Onion and Jalapeño Home Fries

Last Saturday was one of those days when vegging on the couch seems like the only reasonable thing to do. That's exactly what I was up to when Austin asked "Babe, how do you bake a potato in the microwave?". "Just pierce it with a fork and cook it for about 5-7 minutes, if it's small. Wait, why are you baking potatoes?", I said. "Home fries", he responded, then adding "What spices do you think the people at Rick's use on theirs?".  "If I give you my best guess will you make me some?",  I tentatively asked. "Already planned on it", he replied. "I think they use chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper". Yes! If his home fries were even half as good as the ones at Rick's I'd be having a great breakfast.

You see, I power ballad love the home fries at Rick's Diner (I've been known to make them my one and only brunch item). You may not share my enthusiasm if you prefer your home fries dry and crispy on the outside, though. The ones at Rick's are soft, moist, slightly spicy and have a hint of sweetness from the softened onions. Austin's rendition was almost identical to the original dish except for the addition of jalapeños. I really enjoyed the flavor they provided and, since they were seeded, they didn't overwhelm the potatoes. I thought they were so delicious that I ate my share and then snagged a few of Austin's while he wasn't looking.

Of course, Austin didn't measure any of the ingredients so in order to write down the recipe I had to make these again on Sunday. Home fries two mornings in a row? I won't say not to that! And after you taste these, you'll won't either.

Onion and Jalapeño Home Fries 
Inspired by the home fries at Rick's Diner
Makes 2 potato fiend servings, 3 normal ones

• 1 lb 3 oz / 540 g young red (or other) potatoes, scrubbed clean and dried
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 2 jalapeños, seeded and julienned
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1.  Pierce each potato a few times with a fork. If you'd like to do this more elegantly, bake the potatoes at 350 F / 175 C for about 45 minutes to one hour (young potatoes are smaller and less starchy so they don't take as long to bake) or until just tender. If, like Austin and me, you don't mind taking a dirty shortcut, you can bake your potatoes in the microwave. To do so, make sure they're all roughly the same size. If that means cutting larger potatoes in half, do so. Place the potatoes on a microwave safe plate and microwave them on high for about 5-7 minutes, or until they're tender, but not falling apart.
2.  While your potatoes are cooking, heat the oil over medium heat in a medium pan. Add the onions and cook them about 3 minutes or until they start to soften. Toss in the jalapeños, and cook for another 3 minutes or so. Slice the potatoes into bite-sized pieces, and add them to pan along with the spices and the salt. Give the mixture a good toss, to make sure everything is evenly coated and cook, stirring a couple times, for about 4 minutes. Serve piping hot alongside the rest of your brunch or, if you're an indulgent potato lover like me, all by themselves.