Rissole Potaotes

I used to have a subscription to a very useful magazine called Cuisine At Home. There are a lot of cooking magazines out there that I don't have a real use for; they're full of recipes for Tofu-this and Curry-that, which is not how my family rolls. Cuisine At Home is a cooking magazine, but it's typically filled with amped-up classics like fried chicken, pot roast, pizza, and apple pie, and soon-to-be favorites, like chocolate bread pudding, so it's actually a handy magazine to have around--particularly since every recipe is detailed and illustrated. Toward the end of my subscription, I found that the editors included a few too many seafood recipes for my liking, but before that, not an issue passed where I didn't pick up some very useful tips--tips that ranged from How to Make the Perfect Pizza Dough to Deglazing a Pan to Making Simple Syrup.

This recipe accompanied a recipe for Beer-Braised Brisket. While I haven't made the brisket yet, I have made these potatoes several times, and I believe they're Abe's favorite potato. They're a tiny tiny bit hands-on, so I don't make them super often, but when I do, they're always a delicious treat. The resulting potato is crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside, and buttery all the way through. They're perfect alongside any roast meat. Or air, for that matter. They're frankly just perfect.

Don't let the phrase "tiny tiny bit hands-on" turn you off--at least read through the recipe to see that, though these potatoes have a couple distinct steps, they're really quite easy. Plus, you'll get a cooking gold star for being able to parboil, steam, AND fry--all in one dish. (It sounds more complex than it really is!)

Rissole Potatoes

1 1/2 lb. potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks (2 in. or so); OR use small red potatoes, and leave whole.
6 Tbsp. Butter, divided
2 tsp. dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Parboil potatoes in a saucepan for 10 minutes; drain.

Melt 4 Tbsp. butter in the pan over low heat. Add potatoes, cover pan with a lid, and cook over low/medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Swirl the pan occasionally to stir, holding the lid in place.

Uncover pan and increase heat to medium-high. Saute potatoes 10 minutes, turning potatoes until golden brown on all sides.

Place remaining butter and parsley in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Melt butter in microwave, and stir to combine with parsley. Pour over potatoes before serving, and add salt and pepper to taste.

adapted from Cuisine At Home, October 2004