Raw-Fried Potatoes

Yes, that is indeed a gigantic glob of butter that you see! Tonight's illustration is of the raw-fried potatoes BEFORE they were fried. If I figure out how to post 2 pictures I will add the one I took after...and you won't even be able to tell much difference, except for some (oops) scorch marks on the potatoes. Hence, "raw-fried."

I made raw-fried potatoes tonight because (1) they are easy (2) they go well with storebought rotisserie chicken and (3) I had Yukon Gold potatoes and I don't like to straight-up bake those. I kind of burned them, and I think I did something wrong with the onions, and ALSO I realized near the end when the potatoes weren't quite tender enough that I was probably supposed to be covering them and...these work a ton better in a very heavy skillet. Which I do not have. No, I did not register for Le Cruset. Mistake? Sigh.

My mom made these when I was a kid and I did not call her to ask for the recipe, because these truly are very easy - I just went along with what I remembered from when I used to cook these at home, in my mom's Le Cruset. Probably with the lid on. So, forgive me if the recipe is a little (okay totally) approximated. But...when you consider that I (1) didn't have an actual recipe, (2) didn't have the right kind of pan, (3) didn't use a lid last time I made these OR most of this time and (4) chopped up the onions like a Wusthof-wielding preschooler... Well, guess what? They still tasted pretty darned good. I was shocked. So, knowing that, you may be tempted to go for it.

Raw Fried Potaotes
Serves ?
From Kira's head...yikes.

Potatoes *
1/2 a sweet yellow onion, chopped or diced or just no longer whole. The potato to onion ratio should be about 4 potatoes to 1/2 an onion
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Other Spices to taste **
3 T stick butter, solid and cut into small squares ***

Slice potatoes somewhere in between slab and potato chip thickness. Cover bottom of a preferably heavy skillet with a layer of potatoes. Toss some onions over the potatoes. Drop a few squares of butter into the mix. Toss in a little salt, pepper, and Other Spices to taste. Repeat until you're out of potatoes, onions, and butter (but NOT salt, pepper, or Other Spices!). Cover and cook on medium to medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. Remove cover and flip potatoes. At this point, if you feel the need to add more butter, do so without guilt. Cover and cook for another 10ish minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Scorched bottoms optional!

* Good potato choices: typical Idaho bakers or, if you're feeling sassy, Yukon Gold
** Oregano is good for a little dash of "hmmmm...what is that?"
*** I prefer to pinch mine off because then I can lick butter off of my fingers - only if there aren't guests eating, of course

Yum........even if you cook them uncovered in a nonstick skillet and burn the bottoms. Recipe forgiveness is a beautiful thing!