Smoked Salmon and Crispy Potato Tower with Crème Fraiche

~ Whether it be a blini or a latke, smoked salmon, potato, and sour cream are traditional ingredients that go hand in hand. Made (locally) famous by chef Thierry Rautureau of Rovers, it’s a simple but beautiful dish that can be easily done at home (as evidenced by the brief view of my kids' room in the background). As with most recipes, I’ve taken liberties on the original. I’ve replaced shallots for scallions to add more color to the potatoes. I’ve also added lemon zest, capers, and dill to the sour cream to brighten the dish. Make it your own, I say!

Special Equipment:

4 ring molds

Ingredients:

6oz thin sliced smoked salmon

2 large Yukon potatoes- peeled and cut into 1/6” dice

1 scallion- finely minced

7 sprigs of thyme

Vegetable oil

2 tbsp of crème fraiche (or sub with sour cream)

2 tsp dill- minced

2 tsp capers- chopped

Zest from 1 lemon

1 tsp chives- minced

salt

fresh ground pepper

Directions:

1. Mix crème fraiche, dill, capers, and lemon. Mix thoroughly and taste. Add more aromatics if desired and set aside.
2. Set pan on medium heat. Drizzle oil to lightly cover surface. Add potatoes and saute for 6-7min or until tender. Add scallions and thyme and cook for another minute. Season with salt and fresh ground pepper. Taste and adjust accordingly. Turn off heat, cover, and let pan remain on stove so that it stays warm.
3. Quickly while potatoes are still hot, set ring molds onto 4 serving plates.
4. Spoon a layer of potatoes into each ring mold. Press down firmly with back of spoon. Spoon just enough crème fraiche mixture to lightly cover potatoes. Tear pieces of smoked salmon and layer over potatoes.
5. Repeat with another layer of potatoes, crème fraiche, and salmon. Once the final layer of salmon is complete, rinse spoon. Use the back of the spoon to press down to firm up the tower a bit more. With the spoon gently pressed down, carefully remove ring mold.
6. Dab a small amount of the crème fraiche on top. Garnish with chives. Serve immediately.