Crispy Fried Potatoes

    

I make no secret of the fact that my favorite vegetable is the humble potato.  I think if I had to spend the rest of my life eating only one thing it would be potatoes.   I could live without meat, but don't take away my potatoes.

They are such an incredibly versatile vegetables.  Aside from being a great source of fiber, you can enjoy them baked, mashed, fried, boiled, and in a multitude of dishes. 

 

I can remember watching my mother peel potatoes when I was a child and begging my mother for a piece of the raw potato.  She would never let me have any.

She said eating raw potato would give me worms.  I don't think that's actually true, but its still not a wise thing to do, eating raw potatoes.  They contain a toxic compound named solanine which can make you very ill.

 

If I had to pick a favorite way of preparing and eating potatoes I could not pick one. Each has their own benefits and beautiful properties.

Baby boiled potatoes, rolled in butter, salt pepper and herbs. Fabulously tasty.  Even larger boiled potatoes, boiled in the skins and then dabbed with butter, parsley, salt and pepper. So delicious.

 

A big pile of fluffy mash . . .  with butter and milk, salt and pepper.  Is there anything more comforting.  Sour cream or cream cheese are also great additions. Mom always used to add some finely grated onion. Delicious! 

What would a steak be without a wonderful, crisp skinned baked jacket potato on the side.  In the UK they have restaurants that serve nothing but jacket potatoes and you can get them topped with everything from beans, to tuna mayonnaise to baked beans. 

Remove the insides, mash with a few bits, stuff them back in and re-bake and you have another incredibly delicious option!!!

 

Fried potatoes are another favorite.  Either cut into chips and deep fat fried in oil, or grated, shaped into patties and fried in butter as potato pancakes.

Hash brown patties.  Crispy roasted potatoes. Potato Chips/crisps.  There is no end to the enjoyment.

And then there is potato salad.  Mixed with mayonnaise, or sour cream or both, or with an herb vinaigrette, they all go down a real treat with me. 

 

One of my very favorite ways to enjoy them is as pan fries. You can use leftover cold potatoes and those are excellent, or you can boil them and then cook them the way I am sharing today.  

Peeled and chunked potatoes are parboiled in some salted water and then fried to golden brown in a pan with some garlic and sage.

 

Excellent served as a side dish with just about anything.  Add a couple of eggs, frying them in the pan with the potatoes, and you have a complete meal! 

Quite simply delicious.  Tear the yolk open and dip the potatoes into it.  Oh my, my, my . . . what a delicious option. 

 

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CRISPY FRIED POTATOES

Simple ingredients, simply prepared.

• 1 lb. 2 oz (500g) potatoes, peeled and cut into approximately 1 inch chunks
• 2 TBS olive oil
• A large knob of butter (about 20g)
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole and smashed
• 3 sage sprigs
• salt and black pepper to taste
• parsley to scatter over top

 

Just about any kind of potato will work prepared this way.  Today I used red potatoes.  They were small to medium in size. The smaller ones I cut in half and the larger ones I quartered.

Its not always possible to get fresh sage leaves.  In that case you can use about 1/2 tsp of crumbled dried sage.

 

HOW TO MAKE CRISPY FRIED POTATOES

If you follow my instructions exactly you will be rewarded with perfectly cooked, crispy edged, golden brown potatoes which are beautifully flavored with sage and garlic.

 

Boil the potato chunks in salted boiling water until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain very well then throw immediately into a 12 inch non-stick skillet that you have been heating the butter, oil, garlic and sage in. 

I put this pan on just when the potatoes are about ready and heat it until the butter starts to foam and sizzle.

 

Start them off on high heat and cook until they start to look golden brown, then lower the heat slightly and continue to cook them until they get really crusty, tossing them about carefully from time to time.

This will take about 10 to 15 minutes depending. Try not to rush the process.  

 

Be very careful not to mush them, although mushing them a little bit is good as it gives you more crispy edges and bits to enjoy. 

Try not to let the garlic or the sage burn. If it looks as if they are getting too done, lift them onto the top of the potatoes.

Sprinkle with a bit of salt, some pepper, the parsley flakes and serve immediately.

 

If you like you can actually turn this simple dish into a whole meal by adding a couple of eggs.  The potatoes are fabulous dipped into the yolks. 

Once you have the potatoes all golden and crispy, move the potatoes over in the pan , making two big spaces for the eggs. Drop another bit of butter into the empty spot and crack in two eggs. 

Sprinkle a bit of sea salt over all and continue to cook over medium low heat, until the egg whites set and the yolk is as done as you like it.

 

These are really delicious.  I could eat them every day, but restrain myself from doing so. I leave them as a rare treat, and enjoy them even more for doing so!!

Crispy Fried Potatoes

Yield: 2

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 20 MinTotal time: 30 Min

Simple and satisfying. Crisp edged, golden brown, filled with flavor. Its the simple things in life which bring us the most pleasure.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. 2 oz (500g) potatoes, peeled and cut into approximately 1 inch chunks
• 2 TBS olive oil
• A large knob of butter (about 20g)
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole and smashed
• 3 sage sprigs
• salt and black pepper to taste
• parsley to scatter over top

Instructions

1. Boil the potato chunks in salted boiling water until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain very well then throw immediately into a 12 inch non-stick skillet that you have been heating the butter, oil, garlic and sage in. (I put this pan on just when the potatoes are about ready and heat it until the butter starts to foam and sizzle.)
2. Start them off on high heat and cook until they start to look golden brown, then lower the heat slightly and continue to cook them until they get really crusty, tossing them about carefully from time to time.
3. Be very careful not to mush them, although mushing them a little bit is good as it gives you more crispy edges and bits to enjoy. Try not to let the garlic or the sage burn. If it looks as if they are getting too done, lift them onto the top of the potatoes.
4. Sprinkle with a bit of salt, some pepper, the parsley flakes and serve immediately.

Notes

Optionally you can cook two eggs with the potatoes. Once you have the potatoes all golden and crispy, move the potatoes over in the pan , making two big spaces for the eggs. Drop another bit of butter into the empty spot and crack in two eggs. Sprinkle a bit of sea salt over all and continue to cook over medium low heat, until the egg whites set and the yolk is as done as you like it.

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