Mmm Mmm Mojos

Mojo potatoes. A great appetizer before pizza.  Remember Shakey's...well here's a recipe to recreate mojo potatoes.  Recipe as I found it and then, per usual, I'll let you know the modifications as we go along! :)

6 russet potatoes  (I used large red potatoes)
canola oil
2 eggs (I used one egg)
4 cups flour (umm, really? 1 cup for me)
seasoning salt
1/2 tsp cayenne (eeeks no way! how about chili powder - it's red)
2 tsp thyme (don't have any so let's use garlic herb mix)
2 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp melted butter

Just looking at those ingredients I say Whoooa Doggie to the 4 cups of flour.  Four?  That seems just a wee bit excessive.  I used 2 large red potatoes and used only one egg and 1 cup of flour and ended up with beyond plenty left over of both the egg and breading mixes.  Even if you are double battering 4 cups seems excessive.  As for the seasonings I used what I have and what I thought would be good.  Chili powder actually brings a nice flavor to potatoes so opted for that, besides the fact that I don't have cayenne in this house - eeks!) But, you do as you will do.

If you are ready to proceed:
1. Place egg in bowl and beat adding milk and melted butter. (don't melt your butter and then add your cold ingredients or your butter will set - your objective is a mix not butter lumps otherwise you might not take the time to melt the butter, silly)

2. New bowl - mix flour and spices (I don't have cayenne or thyme so I dumped in some garlic herb seasoning and chili powder - guessing with my one cup of flour I probably used 1 tsp chili and 1/2 tsp garlic herb - basically I mixed until I was happy that it seemed there were actual spices in the flour so I'm not real clear on the amount actually used). 

3. Heat your oil

4. Cut each potato into rounds (cut lengthwise so you have tall pieces) - 1/4 inch thickness works.

5. Potatoes into egg and then into flour

6. Drop into hot oil (personally I like to gently place into hot oil - but if you feel like risking hot oil splattering your face - go for the drop - totally your call... I'll stand back).

7. Let them brown and cook.  (When you think they are probably brown enough - leave them for a little bit longer - the goal is to have the potatoes totally soft and feel like mashed potatoes inside your mouth. Leave it.  Leave it.  Leeeeaaave it....)

8. Drain and season with salt (I used a mix of salt and garlic salt)

9. Serve quick while they are steaming hot.  Go ahead and pile some Parmesan on that plate too.

Oh my goodness!  Give yourself some room because you'll be doing a happy dance!