“Chipped” Carola Potatoes

I no longer remember where the name came from, but I think it has to do with the fact that the potato is cut into irregular bits, or “chips”. This method allows for some variation in how crispy the potatoes cook. Some will be chewy, or cracking, some meltingly tender, others will be crunchy. That is the joy of this dish. The Carolas are great for this with their nutty sweetness. Using your biggest sauté pan and a really large pot of boiling water are two keys to success with this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds washed Carola potatoes
1 small brown onion, peeled and finely sliced into half-moons
Olive oil as needed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (Optional)
1 tablespoon fresh minced thyme or ½ tablespoon fresh rosemary
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

METHOD:
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. You want to have at least twice the water to potatoes. This facilitates quick cooking and keeps the potatoes from getting soggy and falling apart. While the water heats, halve the potatoes lengthwise. Then, make a cut that runs the length of each half, but don’t cut all the way through one end. This will keep make it easier to cut 2 lengths at once. Proceed to cut across lengths of potato, sometimes slicing very thinly-like 1/16^th of an inch or less, sometimes as thick as 1/8^th of an inch or thereabouts. Cut all the potatoes this way, discarding the un-split ends.

Once the water is at a full rolling boil, add the potatoes, giving them a good stir to separate all the little pieces from one another. Cook for around two minutes, then taste a thicker piece. Cook just long enough to take of the “raw-ness” of the potato. This can be a very short time, or longer, depending on heat source. Just be sure not to cook so long that the potatoes become waterlogged and mushy. When potatoes are done, pour them into a large strainer and shake out the water. Give a quick rinse in cool water, then shake some more to get rid if excess water. Allow to drain in colander. When the potatoes are (mostly) dry, transfer them to a large bowl and lightly drizzle with oil, tossing to coat all over.

While potatoes drain, heat your largest skillet over medium heat. When it is hot, liberally film the pan bottom with oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions, and cook until golden and soft. Remove onions from the pan, draining the oil into the pan. Reserve the onions. Season potatoes generously with salt and pepper, tossing to coat evenly. Carefully-not all the water may have drained and the oil may splatter-add a layer of potatoes to just cover the pan bottom. Toss the potatoes to coat with the hot oil and sprinkle with some of the herbs.

Cook without fiddling with the potatoes for several minutes, although checking to see that nothing is burning is fine. When the bottom has browned up, turn the potatoes and cook for a couple minutes. Add more potatoes to the pan, oiling if necessary, and turn so the new ones get to the bottom. Cook until browned, then turn the mass and add more potatoes. Continue cooking the potatoes, adding the new ones along with the herbs until they are all in the pan. At this point, cook, occasionally turning, until the potatoes are done. They should at least be tender, with many being golden brown and others being crispy or even chewy.

At this point, lift the potatoes so you can slip the onions onto the pan bottom to heat through, and toss in the butter if you are using. Swirl the pan around and toss to get the butter spread around. The butter is for flavor. Season well with salt and pepper and serve hot.

Chef’s Notes and Tips:
One of the tricks to this dish is patience. You have to leave the potatoes alone long enough to get crisp before turning and adding more. Also, don’t compress the potatoes. That’s for hash-browns and Pommes Anna. You could add things like green onions or peppers to this dish when in season, just watch for burning. Usually this is a side dish, but I have done things like add slices of ham or bacon and sautéed mushrooms and greens and called it dinner. If you make a lot of these and have leftovers, they make a killer quiche with bacon and sharp cheddar cheese.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen