Ma’s Home Fries

My Ma, Judy Coleman—one of my fabulous mother-in-laws, makes the BEST home fries, and has graciously taught me how to make them. This no-recipe recipe can be made with a few ingredients that I usually have on hand and half an hour. Frying and steaming the potatoes and onions simultaneously yields beautifully browned, crisp, and tender morsels with pops of sweetness and umami from the caramelized onions.

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Recipe Type: No Recipe Recipe 

Time: 30 min 

Servings: Customizable (The following guidance makes enough for 2. Scale up as needed.)

From: French Omelette & Ma’s Home Fries

Ingredients

3 small/medium potatoes per person - peeled and diced into 1 inch cubes 

½ onion

Cooking Oil 

Pantry spices (I used onion powder/garlic powder/and Slap Yo Mamma Cajun spice mix)

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Chopped fresh herbs you have on hand (optional for garnish)

Sour cream or crème fraîche (optional)

Equipment

Nonstick frying pan, 8” or bigger

Lid for pan (or baking sheet to cover)

Wooden Spoon

Instructions

  1. Wash and peel potatoes (if you have a thin skinned potato, you can leave skin on) and cut into 1 inch pieces. Cut half an onion into ½ inch slices. 

  2. Heat nonstick frying pan over medium high heat and add 2-3 teaspoons of some cooking oil (olive, grape seed, sunflower, etc.).

  3. Once the oil is hot, add potatoes and onions to the pan. Sprinkle with your preferred spices and add 2-3 teaspoons of water on top of the potatoes. Cover the pan and cook. You’ll hear the potatoes/onions sizzle while cook. This is great! Leave them alone to do their thing for 2-3 minutes. 

  4. After 2-3 minutes, lift the lid and give the potatoes/onions a stir and cover again. Lower the heat to medium and continue stirring every 2-4 minutes. The lid and water will steam the potatoes until they become fall-apart tender while the heat from the bottom of the pan/stove will brown the potatoes and caramelize the onions. If you notice the potatoes starting to burn, then lower the heat and/or add more cooking oil. 

  5. Continue cooking and stirring the potatoes and onions until they are browned and there are lots of crusty bits (around 15-30 minutes). You’ll want to stir the potatoes more frequently toward the end of cooking. 

  6. Serve immediately. If you have any fresh herbs or sour cream/crème fraîche on hands go ahead and top the potatoes with them.