My dad’s raw fried potatoes

Sometimes, when I really find myself missing my dad, I make these potatoes. He passed away in 1999 and about 2 years before that, told me he was taking his recipes for canned beef and raw fried potatoes to his grave. I think at the time, he was kidding, but he ended up telling the truth. I’ve kind of figured out the beef but it’s still a process and since beef isn’t cheap, I don’t try often because messing it up means wasting expensive food. The potatoes, though? After years and years, I finally figured it out.

I made these tonight, although I wasn’t feeling particularly lonely for my dad. I just wanted something different than my usual potatoes. It really hit the spot.

4 medium potatoes, peeled and grated (it’s so, so much easier if you have a machine like a Salad Shooter for this but before he got one, he used a grater. Also, I do not mean slices. I mean shredded.)
1/2 small onion, diced very small
salt and pepper
vegetable oil

Now, I know you aren’t going to know the difference but I am telling you that in order to truly taste my dad’s potatoes, you need a cast iron skillet. This was the missing piece in the recipe that I couldn’t figure out until I happened to use one once. The pan makes a difference. If you don’t have one, I don’t guess it’ll matter because you didn’t even know my dad, but there truly is a difference. If you can use one, do.

Anyway, drizzle a couple of tablespoons of oil in the skillet and heat over medium heat. As you’re working with the pan and heating it, cutting the onions, and so on, the potatoes will discolor to brown a bit. That’s okay. It won’t hurt anything. Since my dad used to use a grater before he got a salad shooter, you can imagine that the potatoes were often brown by the time he cooked them.

When the pan is heated, add the potatoes and onion. Spread evenly in the pan so it makes something like a giant hashbrown, sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper, and cover. Now, leave it alone. You want the bottom to brown a bit. Once the bottom browns, which will take about 7-8 minutes, flip it over. It won’t be a perfect hashbrown but most of it should hold together. Cover and cook another 7-8 minutes. At that point, it should be done but taste test it first before you turn off the flame.

Once the potatoes are tender, that’s it. I eat mine with ketchup and in order to make authentic Harvey raw fried potatoes, it’s kind of important that you spread a layer of ketchup over them, but I don’t think he’ll mind if you don’t.

It’s simple comfort food for me and it really fills the tummy.

Enjoy, or as my dad would say, “I’ll drink to that!”