Schnellerkartoffel
Quick Fries
6 or 8 small round potatoes
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
Salt
Boil potatoes in their jackets and cool enough to peel when hot. It’s best to chill the peeled potatoes, even overnight, so that they are firm enough to cut and fry. Cut chilled potatoes into slices (about ¼ inch thick or less) or thicker chunks. In a heavy skilletmelt vegetable shortening (or if you prefer, lard) and, when shortening is quite hot, carefully add potatoes. Fry until nicely browned. Salt and serve.
Serves four.
Note: Prepared in the communal kitchen for breakfast or dinner, the fried potato has a place all its own in Amana culinary tradition. A favorite still, Schnellerkartoffel are frequently served today in Amana Colony restaurants.
Marjoram Kartoffeln
Marjoram Potatoes
Fry potatoes as stated in the preceding recipes and add ⅛ teaspoon sweet marjoram.
Serves four.
Note: Marjoram, a perennial herb of the mint family, was grown by some colony cooks. Wilhelmine Zimmerman Baumgartner of South Amana grew it in quantity and sold it via advertisement. She used marjoram in a variety of vegetable dishes, including potato dumplings.
Fried Potatoes with Onion
When frying the potatoes, as stated in the preceding recipes, add ¼ cup finely minced onion.
Yields four servings.
These recipes comes from the cookbook Seasons of Plenty: Amana Communal Cooking and are posted with permission of author Emilie Hoppe. Learn more about the book and how to purchase it.
