Comté and Potato Rösti with Chives

Serves 4 as a light meal

Ingredients

Serves 4 as a light meal

  • 400g waxy potatoes
  • 110g Comté (18-24 month+), coarsely grated
  • 10g chives, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon goose fat

A Swiss classic, but one that lends itself beautifully to its French neighbour. There are many methods to make a rösti, with some people preferring to grate their potatoes raw, but this version, using cooked potatoes, is fantastic and is made even more delicious with the addition of a mature Comté. It can be eaten as a main course, for example served with a fried egg on top and sautéed cavolo nero on the side, or as an accompaniment.

Method

  1. Bring a pan of water to boil, add a good pinch of salt and parboil the potatoes (leave them unpeeled) until just tender, but not soft. Drain well and leave to cool, then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
  2. Coarsely grate the potatoes, mix with the Comté and chives and season with salt and pepper – mix it all together with your hands.
  3. Heat half the butter and half the goose fat in a small, heavy-based, non-stick frying pan (about 20cm diameter) over a medium-high heat until sizzling, swirl the fat around to evenly coat the base and sides of the pan, and then add the potato mix. Turn the heat down to medium and allow to cook for a couple of minutes, then shape the potato mix into a flat cake shape, pressing down as lightly as possible. Cook for another couple of minutes, then gently shake the pan to loosen the potato (this makes it easier to turn it out later as it’s not sticking to the sides). Continue to cook for another 10 minutes, then place a plate on top of the pan and invert it so the rösti sits, cooked-side up, on the plate – the cooked side should be golden and crisp.
  4. Add the rest of the butter and goose fat to the pan, swirl it around as before and, when the pan is hot (keeping the heat on medium), slide the rösti back into the pan to brown the other side. Cook for another 10 minutes.
  5. While the rösti is cooking, prepare your accompaniment, such as frying a couple of eggs and sautéing some finely sliced cavolo nero in a little oil and butter.
  6. When the rösti is golden brown on both sides and hot all the way through, take it off the heat. Pour any excess oil out of the pan carefully and let the rösti sit for a few minutes in the pan (it will be molten hot and would burn your mouth if you ate it straight away, plus it benefits from a bit of time to set before serving). You can slide it onto a plate or serve straight from the pan.

 

Comté Recipe 2020 © Laura Pope 2020

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