Mini Potato Rösti with Crème Fraîche and Caviar
A crisp potato disc the size of a silver dollar, topped with cool crème fraîche and a small spoonful of caviar.
Method
Peel the potatoes and grate them on the large holes of a box grater. Wrap in a clean towel and squeeze until very dry. Toss with the salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the clarified butter in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until it shimmers.
Pack a heaping tablespoon of potato into the pan and press flat with a spatula into a 2-inch disc. Repeat to make 4 discs; do not crowd the pan.
Cook 4-5 minutes per side, pressing occasionally, until deeply golden and crisp on both sides. Add more butter between batches.
Top each rösti with a small spoonful of crème fraîche, a small spoonful of caviar, and a shower of chives. Serve immediately.
A small, perfect thing on a small, perfect plate.
— Oysterdrive
The first bite of the night
The rösti should be small enough to eat in two bites, golden enough to hear before you taste it, and just loose enough at the edge that a fork finds a way in without announcement. Press the grated potato firmly into the pan with a spatula so it behaves like a single object, then leave it alone. Patience is the entire technique.
The crème fraîche is cold and the caviar should be colder. Chives cut at the last second so they smell like the garden, not the refrigerator. Pass these on a slate board if you have one; otherwise, anything flat and dark and undecorated.