Potatoes Lyonnaise with Lemon and Chile

The countdown to my next trip to France has already begun! In exactly one month I will be boarding a plane for my favorite place in all the world. I am again going to Normandy (fall is such an incredible time to be there, with apples ripe and cider season in full swing), and then to Paris. This month is going to fly by, I just know it.

The latest Food & Wine arrived yesterday, and the theme of the issue is New French Classics. I love this, of course, because I do this all the time at home. One of the recipes that caught my eye immediately was the updated version of Potatoes Lyonnaise. If you aren’t familiar with the recipe, it is simply potatoes, onions, garlic. But the marriage of the three (with a healthy dose of butter, I’m not going to lie), exults the simple tubers into things of sheer genius. You will never eat plain old hash browns again.

I didn't have parsley on hand so this pic is missing the oomph of green needed to make these pop, but they tasted great anyway!

Potatoes Lyonnaise with Lemon and Chile
From Food & Wine Magazine

1 tbs unsalted butter
1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 baking potatoes (peeled and sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick)
1/4 cup pork fat (I used leaf lard that I had on hand for pie crusts) or melted unsalted butter
1 large clove garlic, chopped
freshly ground pepper
pinch of crushed red pepper
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbs chopped parsley

In medium saucepan, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the sliced onions and a large pinch of salt. Cover and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and golden, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the potato slices in a large pan of water, add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately high heat until the potatoes are just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes and spread the slices in a single layer on a baking sheet; let cool to room temperature. Gently pat the slices dry.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat the pork fat (or butter). Add the potato slices and cook over moderately high heat until they are browned and crisp, about 6 minutes on each side. Add the chopped garlic and shake it in the skillet until just golden, about 30 seconds. Add the cooked omnions and season them with salt and pepper. Gently stir in the crushed red pepper and lemon juice. Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve right away.