Potato Cakes with Smoked Salmon was my ode to “breakfast for dinner” night.
“Breakfast for dinner” is my specialty. Back in the day as a poor but resourceful college student, I balanced my checkbook by having breakfast foods for dinner. Savory oatmeal required very little ingredients to make, and really just a small saucepan and a wooden spoon to make with. Quaker oats, soy sauce, sesame oil, and a jar of furikake made for an indulgent weeknight meal. A bacon egg sandwich turned into a dinner-on-the-run. And if my checking account looked REALLY pathetic, I’d settle on a bowl of cereal. Despite the “need over want” scenarios, I didn’t mind eating out of sequence. Breakfast had always been my favorite meal of the day, anyway. It’s the most comforting, I think, and the only time when eating something sweet isn’t considered ruining one’s appetite or stunting one’s growth (thanks, Mom). Hurray for pancakes!
I decided I wanted breakfast for dinner last week. I had seen an “English Breakfast” recipe on Jamie’s site but was picturing my painful morning meals when I studied abroad in Stratford-Upon-Avon one summer, many moons ago. So I looked up “potatoes” and found this. I was sold on the combo of all of my favorite foods. I also like edible things, stacked neatly on top of each other. This required stacking four breakfast-appropriate items starting with the potato pancakes working all the way up to the dollop of sour cream or crème fraiche. I was thrilled!
This recipe was a big fat winner. From start to finish, the steps were easy to follow. Timing was important however, what with boiling the potatoes until cooked but still firm, and boiling the egg until soft and runny, but not raw. I bought the smoked salmon from Trader Joe’s, but am feeling a inspired to try smoking my own next time (any suggestions, Jamie?). I opted for crème fraiche instead of sour cream since the former just is a tad richer in texture and flavor. And last but not least, the chopped green onion mixed in with the grated potatoes added a nice, spicy kick to the entire dish. Given my high tolerance for all things onion, I added a generous amount. The potato cake almost resembled a Chinese scallion pancake. It’s no wonder that when I re-capped the whole story for one of our food editors, she suggested I season the potatoes with some ground, toasted Sichuan peppercorns, next time of course because there will definitely be one…
Red-skinned and yellow-skinned potatoes; I don’t believe in segregation.
Grated cooked potatoes, chopped green onions, and a spoonful of flour, all about to become heavenly pillows of potatoe-y goodness.
Version 1 (Day 1)
Version 2 (Day 2) I decide to integrate the purple potatoes into my cooking for a little party in my mouth!
This is how I like to eat my meals–like a ravenous beast.
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