Years ago I found a set of recipes in Martha Stewart Living magazine that I started using regularly. I always baked salmon, but her simple salmon steak sauteed in butter won me over, as did the new potatoes that were simmered in water until tender, slightly cooled, then "smashed" enough to split the skins and lower their profile. Those patties of softened potato are then placed in a skillet with butter and turned once and served with salt and fresh ground pepper. All of those little crispy edges of skin (I like this with red or Yukon potatoes, the ones that are a little more waxy). Sometimes I sprinkle chives over the top. I don't remember what Martha called those potatoes, but my son and his girlfriend make "smashed potatoes" all of the time, and when I asked what it was he told me it was the ones I'd been making and he added the standardized name.

Today on Pati's Mexican Kitchen (a PBS cooking program) she made a very elaborate version and she calls them smashed potatoes - using different colors of new potatoes for the variety, and then she puts them on an olive oiled pan, smashes them slightly with a spoon and spoons olive oil and various seasonings and peppers over the top and bakes it all. My sauteed in butter version is quicker and easier, but the point of describing this is that as a comfort food goes, those little potatoes are a family favorite.