Smashed Potatoes + Acala Infused Cottonseed Oil {#sponsor product review}

I was recently introduced - through a fellow food blogger (thank you, Sarah of Curious Cuisiniere!) - to Acala Farms and their Flavor-Infused Cottonseed Oil*. 

While I am an ardent culinary adventurer and eager seeker of oddball ingredients, I am fairly pedestrian when it comes to my oil choices. My kitchen is stocked with olive oil - some for cooking lubricant and some for delicious condiment - and that's about it. 

So, when I received the cottonseed oil, I was intrigued. The enclosed literature was fascinating. Acala Farms took its name from the Acala cotton variety that thrives in hot, arid climates. Cottonseed oil was first bottled in the early 1880s, just after Eli Whitney developed the cotton gin. Honestly, I had no idea that cotton was even used as a food crop.

I have to say: I adore Acala Farms' motto of "drizzle, sizzle, sample, and eat". So, I did. This recipe embraces all four of those. I drizzled, I sizzled, I sampled, and I ate...and it was fantastic.

Smashed Potatoes 

by Culinary Adventures with Camilla

I don't know where I first read about 'smashed potatoes.' But the name definitely intrigued me. "Smashing." There's something destructive and aggressive about that word. More so than "mashed." Or is that just me? 

In any case, I decided to try it out. All the recipes I came across were virtually the same: Boil till soft, smash, roast till crisp. That sounds easy enough. I decided to make some loaded smashed potato bites for a sidedish and I used some baby Dutch potatoes that would be two or three bites when finished. I added a drizzle of cottonseed oil and was quite impressed with the results.

Ingredients serves 4 as a first course

• 8 baby potatoes
• Acala Farms Flavor-Infused Cottonseed Oil (I used their Fresh Cilantro) for brushing and garnish
• 1 leek, trimmed and thinly sliced
• handful of oyster mushrooms
• pat of butter
• freshly ground salt
• freshly ground pepper

Procedure

Boil the baby potatoes for 30 minutes - until they are soft and smashable. Drain and let cool for 5 minutes, or until you can handle them comfortably.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lay the potatoes on a parchment lined baking sheet. Smash them with the bottom of a glass. Brush them with oil and return the pan to the oven.

Roast for 35-40 minutes until the potatoes are crisped and browned.

You could eat them just like that with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. I opted to "load" them with a quick saute of chopped leeks and mushrooms in butter...and did a quick drizzle of the cilantro oil to finish the dish.

The Verdict The flavor in the oil was phenomenal. Crisp, fresh, and distinct. I'm a fan! Stay tuned for more recipes when we launch into the #TripleSBites event.

If you’d like to learn more about Acala Farms, visit their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter, @AcalaFarms. 

If you can’t find Acala Farms locally, you can order directly from their website shop or from Amazon. I'm including affiliate links below. If you are uncomfortable using the links, feel free to go to amazon and search "Acala Farms" on your own!

I received bottles of Fresh Cilantro and Chili Cumin. I have already placed orders to try a few others.

*DISCLOSURE: I received two complimentary bottles of Acala Farms Flavor-Infused Cottonseed Oil for my participation in an upcoming blogging event...and for the purposes of review.  I have received no additional compensation for this post and the opinions expressed here are my own and the recipe shared in the review of this product was not sponsored.