I have always had "one of those faces" ... When I'm in the grocery store, I am sometimes stopped ... especially by college students ... and asked how to prepare something. That has ranged from "how to cut up a chicken" to "how to fry potatoes"! There is a trick to frying good potatoes. I decided I'd post more purple potatoes that came from the CSA project, so I fried a couple with a white potato. My mother used to keep potatoes boiled and refrigerated, so when she needed to fry them, it wouldn't take as long. These were fried from the raw state.
If you wash your sliced potatoes, make sure you shake them dry. The water on the potatoes will cause the oil to splatter when you drop them in the skillet. Slice them thin and drop them in preheated hot oil. Immediately turn the burner down to medium, and put a lid on the skillet. This lets the potatoes steam so they get tender. Leave the lid on for a few minutes, then remove it and turn the potatoes over. You'll know if you need to steam them for a longer period of time. If you can't stick a fork through the potato slice, put the lid back on for a few minutes. I always add chopped onion to my fried potatoes. Put the onion in the skillet at the same time you put the potatoes in. After the potatoes are done, turn the burn heat on high again and finish the potatoes with some quick browning. Salt and pepper them. Add a little fresh dill, if you'd like.
