Make Ahead

Rosti with Gravlax, Caper Berries and Horseradish Cream

November 22, 2010
5
1 Ratings
Photo by Julia Gartland
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

This makes for a great brunch or a good starter for an elegant dinner. The key to success here is to get the inside done without burning the crust. Patience, in other words. —thirschfeld

Test Kitchen Notes

Thirschfeld's rosti is crunchy and buttery on the outside and soft without being mushy on the inside. The presentation is gorgeous, and will definitely impress guests. The rosti is perfectly complimented by the tangy and zesty horseradish cream, briny capers, and luscious smoked salmon. It was my first attempt at a rosti that actually came out in one piece! I don't know if it was the grapeseed oil, or using the mandoline to shred the potatoes, or one of the other details in the instructions, but whatever it was worked. I used the 5mm julienne blade and set the mandoline at 2 millimeters, to get nice thin shreds. I didn't find smoked gravlax, so substituted smoked salmon lox. The rosti would also be delicious served with smoked ham in place of the gravlax, or sour cream and applesauce like a traditional potato pancake. I will definitely make this again. —hardlikearmour

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Ingredients
  • 1 1/4 pounds Russet potatoes, scrubbed and roughly peeled
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • kosher salt and fresh ground white pepper
  • 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
  • 1/3 cup cultured sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
  • 4 pieces gravlax-style smoked salmon
  • 4 caper berries
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives minced
Directions
  1. Place a clean towel under a mandoline and grate the potatoes using the julienned blade and let them fall right onto the towel. Bunch up the corner of the towel and rinse the potatoes under cold running water. Twist the towel, forming a tight ball, and keep twisting until all the moisture is removed.
  2. Place the potatoes into a bowl and combine with the melted butter. Season with salt and white pepper.
  3. Heat a 10-inch nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add the grapeseed oil and then place the potatoes evenly across the bottom of the pan.
  4. It took me 8 minutes on medium flame, then 6 minutes on medium-high, to get the right crust. Use that as a guide it is not an absolute.
  5. When the rosti is ready to flip, use an oversize lid or pizza pan and cover the sauté pan. Do this by the sink. Flip, without hesitation, while holding the pizza pan tightly to the pan, and them slide the cake carefully back into the pan. Cook the other side of the rosti until crispy.
  6. Combine the sour cream with the horseradish and season it with salt and pepper. Roll the salmon slices attractively. Rinse the caper berries. Chop the chives.
  7. Arrange the different elements attractively on the cake, cut, and serve.
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34 Reviews

Kimberly February 15, 2021
I used my mandolin, and cast iron skillet. Just perfect!
Best Rosti ever.
Chocolate B. March 27, 2017
This is my standard breakfast when we have houseguests and it is fabulous. When we don't have houseguests, we have it for dinner at least once a month. Too yummy.
Lilismom January 17, 2013
Past delicious. Your recipes are consistently wonderful! Thank you for sharing your food with us!
Lilismom January 17, 2013
Making it again tonight but will top with poached eggs and have for dinner!
Lilismom September 30, 2012
The rosti was fantastic! I just make it since I had planed a turkey roulade stuffed with spinach and Comte! The latter was wonderful with the craip rosti! You did it again! Thank you.
Lilismom September 30, 2012
I just bought potatoes now I know what I'm going to do with them!
Truly S. March 16, 2012
Would you have a suggestion on the best alternative to prep the potatoes, if one does not use a mandolin?
thirschfeld March 17, 2012
the large wholes on a box grater would work just fine, or if you have a food processor with a grater it would work too. Just be quick about it or the potatoes will discolor.
evideckis@aol.com December 19, 2023
I have 2 mandolins but I just run the potatoes through the grater in the Cuisinart.
cheese1227 March 14, 2012
Tom, what does "roughly peeled" mean??
thirschfeld March 14, 2012
and what does scubbed mean? LOL. Sometimes I just peel a ring around the middle leaving some of the skin because I like the flavor but don't want to much of that flavor. So I guess roughly means don't be retentive about any peel left on the potato
linzarella December 2, 2010
I first tried rosti after a long hike in a snowstorm to a little mountain hut in the Swiss Alps. Nothing has ever tasted so good in my life. I thought the topping of a fried egg was perfect, but this looks intriguing...
pierino November 28, 2010
Fratello T, anytime I have the opportunity to add "title" to my hotel reservation I use "Monsignor". Although sometimes they only let me add "Lord".
pierino November 28, 2010
Brother T, I rarely have cause to quibble with you but true gravlax is cured and not smoked---fresh salmon, cured with salt, dill and maybe aquvit or vodka. In a way it's like the difference between bacon and pancetta. But the recipe sounds great, and I still want to cook with you some time too.
thirschfeld November 28, 2010
I am glad you pointed that out monsignore pierino. I have made gravlax many different ways and while I like the original I also like the kind that is cured and lightly cold smoked. Never the less you are correct in your statement about true gravlax and I should have pointed that out. Thanks brother p
marynn November 24, 2010
The picture alone does me in. I see a Christmas Day Brunch coming up with this as the star performer.

You have been over the top lately! I am sure appreciative.
Hilarybee November 22, 2010
Wow. All of my favorite things together...this is a sure hit. Thirschfeld, maybe you can go on vacation for say, a month or so? Strategically move off the grid? Give the rest of us a fighting chance? ;)
thirschfeld November 23, 2010
I often think of the, if you have ever been to New Mexico, the mother ship buses buried in the desert, Somewhere not to far from Ojo Caliente, but it just seems like a full time job to move off the grid.
MyCommunalTable November 22, 2010
You have to stop! I can not bear it. It all starts with the crunchy and creamy potato cake... then you stuck ham and gruyere in it, then pork confit, now gravlax and horsradish creme. OMG. What next ...lobster with hollandaise? I can't take this contest. I love this stuff. That's it, I am moving next door, Tom! It also doesn't help that I am trying to be healthy before the feast on Thursday. This site is killing me today.
Midge November 22, 2010
I'll second MyCommunalTable. This looks insanely delicious.
thirschfeld November 22, 2010
Thanks you two. I had a light vegetarian dinner tonight after eating half of this for brunch.
ellenl November 22, 2010
This looks and sounds totally magnificent!
thirschfeld November 22, 2010
Thank you ellenl
drbabs November 22, 2010
Wonderful!
thirschfeld November 22, 2010
thanks drbabs.
hardlikearmour November 22, 2010
Thanks for you great instructions! Every time I try to make a rosti, it ends up looking like hash browns instead. I think I'll give this a whirl.
thirschfeld November 22, 2010
thanks hardlikearmour and I hope you give it a go
hardlikearmour December 7, 2010
I made this and it worked out great. The rosti came out beautifully, and tastes like a delicious, upscale tater tot! (and who doesn't love a good tot?)
AntoniaJames November 22, 2010
Oh my! I was hoping to see a rosti. This is simply perfect; like just about every other recipe you've posted, it's something I want to make (and eat) right now. Spectacular photo, too! ;o)
thirschfeld November 22, 2010
Thanks AJ, it is really good breakfast food.
AntoniaJames November 22, 2010
I've been thinking about making gravlax, after eating some that monkeymom made for our potluck with Amanda earlier this month. It was so, so good! Now I simply must. I'm not real fond of caper berries, so I'll probably go with the small ones . . . but I plan to do everything I can to get that gravlax started soon, so I can make this!! Oh heck, I'll go buy some gravlax. I want this now. ;o)
thirschfeld November 22, 2010
One of the best recipes I have ever used for gravlax is Julia Childs from her book she did with Jaque Pepin. The flavor is unbeatable, dill and cognac. It takes a couple of days because she does the long version but they are worth it.
aargersi November 22, 2010
I would eat the whole thing myself. Yum.
thirschfeld November 22, 2010
I ate half of it but decided I better save a piece or two for others. But now I am thinking about it again, so, I may end up eating the whole thing.