It’s funny how some of the dishes that seem the most basic are also the hardest to pull off.
Chicken and dumplings are a Southern classic, but most Southern cooks have to try making them a few times before they can create a pot that isn’t full of gummy dumplings.
And don’t get me started on biscuits! I started making my own from scratch when we were on lockdown during COVID-19. Mine are finally good, but they are very, very ugly. The dough looks like cottage cheese … but the biscuits are pretty good.
And I’ve never been able to make good fried potatoes at all.
They seem so simple: Cut potatoes into small pieces. Cook them in oil in a skillet. Any idiot ought to be able to pull it off.
But I’m clearly not just any idiot because I’ve never been able to pull it off.
They either end up raw or mashed. Neither of those was what I was going for.
Usually that’s not a problem. I just roast the cubes of potatoes, preferably on the same sheet pan as the rest of my meal.
But this summer has been my breaking point.
I’m not turning on the oven right now.
Maybe not ever again.
That’s how I feel about it.
And if that means we eat exclusively tuna salad and cereal, then so be it. (Not together. I’m not a monster.)
However, I’m trying not to let it come to that.
I’m using the slow cooker several times a week and the pressure cooker feature on the multipot almost daily.
However, complicating my no-heat-in-the-kitchen plan is the fact that we also have a huge box of homegrown red potatoes sitting in our basement.
Making them into mashed potatoes is easy in the pressure cooker, but I feel like there’s nothing better than a toasty-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside cube of red potato.
So I watched a few videos of Southern women making fried potatoes. (Yes, such videos exist, and yes, weirdos like me watch them.)
I found out that there are a few secrets to good fried potatoes: One, don’t stir them too often. Two, cover the pan so they cook all the way through.
But the real secret seems to be something I know my grandma didn’t do. And yours didn’t, either, unless you are significantly younger than I am. (In which case, I don’t want to hear about it. Just use the oven.)
The secret is this: Toss those scrubbed, cubed potatoes into the microwave and let them cook for about 5 minutes before putting them in the pan.
It gives them a little head start so they don’t take forever to cook in the pan. And that’s good for people like me, who are both impatient and over-stirrers.
FRIED POTATOES
Ingredients:
Potatoes (I allow 1-2 small potatoes per person.)
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Optional: green peppers, onions
Directions:
■ If you will keep the skin on your potatoes, wash the potatoes thoroughly. If not, peel and rinse the potatoes. Dice the potatoes into cubes approximately 1 inch square. (The more consistent the dice, the more evenly they will cook.) Place the potato cubes into a glass mixing bowl and set the bowl in the microwave; there is no need to add water or cover. Cook on high for 5 minutes.
■ Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter and allow it to melt. If you are using peppers or onions, dice them into small pieces while the potatoes microwave. Add the vegetables to the melted butter. Scatter the seasonings evenly over the top. Do not stir. Place a lid on the skillet. (Use a cookie sheet to cover it if you do not have a lid large enough for the skillet.) Turn the heat down slightly, to just below medium. Allow the potatoes to cook, undisturbed, for about 5 minutes.
■ Slip a spatula under a cube of potato to check for color on the bottom. When the bottoms are golden brown and loosen easily from the pan, they are ready to flip. Flip and re-cover. Stir only when the bottoms have browned and no more often than that. Potatoes are done when they are fork-tender and browned on most sides. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed, remembering that potatoes require a lot of salt. Serve as a side for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or crack a few eggs into the pan, cook through and serve as a main dish.
Amelia Plair is a mom and high school teacher in Starkville. Email reaches her at [email protected].
Amelia Plair is a Starkville resident who writes occasional food columns.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 24 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
