Crispy garlic butter smashed potatoes with gremolata and appetizer toppings

Add a big chunk of kosher salt to a pot of boiling water, stir and add the baby Yukon gold potatoes; boil 15 to 20 minutes until mostly fork tender.

Crush garlic cloves with the flat of a knife, peel off the paper, trim the root end and chop.

Put about two thirds of the garlic in a little pot with butter, olive oil, smoked paprika, red pepper flake, salt and pepper; melt before the potatoes go in the oven.

For the gremolata, mix finely chopped parsley with the reserved garlic, most of the zest of a lemon, a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

Drain the potatoes, spread them out on a parchment-lined sheet pan and, while hot, smash each with something flat-bottomed through a piece of parchment.

Brush the melted garlic butter mixture over every potato, getting some garlic on each.

Roast in a 400 degree oven about 20 to 25 minutes until crispy.

Serve plain, or with a little gremolata on top.

Variation: top a couple with a little cool sour cream and chili crunch.

Variation: snip the tops off quail eggs with a quail egg cutter, fry on a buttered flat top with a tiny bit of salt and pepper, set on the potatoes and finish with a little caviar and chives.