicy oil generously over the potatoes.
Roast the potatoes for 30 minutes or until the bottoms begin to brown. Flip the smashed potatoes over and brush with the remaining spicy oil. Continue roasting until the potatoes are crispy and well browned, another 20 to 30 minutes.
Make the aioli
Place the roasted pepper in a small blender or food processor with the garlic cloves and lemon juice. Blend to a smooth purée. In a mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, puréed pepper mixture, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and pepper. Whisk together and chill until serving.
Blister the peppers
Place a stainless steel or cast iron skillet over hight heat and add the olive oil. When the pan is hot, carefully add half of the Shishito peppers. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, flipping the peppers until blistered on both sides. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with kosher salt. Repeat with the remaining peppers.
Serve the Spicy Smashed Potatoes with Blistered Peppers
To serve, layer the smashed potatoes and blistered peppers on a serving platter and serve with the roasted pepper aioli. Enjoy!
