Viennese Potatoes ... or ... Glorified Home Fries

So ... the first time we had these taters we had them with lamb kabobs and a side salad. The second time we had these, I plopped eggs in the center instead of that sour cream and cooked them to a soft yolk finish.There were dollops of plain yogurt on the side. Tonight, we had them as the cookbook suggested  (with the sour cream front and center). They shared the dinner plate with vegetables all around to make a meatless meal.


Each time, SB and I have agreed that these taters are tasty. This is another Diana Henry recipe - simple and fast. They can be fancified with the addition of a good roasted chicken or a perfect simple kabob or kept so simple that they seem like a blue plate special at the diner. So adaptable ... and in my mind the mark of a classic recipe.

You can make these potatoes as Diana suggests ... boil the little cubes first and then fry them in just a bit of peanut oil OR you can forego the parboil and slap them straight into the peanut oil. They get a good crisp that way. Whichever way you choose to treat the potatoes, do use the smoked paprika, do cook the spices on the potatoes for a couple minutes to wake them up to their full potential and don't chop the sweet pickles too small ... you will be delighted with the play of flavours in these taters, as you chomp in on them ! Oh ... and fresh dill, definitely fresh dill.

Enjoy!

Viennese Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 – 1 ½ lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes, washed and chopped into ¾ inch cubes

About ½ c. peanut oil

Kosher salt and black pepper

1 ½ tsp. sweet paprika

1 ½ tsp. smoked paprika

2 tsp. caraway seed

2 tbsp. chopped sweet gherkins

⅓ c. sour cream or Greek plain yogurt

2 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped

Making the Dish:

1. Heat a deep fry pan over medium high heat. Add the peanut oil and let it get hot.
2. Carefully spoon the prepped potatoes into the hot oil with a slotted spoon. Arrange them in a single layer and let them begin to bubble and crisp.
3. While the potatoes begin to cook up crisp, mix the paprikas and caraway seed in a small bowl and set aside. Chop the gherkins and set them aside. Chop the dill and set aside.
4. Toss the potatoes a bit every few minutes until they begin to get golden. Remove a piece every couple minutes and taste to judge when they are soft in the center and crisped outside.
5. When the potatoes are perfect, remove them from the oil with a slotted spoon, letting the oil drain in the pan. Place them in a deep bowl, sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside while you carefully drain the hot oil from the pan.
6. Return the pan to the heat without wiping it out, dump the potatoes back in and add the spices, tossing to coat.
7. Let the potatoes come back up in temperature and cook the spices a bit.
8. Toss them into a pretty serving dish, scatter the pickles over top, place the sour cream in the center of the mound of taters, and scatter the dill over top.
9. Serve piping hot.