food comas

Another savory recipe from my Belarussian roommate!  Natalya had taken me and several friends to the famed Tatiana restaurant located in Brighton Beach.  This glitzy Russian palace/night club features a dining experience unlike any other.  From the tome of a menu to the constant flow of vodka to the crazy production that is the weekend dinner show, I was enthralled and stupefied and totally loving every minute of it.

My favorite dish at Tatiana was the fried potatoes dish with chanterelle mushrooms.  I requested Natalya to make some at home and below is the recipe she got from her mother.  Chanterelle mushrooms (pictured below) can get fairly expensive, so we just used normal white mushrooms, which still tasted yummy.  These fried potatoes are super comfort food.  Essentially “home-style” foods, no matter where home is, translates to greasy goodness.  The more oil you use, the tastier the potatoes will be.  That is just a fact.

Fried Home-Russian-Style Potatoes

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 large potatoes, peeled and diced into small cubes
• 8 medium-sized mushrooms, sliced
• 1 Tbsp sour cream
• 2 Tbsp dill, finely chopped
• Pinch of salt

Directions

Heat up some cooking oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Use enough oil so that the entire bottom is coated.  Add the potatoes to the skillet and and cook until golden brown and crispy.  Lower the heat to medium-low and cover the pan.  Cook for an additional 20 minutes until the potatoes reach your desired softness/crispiness levels.

While your potatoes continue to cook, heat up 1 Tbsp of oil in a separate skillet.  Sauté the mushrooms until cooked, and then stir in the sour cream.

When the mushrooms and potatoes are ready, combine both in a large bowl.   Add a pinch of salt and garnish with dill.  Enjoy!