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Margaret Suran at lid wrote on 6/14/05 9:45 AM:
>
> When I asked for the potato recipe, I was told that they were canned
> potatoes, drained and washed, then dried and sprayed with a small
> amount of cooking oil. Then they were dredged with a mixture of flour
> and spices and baked in a hot oven. I tried it at home, but I was
> never able to duplicate the taste and crunchiness.  (
My mom used to make these with a roast, as I do. I hate to say it but there
is nothing quite like them when done right! My friend's mom makes them with
the Easter lamb and the Xmas ham, the same way Mom taught me to. My
thinking is that there must have been a recipe in the newspaper or a
magazine for these, because it's the same exact technique, down to the
seasoning and our families didn't know one another until 1985!! There must
be a common source for this. (although my friend's mom adds some rosemary to
hers...she's Italian!)
We always rinsed and drained two cans of whole potatoes, and then tossed
them with Lawry's Seasoned Salt, plus extra onion powder and some good
paprika, so they are well-coated. Then, into a hot cast iron skillet, into
which a half stick of margarine has been melted. Toss the potatoes until
well coated with the melted margarine, then let them start to brown. You
can make them entirely on the stovetop, turning them frequently, or you can
put them in the oven for 10-15 minutes. They get beautifully brown.
The flour is an interesting addition, I never tried that but I can see how
it would certainly add to the crispness. I think the melted margarine is
the secret to how crispy they get. When my mom first died, I tried making
home-fries from canned potatoes like I'd watched her make for years, and
mine were oily but not crispy. I thought I was making the recipe healthier,
which I probably was, but the result wasn't nearly as good. I went back to
margarine. And I have to say, I've tried these with butter, too--and
margarine works better! Butter burns faster, I think.
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