Bursting and Smashing

 There seems to be an aggressive way of cooking these days. Ingredients are somehow mangled or exploded. Is this a new trend or are we just bored with the usual slicing and dicing .

The New York Times Sunday Home section had a recipe for crispy gnocchi and burst tomatoes. This is a must make which I'll probably be creating tomorrow. It's the sauce that's intriguing me. The tomatoes can be either cherry or grape, They're better in flavor than their bigger cousin, the beefsteak. They're cooked in a mix of  browned butter, pepper flakes and garlic. Heat splits the skin and they burst. it's then smashing them with a spoon to help that bursting along.Why burst them? They instantly release the juice into the butter  sauce. it seems that there are other recipes for burst tomatoes , namely with shrimp.It's an easy summer sauce for those future sweltering days. Tomatoes can also be smashed. Martha Stewart has a recipe for these that involves just smashing cherry tomatoes seasoned with salt and pepper. These make a great side but add some olive oil and they make a nice topping for crostini or spooned on top of sliced and split Italian and French breads. It could also be one of the layers in pain bagnat, that tasty Provencale layered sandwich of tuna, anchovies , veggies and eggs.

Smashing isn't just relegated to tomatoes. Smashed potatoes are a popular side and many love their crispy , crunchiness. New potatoes work best for this because they're easily smashed. Recipetineats has a good recipe for them.It's boiling them until ty're soft for about thirty minutes. It's then draining them in a colander and then using a large fork or potato masher to smash them. The thinner they're smashed, the crispier they'll be while thicker means fluffier insides. leave on a tray to steam dry. Drizzle with both melted butter - for flavor and olive oil to get that crispy texture.Bake them in 390 degree F oven for forty-five minutes. You can also use your microwave and air fryer to get a similar taste and texture. Melted butter or ghee is brushed on each side and the potatoes are then air fried  at 400 degrees F for ten to twelve minutes.  Flip them halfway through so they're equally crisped on both sides. You can also dust them with garlic and onion powder for more flavor or dried herbs. You can also smash Brussels sprouts in the same manner too, save they're smashed with a glass' bottom. 

Cooking seems to be getting a bit violent, with bursting and smashing veggies. However the methods produce some of the most flavorful sauces and crispiest sides. Take your frustrations out on tomatoes, potatoes and Brussels sprouts,. Burstt them Smash them. The end result is a delicious dish.