Crackling Potato Cake Recipes

CRISPY POTATO CAKE

Steps:

• Clarify the butter: Melt the butter in a small saucepan and bring it to a gentle simmer.
• Shut off the heat and allow it to sit a minute on the stove. The milk solids should start to sink to the bottom. Slowly pour the butter into a bowl, keeping as much of the white milky liquid as possible in the saucepan. Discard the milk solids. These are prone to burning and by clarifying the butter, the potato cake will be less likely to overbrown. Keep the butter warm on the stove.
• Prepare the potatoes: Using a mandoline slicer or a sharp knife, cut the potatoes into thin 1/8-inch-thick slices. Transfer them to a bowl, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and black pepper, cover with all but 2 tablespoons of the melted butter and toss to coat.
• Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the bottom of an 8-inch nonstick skillet and swirl it around to coat the bottom and sides. Add the thyme and a pinch of salt. It will start to crackle a little. Cook until it is no longer crackling, about 5 minutes, then remove the thyme from the butter and let cool slightly, about 1 minute. Strip half of the thyme leaves from the stems into the bowl with the potatoes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Assemble: Remember that the bottom layer will be the top when you unmold this cake so it should be done with extra care. Beginning in the center of the skillet, layer the potatoes in an overlapping circle following the edge of the skillet. Continue with the remaining potatoes, switching the direction and adding some salt and add a few spoonfuls of the potato liquid in between each layer. Gently press down on the potatoes as you're layering to make sure they stick together and form a cake. Pour any remaining potato liquid on top.
• Cook: Place the skillet on high heat and cook until the water starts to release itself from the potatoes and you can see the edges browning, 10 to 12 minutes. Place the skillet on a baking sheet, transfer the baking sheet to the oven and cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes.
• Remove the baking sheet from the oven and carefully pour off any excess butter from the skillet into a bowl; save. Carefully line the hot baking sheet with parchment paper, then flip the skillet onto the sheet in one deft motion. Lift off the skillet and pour the reserved butter over the cake. Return the baking sheet to the oven to cook until the top of the cake is golden brown and crispy and the potatoes feel completely tender in the center when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 15 minutes.
• Serve: Carefully transfer the cake to a cutting board, season with salt and cut into wedges like a pie. Serve with roe or creme fraiche if desired.

CRACKLING POTATO CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 8. Cut a circle of baking parchment to fit the base of a 20-23cm ovenproof frying pan. Using a mandolin or sharp knife, slice the potatoes as thinly as possible. Pour a little of the butter over the parchment on the base and neatly overlap slices of the potato on the first layer. Then pile on one-third of the remaining potatoes, season, drizzle with a little butter and repeat until all the potatoes are used.
• Put the pork skin, skin-side up, on top of the potatoes and roast everything for 1 hr 30 mins until the crackling is crispy and the potatoes are really crisp and golden. Set the crackling aside, turn the potatoes out onto a tray or board and serve the crackling on top.

BEST STOP CRACKLIN

Steps:

• Fill a cast-iron pot halfway with oil and heat over medium heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees F.
• Add the pork belly to the oil and cook, stirring constantly, until golden brown and the skins begin to float, crack and pop, about 1 hour. Drain on a sheet tray lined with paper towel and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
• Again, heat the oil to 350 degrees F and fry a second time, stirring occasionally, until the cracklings are crisp and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain on a sheet tray lined with paper towel. Sprinkle liberally with Cajun seasoning.
• Allow to cool slightly and serve.

POTATO CAKES

Steps:

• Peel the potatoes and grate them, using the large opening of a 4-sided hand grater.
• Empty the grated potatoes into a bowl and add the egg, onion, flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Blend well.
• Heat the oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet and with an ice cream scoop or large spoon, drop the mixture into the pan to form 8 patties of equal size. Cook until golden on one side. Turn and cook on the other side until golden brown.

OLD FASHIONED POTATO CAKES

Steps:

• Mix mashed potatoes, flour, onion, egg, black pepper, and salt together in a bowl until batter consistency.
• Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Drop 4-inch circles of batter into hot oil. Cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining batter.

POTATO CAKE

Steps:

• In a medium size mixing bowl combine mashed potatoes, egg, flour, salt (if needed) and garlic salt. Mix well.
• Melt butter in a large frying pan over a low heat. Drop pancake-size (4 inch circles) lumps of mashed potatoes into the frying pan. Pat to flatten to 1/2 to 1 inch thickness. Sprinkle some cheddar cheese onto the mashed potato cake. Spoon more potato mixture over the cheese. Flip the potato cake over when the bottom is browned (about 10 minutes). Brown the other side (about 10 minutes).

ROASTED BABY POTATOES WITH CRACKLINGS AND CHIVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Toss together halved baby potatoes and room-temperature reserved skimmed pork fat. Season with coarse salt and freshly ground pepper.
• Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Cut reserved skin into 1-inch pieces, and toss with room-temperature reserved skimmed pork fat and heated reserved shredded pork.
• Transfer to a separate baking sheet. Roast until potatoes are tender and golden and skin pieces start to crisp, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add collard greens and water. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until wilted, about 7 minutes.
• Transfer greens to a platter, and top with potatoes and cracklings. Drizzle with heated reserved jus, and garnish with chives.