Easy Home Fries

One of my most favorite side dishes, good with eggs for breakfast, great as a noontime snack, and a perfect side for a easy dinner.

My largest complaint is the have to par-cook the potatoes to get the creamy interior, then fry to get the crispy crunch.. Too many steps, too much hassle.. But Wait, maybe if I do this the other way ’round…

Perhaps, fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and halved, then into a skillet with a generous portion of butter for taste and olive oil for smoke point, and a cup of water for steam …. Cook covered over medium high for a time thence remove the cover, let the remaining water evaporate and the fat mixture provide the crisp crunchies..

Easy Home Fries

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

Potatoes

  • 1 lb Fingerling or baby red bliss potates Scrubbed and Halved
  • 2 tbsp Butter Real Stuff (Or Bacon Drippings)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil Decent stuff for frying
  • To Taste Salt and Pepper
  • 1 cup Water (One could do a stock or broth here)

Optional

  • 1/2 ea Medium Onion Peeled, Diced
  • 1 tsp Fresh Rosemary Chopped
  • 1/2 ea Bell Pepper Seeded, Diced, Red, Green or Yellow....

Instructions
 

  • In a steel or cast iron frying pan (NO NON STICK), over medium high heat, foam out butter
  • Add olive oil, and potatoes, cut side down
  • Add water and cover, simmer on medium for 20 - 25 minutes
  • Knife test potatoes, if done, remove cover, and bump heat to medium high. (add in options at this time, Crisp up for ~ 5 minutes, or until optionals are done
  • Check underside of potatoes regularly for browning.

Notes

I mention a few optionals above, but one could do mushrooms (pre-cooked), or add crumbled cooked bacon, cubed cooked ham, or sprinkle on grated cheese as a final step.  There is no end to possibilities, one could take this from a simple side dish to a full on meal in a pan.  Hmmmmm,  thinking small cast iron fry pans, a bed of potatoes, a healthy portion of cooked and crumbled bacon, topped with a couple of free-range organic eggs, and a scattering of grated pepper jack cheese . ...   Sounds like a farmers breakfast....
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

  Filed under: Basics, Cast Iron, Fried, Pub Food, Side Dish, Vegetarian

Comments are closed for this post.