The first day of spring weather has arrived in icy Maine. We set the clocks ahead and it’s getting dark out after 6:30. For some reason this winter felt like an eternity, so the beautiful weather has been quite literally a breath of fresh air. I’ve been deep in prep and recipe development for my cafe, Nomad, and coming off of another eventful weekend in Owl’s Head slinging hash brown latkes and blueberry sausage. 

Hash Brown Latkes

Speaking of which, I wanted to share my recipe for hash brown latkes this week. They’re one of my favorite foods on the menu – I knew when I toured the kitchen for the first time that I wanted to utilize the deep fryer. Keeping these frozen and ready for service makes my life easy, too. I started with the idea to make hash brown Benedicts and they were so good that we decided to include them on our breakfast plate. 

During my first prep week I made both traditional latkes for Benedicts and hash browns. I had put in a few weeks of research and testing on the hash browns, too, watching footage from chefs on Youtube about how to make them perfect. The consensus from most was that grating raw potatoes and squeezing the juice out, washing the starch off, cooking them, chilling them, then frying them was the way to go. It was so much work. The first time I made them it took over an hour. I also was dealing with numbness in my hands from the carpal tunnel, so squeezing a mountain of potatoes was my idea of hell. 

Deep Frying Potatoes

I thought back to my younger days of falling in love with cooking shows. Specifically, Masterchef Australia. Which should be coming back soon! I remember the host one time taught them how to make homemade tater tots. They haunted my dreams and every one of my waking thoughts for a few days that summer. I made them over and over again until I got them right. The key thing I remember was roasting whole potatoes on a bed of salt to draw out the moisture. Then simply grating them, forming tots, and frying. 

Of course, I didn’t have a deep fryer back then. And wouldn’t have been allowed to use one as a 12/13 year old. So in round two of making my hash brown latkes I decided to try the old method. I wouldn’t have to squeeze the potatoes because the moisture would evaporate in the oven. The skins would be easier to peel, too. So I gave it a shot and waited as the potatoes baked away on a baking tray of sea salt. I didn’t want to cook them fully, like you would for mashed potatoes. So I set a timer for about 25 minutes. 

A Mash Up of Hash Browns + Latkes

When they were done I let them cool. I could tell already that the skins were falling off naturally in some places. Then, when I could bear to hold them, I spent about 20 minutes peeling the skins off with my fingers and a potato peeler for the stubborn spots. The naked potatoes felt slightly gummy and starchy. When I grated them into a bowl I remembered the long shreds of the hash browns that came from the cooked potato. Perfect stringy shreds for hash browns. Finally, after a half hour or so, I had a huge bowl of potatoes. 

I decided to combine the recipe with my favorite latke recipe to make hash brown latkes, a hybrid of two delicious dishes. My latkes utilize panko breadcrumbs for crunch, salt, spices for flavor, and eggs for a binding agent. I also added some tapioca starch which the chefs online seemed to agree is perfect for high temp deep frying. It makes them a bit crisper, too. My hands were covered in gooey bits of potatoes as I spread them into two large baking pans lined with parchment paper. I pressed down firmly and evenly, taking my time to ensure I had the right even thickness of hash brown latkes. 

Cutting Hash Browns

Then, they went into the freezer to set up. I made my lunch while I waited, noticing that I had much more energy left over than after my first batch of traditional hash browns. I didn’t have to throw my kitchen towels in the wash either, covered in potato juice. So I was happy. When the afternoon rolled by, I remembered my hash brown latkes in the freezer and took them out. Flipping them onto the counter. They were firm and easy to slice. So I measured 18 equal rectangles. And I placed them back in the freezer to firm up more. 

Later when night fell I crept down stairs to check on them. Nicely frozen pucks of potatoes. And I vacuum sealed them in the bags my mom gifted me for Christmas – they’ve been a huge help while prepping for my cafe! I couldn’t wait to fry them. When I got to work that Saturday we tested them in the deep fryer. They came out golden, crisp, and glistening. I topped them with a little sea salt for flavor. And we pumped out hash brown latkes all through the first two days of opening for customers during breakfast and brunch. 

Sour Cream + Onion Topping

I like to put sour cream and chives (or scallions) on mine. I could eat them all day. Crunchy, savory, slightly spiced, and full of potato flavor. In fact, I liked the taste of these way more than the traditional recipes I tried. They took half the time and effort to make too. Since the beginning, coming up on week 6 now of being a chef, we’ve served hundreds of hash brown latkes and they’ve been popular. Even a James Beard award-winning chef from the area raved about them online. I couldn’t imagine a better reaction!

If you get a chance to make them, I recommend cutting one in half to gauge the best cooking method for your kitchen. You can shallow fry them in oil and test different temps and types of oil if you want. We use canola oil at about 375 – 400°F at the cafe. They’re the perfect mixture between breakfast hash browns and traditional latkes. We’ve made Benedicts on them, too, and I can make hollandaise in my sleep at this point. I’m thinking of blending in some scallions next time to make a green sauce. Green eggs and ham maybe. 

Weekends at the Cafe

This weekend was another success. Slower than last Sunday which saw a stampede of people dining with us. I had to find extra chairs. So with the time change, I welcomed the reflective quietude which provided opportunities to organize things, clean the kitchen a bit, and prepare the menu for our expanded hours. We had plenty of customers, giving us a chance to practice making eggs and sausage. Frying hash browns. We made friends with some local business owners and welcomed people from all over the country who are visiting Maine. 

Sunday was a weird, tiring day. I got up an hour early due to the time change. So I left work completely exhausted. I stopped to get groceries on the way home, listening to Yebba’s new album. She’s my favorite singer, so listening to her music always gives me a dose of oxytocin or serotonin or whatever the good feeling chemical is. Today it got up to 60 degrees. I popped in my head phones, still tired from my big weekend, and sat outside in the sun. The snow was melting. New songs fluttered in my ears. And I breathed a large sigh of contentment and joy. 

Sharing My Food

I’ve felt so supported and loved lately. Even more than usual. Friends wishing me well with my new venture. Support coming from all over. Amazing feedback on our food and encouraging numbers. It all feels like it should be really hard, or too exhausting, or scary. But it feels right. It fits like a glove. I’m inspired to keep going as long as I can. To share more stories with strangers, serve eggs and homemade bread and hash brown latkes to excited customers. To chat with airport employees and to listen to good music on my commute. Life is good.

Thank you for reading! Check out my Etsy page for 100’s or art prints and recipe cards. Use code THEFORKEDRING for 25% off. 

Print Pin

Hash Brown Latkes

Crispy fried hash brown patties with panko, spices, and shredded potato

Course Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword hash brown, potato

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 18

Author theforkedring

Ingredients

• 10 large russet potatoes
• 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp mild paprika
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 1/3 cup tapioca or corn starch
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 whole eggs

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Place potatoes on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper.
• Roast potatoes for 25 minutes and let cool completely. Peel with a potato peeler and place potatoes into a large bowl.
• Grate potatoes into bowl and mix with panko, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and tapioca starch.
• Melt unsalted butter in a saucepan until browned. Add to the potato mixture. Add eggs and work into a cohesive mixture.
• Spread mixture onto a plastic wrap-lined sheet pan evenly and freeze for 1-2 hours.
• Remove from freezer and cut into 18 equal pieces. Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Top with sea salt, sour cream, and chives.

Notes

• You can use corn starch instead of tapioca starch if you don’t have it.
• For an extra savory taste, feel free to add a cup or two of shredded sharp cheddar or parmesan to your hash brown mixture.
• Oil temperature should be around 375 – 400°F for ideal color and crispness.