Crispy Hash Brown Cake with Potato Slayer

July 06,2024

Who can resist crispy hash-browns? Not me. I learned the following method, an elevated take on the Waffle House variety, from Amy Thielen’s “The New Midwestern Table.” Amy is a fellow Midwesterner, and an amazing writer and cookbook author (check her books ASAP!). To create the “cake,” shredded potatoes and onions are.
In my recipe, I use a mix of onions (green onions add tremendous appeal) and Potato Slayer, our herby, spud-centric seasoning to the mix. The crispy cake is delicious on its own, topped with a sprinkling of kosher salt and snipped chives. But you can also serve wedges of the cake topped with anything you fancy. Topped with sliced ham, a crispy egg, and grated Gruyere, it becomes a “Potato Croque.”Crowned with a dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche and caviar (trout roe is delicious and won’t break the bank), it becomes a showy side or centerpiece for a special brunch. Then again, American cheese, a fried egg and a squirt of ketchup would be a welcome finish any day of the week.