Fried Egg Over Home Fries

Baby, it's cold outside!

Normally, Florida only experiences winds like this during a tropical storm or little hurricane. The hibernating branches have awoken from their slumber to beat heavily against the house and windows all day and night. I've discovered cracks in the window seals when the cold wind hisses through into the house and makes us all shiver. A great excuse to curl up closer in a blanket to remain warm though.

On days like this, I miss our old fireplace to help keep warm.

Which had me thinking about a dish Dante asked about the other night: Home Fries.

I couldn't remember the last time I enjoyed hot and tasty Home Fries. Obviously, this calls for a remedy.

Home Fries just refers to a simple dish of potatoes that are made at home. The potatoes need to be twice baked to ensure they are not raw and do not burn. I like the boiling method because it softens the center of each piece rapidly and helps create a beautiful crust when cooked the second time without browning too much. The accompaniments to the potatoes are endless. I've added onions and mushrooms since I had some moping about in the refrigerator, which nearly makes this dish the French Lyonnaise Potatoes, but I still consider it Home Fries simply because I can. If you choose to use bell peppers, the dish would be Potatoes O'Brien, but then I start craving spirits in my coffee, and that's not the recommended way to start a weekday morning - so I'll just stick to the potatoes.

The delicious potatoes. I love adding turmeric to this dish to make the colors pop. It accents the browned potatoes and adds a delicate sweetness to balance the salty bacon. Oh, the bacon! I cook the bacon first and use the grease to cook the potatoes the second time. This adds flavor by leaps and bounds, plus the browning is better than other fats for this dish. I recommend fresh thyme to be thrown in at the end, although I forgot to pick some up at the store and had to use dried. 

To round out the breakfast, I added a fried egg. I prefer mine over medium, which means I cook it on both sides until the yolk is barely runny. This adds just a touch of smoothness to eat bite.

So put on that pot of coffee (I won't tell anyone if you add more than cream) and get this dish started. It's a sure way to stay warm and perk yourself up on these cold winter mornings.

Home Fries

Printable Recipe

6 slices bacon

4 tbsp bacon fat (or ghee)

4 Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1/2" cubes

1/4 yellow onion, medium diced

8 medium crumini mushrooms, medium diced

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp paprika

Preheat the oven to 450*F. Using an oven pan with a lip, lay 6 slices of bacon and cook for 25 min. (I like my bacon charred. If you prefer softer bacon, reduce the cooking time.)

Meanwhile, in a medium pot over medium heat, add 6 cups water and cook the potatoes at a low boil for 15 min. Drain and add to a large skillet to allow to release steam. 

Once the bacon has finished cooking, remove from the oven and lay on a plate. 

Immediately pour the hot bacon fat into the skillet with the potatoes and turn on the burner to medium heat. Leave the potatoes in place for 10 min to begin the browning process. (Begin cooking the fried eggs.)

After 10 min, stir the potatoes, add the onion and mushrooms. Allow to cook for another 7 min, without stirring. Then add the turmeric and paprika, mix to combine and allow to cook for another 3 min. Lastly, crumble in 4-6 pieces of bacon (I ate 2 of the slices before they could make it into the dish.)

Fried Egg

Printable Recipe

2-4 tsp butter or olive oil

2-4 eggs, room temperature

2-4 oz smoked gouda, shaved

pinch fresh black pepper & smoked sea salt

1-2 tsp fresh or dried thyme

In a small skillet over medium-heat heat, add 1 tsp butter or oil. Then gently crack an egg over the skillet to ensure the white stays close to the yolk. To cook the egg over medium, allow to cook for 3 min on the first side. Then use a spatula to flip over and cook for 2 min. Remove from the skillet to a plate and cook the remaining eggs.

On each serving plate, add the desired amount of home fries, then top with a fried egg. Garnish with smoked gouda, fresh pepper, smoked sea salt, and fresh thyme.

~Yields 2-4 servings, depending on desired serving size.

~Original by Brie.