Crisp Shredded Potato Cakes with Crème Fraîche
- 2 baking potatoes (approximately 1 pound)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, clarified
- ¼ cup minced white onion
- ¼ cup crème fraîche
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
Instructions:
The potato cakes in this recipe are based on rösti. No flour or eggs are used to bind the potatoes; the starch in the potatoes themselves holds the pancakes together.
- Peel the potatoes. Shred them lengthwise on a grater or mandoline, using the “large” option, so that you produce the longest possible shreds. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the clarified butter in a 9-inch nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Spread a quarter of the potatoes evenly in the pan. (This should produce a thin layer only a few shreds thick.) Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the minced onion over the potatoes. Cook, uncovered, on the first side until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium if it seems as if the potatoes are starting to burn. As the grated potatoes cook, they’ll stick together in a pancake. Don’t disturb the potato cake until you’re pretty sure it’s cooked. Flip the cake and cook on the second side until golden brown, another 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a platter and keep warm in a low oven. Repeat to make 3 more cakes.
- Top each potato cake with a tablespoon of crème fraîche, sprinkle with the chives, and serve immediately.