My version of a classic. Using potatoes such as Bintje or Sangre varieties adds depth of flavor, and using ripe peppers such as Corno di Toro instead of grocery store green bells just makes the dish even better. O’Brien potatoes are great for dinner as well as breakfast.
INGREDIENTS:
1½-2 pounds Bintje (or other) potatoes, cut into ½ inch dice 2 large or 3 medium Corno di Toro peppers, seeded and cut into ¼ inch dice 1 medium-large yellow or white onion, peeled and cut into ¼ inch dice 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced 2 tablespoons butter Olive oil as needed Salt and pepper to taste -Optional-2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
METHOD:
Bring a 4 quart pot of water to a boil and salt liberally. Once boiling, pour in the potatoes and cook until just tender. This should take 6-10 minutes. At six minutes, pull a piece and test it by biting into it. It should be tender, but not completely cooked. When potatoes arrive at this state, drain them and rinse with cold water to chill them a bit. Place in a colander and allow to drain well.
While the potatoes are cooking and draining, heat a large skillet (12 inches is ideal) over medium-high heat. When hot, film with oil. Heat the oil and when quite hot, add the peppers. Cook, tossing once in a while to prevent burning, but some charring is desirable. Cook until tender, then remove from the pan and reserve in serving bowl.
If needed, film the pan with a little oil, and when hot, add the onions, tossing to coat the onions with the oil. Season with a little salt and cook to soften them.
While the peppers and onions cook, the potatoes will have drained. Put them into a large bowl and drizzle with oil, tossing gently to coat without crushing them. The potatoes should be well oiled.
When the onions are turning golden, check that there is still oil on the pan bottom and then add the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper sprinkle the thyme over all. Gently toss to mix all the ingredients in the pan.
Cook the potatoes, turning once in a while to crisp the potatoes all over.
Once the potatoes and onions are golden all over, make a well in the center of the potatoes and add the butter. When it stops foaming, add the garlic and cook until aromatic. Sprinkle the peppers all over the ingredients in the pan and toss to mix in the peppers and the garlic/butter into the rest of the dish. Cook until the peppers are heated through.
Taste for seasoning, add more if needed, and serve hot.
Chef’s Notes:
If you wish to give these a Southwestern flair, add cumin and coriander to the seasoning, and use some cilantro and parsley at the end.
If you have some left-over boiled or baked potatoes, feel free to make this dish with those, regardless of the type. On the other hand, if you are making potatoes one night and thing you might want some O’Brien potatoes in a couple days, cook some extra. Using potatoes cooked ahead of time will certainly make things easier, and the dish will come together very quickly.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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