Name: Beet and Potato Roesti with Orange-Chive Crème Fraîche
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Cuisine: Eastern European & GermanEurope
Ingredients: 1/4 cup crème fraîche; 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives; 2 1/2 teaspoons grated orange zest plus ½ teaspoon juice; 1 pound russet potatoes , peeled and shredded; 1 pound peeled and grated beets; 2 teaspoons cornstarch; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Why This Recipe Works

Hugely popular in Switzerland, roesti is a large golden-brown pancake of simply seasoned grated potatoes fried in butter. We set out to master this recipe with a crunchy, crisp exterior encasing a tender, creamy interior. Wanting to produce cakes with plenty of hearty potatoes but with a decidedly fresh flavor, we swapped out some of the potatoes for grated beets, which gave our roesti a brighter flavor without masking the delicate flavor of the potatoes. Producing a golden-brown crust was easy, but the inside of the roesti came out gluey and half-cooked. To solve these problems we eliminated excess moisture by salting our vegetables, then wringing them dry in a dish towel. To ensure our potato cake held together, we tossed the potatoes and beets with a small amount of cornstarch. Creating a rich but bright sauce to accompany our roesti was as simple as combining tangy crème fraîche with parsley and orange zest and juice. We were pleased to find that a beet variation worked just as well as our master recipe: We simply tweaked the seasoning and our sauce to match the flavor profile of the sweeter, earthy-tasting beet roesti.

Instructions

Combine crème fraîche, 1 tablespoon chives, ½ teaspoon orange zest, orange juice, and ⅛ teaspoon salt in bowl, cover, and refrigerate until needed. Meanwhile, toss potatoes and grated beets with ¾ teaspoon salt, then let drain in colander for 30 minutes.

Working in 3 batches, wrap potato mixture in clean dish towel and wring tightly to squeeze out as much liquid as possible; transfer to large bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons chives, remaining 2 teaspoons orange zest, cornstarch, and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and toss to combine.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add potato mixture and spread into even layer. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and, using greased spatula, gently press potato mixture to form compact, round cake. Cook, pressing on cake occasionally, until bottom is deep golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Run spatula around edge of pan and shake pan to loosen roesti; slide onto large plate. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in now-empty skillet. Invert roesti onto second plate, then slide it, browned side up, back into skillet. Cook, pressing on cake occasionally, until bottom is well browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer roesti to wire rack and let cool for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve with crème fraîche sauce.