FARGO 鈥� With St. Patrick鈥檚 Day falling on a Sunday this year, I thought it would be fun to focus on breakfast with these savory and delicious Potatoes O鈥橞rien. This Irish American specialty originated in the early 1900s and features diced potatoes pan-fried with sweet bell peppers and onion. It has since become a breakfast classic and is versatile enough to serve for dinner, too.
My first introduction to Potatoes O鈥橞rien was in 1991 as a stewardess working aboard the M/V Yorktown Clipper, a small, luxury cruise ship. While we did not have all the amenities that larger ships offered, our cuisine was world-class and thoughtful. Every morning, in addition to the regular breakfast menu, our chefs offered a 鈥減otato of the day.鈥�
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Our guests absolutely loved this feature. Travel can be stressful at times, and this daily special created a sense of comfort and familiarity for our guests. In addition to classics like Potatoes O鈥橞rien, our daily rotation also included hashbrowns, country, lyonnaise, cottage and scalloped potatoes.
I was a finicky eater when I first started working on the Yorktown, with a classic meat and potatoes, North Dakota girl palate. In the early days, those breakfast potatoes saved my life, and the daily variety gently forced me to eat outside my comfort zone every morning. My whole perspective toward food changed from this one job, and it all began with the potato of the day.
Yukon Golds are my choice for Potatoes O鈥橞rien, but you can use whatever variety you prefer. I keep the skin on the potatoes and dice them into half-inch cubes, and I dice the bell peppers and onions to a similar size. Green and red bell peppers are traditionally used for Potatoes O鈥橞rien, but I swapped the red for an orange pepper instead, in keeping with the Irish theme.
I fry the diced potatoes in a mixture of vegetable oil and butter until they are golden brown and slightly crisp. This takes about 12 to 15 minutes, and for the first four minutes, I do not touch the potatoes so that they can develop a good crust on one side.
Next, I add the diced bell peppers and onion and cook them with potatoes for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the potatoes are soft inside, and the vegetables are beginning to brown. I season with salt and pepper throughout this process and add a touch of minced garlic at the end for a final boost of flavor. The potatoes can be served immediately or refrigerated for up to four days and reheated on the stove just before serving.
I have come a long way from that young woman with the picky palate all those years ago, but my penchant for potatoes is still as strong. Potatoes O鈥橞rien combine flavor and tradition for the perfect St. Patrick鈥檚 Day dish. I leave you today with my favorite Irish sailors鈥� blessing and wish you a Happy St. Patrick鈥檚 Day. Erin go bragh!
May the seas lie smooth before you,
may a gentle breeze forever fill your sails.
May sunshine warm your face,
and kindness warm your soul.
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Potatoes O鈥橞rien
Serves: 6 to 8
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled or unpeeled, diced into 陆-inch pieces
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1 medium yellow onion, small-diced
- 1 green bell pepper, small-diced
- 1 sweet bell pepper, small-diced (orange, red or yellow)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Directions:
In a large skillet, heat the oil and butter over medium-high heat until the butter is melted, and the fats start to shimmer.
Add the diced potatoes and toss until evenly coated. Spread the potatoes into a single layer and reduce the heat to medium. Let the potatoes cook, undisturbed, for 4 minutes so that they can develop a good crust. Toss the potatoes well and season with a sprinkling of kosher salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 10 to 12 minutes more, tossing occasionally (about every 2 minutes), until they are golden brown and lightly crisp.
Add the diced onion and bell peppers and season with 陆 teaspoon kosher salt and 录 teaspoon black pepper; toss to combine. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are soft inside, and the vegetables are lightly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring often. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 days and reheat on the stovetop.
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