Bite-sized golden potatoes that are soft on the inside and crispy on the outside.
If you have ever watched an episode of Good Eats with Alton Brown on The Food Network, you might recognize the phrase “Golden Brown and Delicious.”
Now, I’m not a trained chef or food scientist, but what Mr. Brown was referring to is the Maillard reaction. Depending on the type of food, i.e. bread, vegetables, meats, you are cooking–well, I don’t know for sure. But I do know it’s a reaction involving sugars and the caramelization process. (For a scientific explanation, you can go here.)
The Maillard reaction is when you brown meat to get that extra flavor before you put it in your stew. When you bake bread and it gets that lovely golden color. It’s not just “cooked”. There’s actually science behind that!
As our household has watched pretty much every episode of Good Eats, we tossed the phrase “Golden Brown and Delicious” around for years. Then we started to abbreviate it to GBD and apply it to various foods.
Voila. GBD Baby Potatoes.
Baby Potatoes
Have you seen those tiny, almost bite-sized potatoes in your grocery store? Well, get yourself a bag and make this recipe.
Cut those babies into 1/4 inch slices. Typically, that’s about 3 to 4 slices per potato. I put them in a large saucepan of cold water and then bring them to a boil for about 5 to 7 minutes until they are cooked but not mush. We’re not making mashed potatoes here! Use a fork to test the level of doneness. You want them al dente. Don’t worry, you’ll be cooking them through soon enough.
TIP: If you put a wooden spoon over the top of the saucepan, it should keep it from boiling over.
Once the potatoes are firm but you can pierce them with a fork, drain but do not rinse. Pat the potatoes dry with a paper towel.
Frying Potatoes
Heat a non-stick skillet or griddle to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon-ish of oil. (Use your judgement based on the number of potatoes and space you have.) Place the potatoes in a single layer in the bottom of the skillet. You want each potato to have contact with the skillet will it cooks. Without stirring, let them cook for about 5 minutes to get brown.
Using tongs or a spatula, check the potatoes periodically until they are brown to your satisfaction. (We like our almost burnt–some of the small ones end up like little potato chips!)
Then just serve with your favorite entree and some green veggies!
Delicious Golden Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1.5 lb baby potatoes sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1-2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
Instructions
- Place sliced potatoes in a large saucepan and fill with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook 5-7 minutes or until al dente. Drain, but do not rinse. Pat dry with paper towel.
- Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Arrange sliced potatoes in a single layer over the bottom of the skillet. Sprinkle with half the salt and pepper. Fry without turning until golden, about 5 minutes.
- Using tongs, turn the potatoes over and fry for another 5 minutes, until golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper. Serve.