Danish Traditions for The Holidays - Caramelized Potatoes

One of our favorite Christmas dishes is an old Danish family tradition that has been kept a secret for generations. But I'm willing to share it with my blogging buddies.

It is called Brune Kartofler. Brune = Brown and Kartofler = potoatoes. If you visit the All Time Cookbook website, you can see a picture of the finished product and I can testify that they are YUMMMMMYYY!

These brown potatoes are not a dessert even though they are really caramelized potatoes.

Here's what you need:

Four cans (14 oz cans) of baby white potatoes - precooked and peeled

Two cups of white sugar

One cube of butter

And here's the recipe:

Take four cans (14 oz cans) of baby white potatoes, drain the liquid and let them stand.

In a cast iron pan (preferably a dutch oven) pour in two cups of white sugar. Heat on low-heat until the sugar turns to a brown liquid. Stir in one cube of butter.

Then carefully place the potatoes in the caramel and let heat on low heat for 30 minutes.

WARNINGS: (Be extra careful with the caramel - it can pop when you place the potatoes in the liquid and it will burn) I add the potatoes with a long metal spoon to keep my hands back away from any splattering caramel.

Don't over cook the caramel because it will turn bitter and taste burnt. These aren't easy to make just right but they are a special treat.

YUM!

I made these potatoes for Thanksgiving and the kids said they tasted a little burnt so on Christmas I didn't cook them as long and the kids said they didn't have as rich a flavor as they usually do. I explained it was because we'd gone to the movies to see Bedtime Stories, starring Adam Sandler, and I didn't want to rush the potatoes. So I cooked them slowly but didn't have enough time to get them as thoroughly coated as usual. However, my friend Jacqueline - who had never had them before - said she loved them. So, I guess it's what your used to. My kids just expect perfection - unfortunately parents aren't perfect. :) I told my daughter that "parents aren't perfect" and she said, "They should be. But, you can work on it."