Hash Browns

Categories: not tried, side dish

Ingredients

• 8 small waxy potatoes (new potatoes), 2 1/4 pounds
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 small onion, very finely diced
• Salt and Pepper
• Coarse salt for sprinkling on top

Directions

1. I use a spanish tortilla plate, which is made precisely for the turning maneuver (it has a knob on the bottom), which makes things easier. And if you have a short-sided skillet, it is much easier to slide the cake out; the high sides of an ordinary cast-iron skillet means that you have to turn quickly in one smooth fast motion. And that requires strength.

2. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil, add the potatoes, and boil about 10 minutes, or until they are cooked about halfway through. Drani, and allow them to cool to warm; then peel and chop into about 1-inch squares.

3. Melt the butter over medium heat in a well-seasoned 8-to 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Remove about a quarter of the butter and set aside. Add the potatoes to the skillet, forming them into a flat cake and pressing down on it with a spatula. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for about 6 minutes, until a good crust has formed on the bottom. Keep pressing with the spatula, and run it around the edges a bit so the potatoes don’t stick.

4. Scatter the diced onions over the top, along with a good shake of salt and a good grinding of pepper. Remove the skillet from the heat and cover with a large plate; leave for 2 minutes, allowing the potatoes to steam. Using oven mitts, hold the plate and skillet together, and invert together, so the potatoes drop onto the plate.

5. Put the skillet back over medium heat and add the remaining melted butter. Carefully slide the entire potato cake into the skillet, trying not to break it. Add more salt and pepper, turn the heat up to medium high, and brown the potatoes for another 5 minutes, until a crust forms.

6. Slide the potato cake onto a hot platter, sprinkle with the coarse sea salt, and serve immediately.

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