American Caviar with Crispy Yukon Gold Potato Pancakes

From the kitchen of Carly

Golden potato pancakes get the luxury treatment with silky crème fraîche, bright red onion, and briny American caviar. Crispy edges meet creamy centers, bridging elegant appetizer territory with serious comfort food cravings.

American Caviar with Crispy Yukon Gold Potato Pancakes

Crispy yukon golds shredded into lacy pancakes are the real star here, golden and thin enough to shatter under your fork. The caviar and crème fraîche are the glamour, sure, but you'll go back for the potato. The trick is getting the starch out by draining after mixing, which keeps them from turning gummy in the pan. Fry until the edges are dark brown, not pale.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1 lbYukon Gold potatoes, peeled
  • 1 largeegg
  • 2 tbspall purpose flour
  • 1 tspfresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tspsalt
  • 1/4 tspground black pepper
  • 1Vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cupcrème fraîche*
  • 1/4 cupfinely chopped red onion
  • 2 ozAmerican sturgeon caviar

Instructions

  1. Run the potatoes over the largest holes of a box grater directly into a big bowl, then mix in the egg, flour, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Set a strainer over the same bowl and transfer the potato mixture into it to let the excess liquid drain off.

  2. Pour enough vegetable oil into a heavy medium skillet to reach a depth of 1/4 inch and set it over medium-high heat. Working in batches, drop rounded tablespoonfuls of batter into the hot oil, pressing each one down with the back of a spoon to form a pancake about 2 to 3 inches across and 1/4 inch thick. Fry until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes per side, then lift them onto paper towels to drain.

  3. Arrange the pancakes on a platter and finish each one with a small spoonful of creme fraiche, a pinch of red onion, and a generous amount of caviar. Serve right away.

  4. Creme fraiche is available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Shred the potatoes directly into a strainer set over a bowl, then let them sit for a minute before mixing with the egg and flour. This drains off moisture that would otherwise steam the pancakes instead of crisping them.
  • Don't flip too early. Wait for the underside to turn deep golden brown (almost mahogany) before you turn, usually around 3 to 4 minutes. A thin pancake that's properly browned will be lacy and crisp, not chewy.
  • Keep fried pancakes warm in a 200F oven on a wire rack (not paper towels) while you finish the batches. This lets steam escape so they stay crispy until you plate.

Variations

  • Use smoked trout roe instead of sturgeon caviar for a different brine flavor and lower price point.
  • Swap crème fraîche for sour cream thinned with a little lemon juice if that's what you have on hand.
  • Top with smoked salmon, dill, and a dollop of crème fraîche for a different kind of elegant starter.
  • Make them smaller (1-inch rounds) and serve at room temperature as cocktail food.

Make ahead and storage

Store cooled pancakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350F oven for 5 minutes to restore crispness. Caviar, crème fraîche, and onion should be added only just before serving.