While the classic fried potato dish served with bacon and eggs in diners everywhere is excellent on its own, the “smothered and covered” variation is more decadent, blanketing the crusty brown potatoes with caramelized onions and cheese. Thanks must be given here to the Waffle House chain for their inspired innovation!

　　

Ingredients

serves 6 to 8

　　3 large Idaho potatoes

　　8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

　　2 medium red onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice

　　Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

　　

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the potatoes whole in their skins for 15 minutes. They should still be fairly firm but easy to pierce with a fork. The idea is that they hold shreds when they are grated, so don’t overcook them. Drain and set aside to cool.

　　

Step 2

Using the coarse grating blade on a food processor, or the coarse side of a box grater set over a large plate, grate the potatoes; set aside.

　　

Step 3

Heat a 10- to 12-inch cast-iron skillet or a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the butter and let it melt. Add the potatoes to the pan, spreading them out so that they form an even 1-inch-thick pancake.

　　

Step 4

Allow the potatoes to get nicely browned for 4 to 5 minutes without stirring, forming a golden crust on the bottom. Watch carefully, and when the potatoes start to brown, use a metal spatula to turn them over once or twice.

　　

Step 5

Add the onions to the potatoes and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook for another 10 to 12 minutes or so without stirring, forming a golden crust on the bottom. When the hash browns are golden brown, flip them in the pan (intact, as far as this is possible) with a spatula. Add more butter if they seem to be sticking. Season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until both sides are crispy and golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.

　　

Step 6

Transfer the hash browns to a serving platter, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve immediately.

　　

Smothered Hash Browns Variation

Step 7

Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in a small ovenproof saucepan over low heat. Add 2 diced red onions. Cook until golden brown and caramelized, about 20 minutes, but watch them so they don’t burn! Add a little salt and pepper. Follow the recipe through step 5, then scatter the caramelized onions over the top of the hash browns and place 6 slices American cheese or 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese over the top to “smother” them. Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 2 minutes, or just until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.

　　

Sweet Talk Onions

Step 8

Why use red onions in hash browns? They’re sweeter than many onion varieties (though their storage life is short) and they offer a little more color to the dish. Among the other sweet specialty onions are the Vidalia, the Georgia Sweet, the White Bermuda, which is mild and sweet, and the Texas Super Sweet. These large yellow onions can grow to the size of a baseball and their storage life is a little longer than the other varieties.

　　Bubby’s Brunch Cookbook by Ron Silver and Rosemary Black. Copyright © 2009 by Ron Silver and Rosemary Black. Published by Ballantine Books. All Rights Reserved.