Home Fries Animal-style

My fellow environmentalist Erin "Animal" Crowdus made these for me and Katy "K-Ro" Rowe for brunch on a rare Saturday off some years ago (they were so good, I can't quite remember what else we had on that sunny afternoon). You can use oil instead of butter, but the flavor won't be the same.

Ingredients

1 large idaho potato
1 Tbsp butter, preferably salted
salt
black pepper
garlic powder

(optional:)
smoked paprika
cayenne
chili powder

Instructions

Chop the potato into tiny 1/2 inch cubes. Gently toss on a paper towel to remove excess moisture, and season in a bowl. The trick is to go overboard here with the pepper; if you're using freshly ground make sure it's a fine grind; you want each piece fully covered in seasonings. Heat a large nonstick pan on medium high heat, swirl in the butter, and add the potatoes. Cook for ~15 minutes, flipping a few times to ensure each side is browned. If you have a lid that fits, cover it for at least five minutes while cooking to reduce cooking time.