Potato Cakes with Chives & Sour Cream

Yields 4 potato cakes

To learn more, read:
Fresh chives, an herb with verve
by Ruth Lively
from Fine Cooking
Issue 71
Last Edit Date: 6/10/2011 11:02:36 AM

These are essentially seasoned mashed potatoes shaped into cakes and pan-fried until they've developed a delicious crusty exterior. They can be shaped into patties up to a day before frying. Serve with bacon and eggs or alongside roasted meats.

more about:

1 lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
Kosher salt
1/4 cup packed finely grated Asiago cheese (1 oz.)
5 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
3 Tbs. sour cream; more for serving
1/4 cup thinly sliced chives; more for serving

Put the potatoes and 1 tsp. salt into a medium saucepan and add water to cover by about 1/2 inch. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Uncover, reduce heat to prevent a boilover, and boil until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, 20 to 25 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and pass them through a ricer or food mill back into the saucepan (or mash them as smoothly as possible with a hand masher). Add the cheese, 3 Tbs. of the olive oil, the sour cream, pepper, and 1/2 tsp. salt; mix thoroughly. Add the chives and stir until well mixed. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary. Divide the potato mixture into quarters and shape each into a squat patty about 3/4 inch thick. (If making ahead, put the patties on a plate or tray in a single layer, cover with plastic, and refrigerate.)

Heat the remaining 2 Tbs. oil in a 10-inch nonstick pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, set the cakes in the pan so they aren't touching. Cook until a deep brown crust forms, 2 to 3 minutes, and then turn and brown on the other side, another 2 to 3 minutes (the cooking time will be a bit longer if the patties are chilled). Serve immediately, topped with a dab of sour cream and a sprinkle of chives.

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nutrition information (per serving):
Size : per cake with 1 tsp sour cream; Calories (kcal): 310; Fat (g): 23; Fat Calories (kcal): 210; Saturated Fat (g): 6; Protein (g): 5; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 15; Carbohydrates (g): 21; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 2; Sodium (mg): 550; Cholesterol (mg): 15; Fiber (g): 2;