ManCave Test Kitchen

Seriously, who doesn’t love home fries. If you don’t, you need to have our membership to the human race analyzed. I don’t  know about you, but I can eat home fries with any meal, any time of the day and I don’t like to have to drive to the diner to get them all the time.  They’re just plain simple and just plain good.  This recipe makes about 4-6 servings, depending on how far into a carb bender you want to go.

2# Idaho potatoes, peeled

Starchy Awesomeness

1/2 onion, peeled
2 tbsp whole butter, unsalted
1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil
1 tbsp parsley

1.  Split the potatoes in half lengthwise, then slice them about 1/4 inch thick.  Drop these into a small sauce pot, and cover them with cold water.  Add 1 tbsp of kosher salt to the pot and bring these to a boil.  Keep them at a boil for 3 -5 minutes.  You want these potatoes to be as soft as a potato you would use for mashed potatoes, or fork tender if you will.

2.  While the potatoes are cooking, split that onion lengthwise then slice 1/4 inch thick.  Leave these off to the side for now.

3. Here’s the fun part, the home frying!!!  I like to use either a black steel or a cast iron skillet.  If you don’t  have one don’t worry, use what you got. Make sure it’s not a nice new Teflon pan because we’re going to be cranking some heat and doing some scraping. Turn that flame up about medium high, drop that butter and oil in and wait until their sizzling.  Do you see a little hint of smoke from that pan?  GOOD!!!! Drop them ‘taters in.

4.  Season them with some salt and pepper and let them sit for about 3-5 minutes.  You’ll know when to start flipping when they start getting nice and golden brown.  I like mine a little darker so I let them go a bit more, but it’s up to you.  Now, take a nice metal spatula, and flip them ‘taters.  If they stick a little, don’t be afraid to dig under them.  You’ll be picking up a nice crispy crunchy salty crust, that makes the home fries, home fries.  After you turn them, season them again , and add your onions and parsley.  Go for another 3-5 minutes.

5.  Turn them ‘taters again.  Let them sit until you get a nice golden brown on this side too.  If there are some side that are still white don’t worry about it.  Have you ever had a perfectly colored or shaped home fry?  I thought not.  They’re not meant to be perfect.  Take them off the flame, scoop them out of the pan and drop them on a plate,just like the diner.  MMMMMMM….MMMMMMM!!!!

Seriously, that’s it.  If you happen to have any left over baked potatoes anywhere, you can use those instead of the raw potatoes.  You can also bake them the night before, cool them down  and peel them the next day if you don’t’ want to use the blanching method I’m used.  It’s really six of one, half a dozen of the other. As for things you can do with these…ANYTHING!!!!  I like to go waffle house style and melt some cheese over these.  I like through in ham, sausage , bacon, or (even better) all three too.  You can add all kinds of different herbs to these, rosemary being my favorite, or dry spices like some Cajun seasoning.  This recipe is one you can seriously play with in your test kitchen.  You want some ideas?  Comment below.

Happy Eating,

-The Doctor.

In keeping with the southern Style BBQ theme, I’m giving you a recipe from the Carolina low country. I was first introduced to this recipe by a good buddy by the name of Corbett Rouke. This is a simple and cheap recipe they had at nearly every family affair. If you have a garden or just a bunch of left over vegetables, this is a great way to use them up. This is a big recipe, but if you jar it, it will last over a year in storage. If you’re bored of the same old everyday coleslaw with your BBQ, this is an excellent replacement. This chow chow relish recipe makes 4 pints.

Little bit o’ Chow Chow in the jar

1 small head of cabbage, rough chopped
1 medium head cauliflower, chopped, stem removed
2 cups chopped onions
1 green bell pepper, julienne
1 red bell pepper, julienne
3 tablespoons of salt
1 1/2 cups of sugar
2 teaspoons of celery seed
1 teaspoon of mustard seed
2 teaspoons of dry mustard
1 teaspoon of turmeric
1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger
2 1/2 cups of white vinegar

1. Mix all the chopped vegetables in a large bowl and sprinkle the salt over them. Let stand, uncovered, for 4-6 hours in a cool place. At the end of the standing time, drain the vegetables well. this will pull out excess moisture that will be replaced by the flavorful mix we are about to add to it. you will also notice the volume of the vegetables shrink.

2. Mix vinegar, sugar and spices in a large pot and simmer on the stove for 10 minutes.

3. Add drained vegetables and continue to simmer for 5 more minutes until pot begins to boil.

4. At this point you can either let the relish cool in the pot and server it the next day, or you can pack it. To pack the chow chow mix while it’s boiling into hot, pint canning jars. Leave 1/4 inch head space in each pint jar. Wipe the mouth of the canning jar clean, place canning lids on the jars and process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

Happy Eating

– El Doctoro