Potato Rosti and Pork Tenderloin
Tonights dinner was a pork tenderloin, they are very easy and quick to make so are perfect for those that want a decent dinner quickly after coming home from work. You can find a couple of recipes on this blog for them or all over the net.
Potato rosti is something old world that we like. They are nothing more than a simple large potato cake that is cut into pie shaped wedges and served with the dinner. You can make them plain or add in your favorite seasonings and other things. The most important thing to learn about them is to not be too impatient, let the bottom get well browned and very crisp before you mess with it to turn it over, not doing this simple thing will most likely result with you have a big pan of hash browns and not a rosti. I normally make these in an old heavy tin lined copper pan but most people don’t have one handy so tonight I substituted a non stick pan that most people do have in their homes. You will need a 9-10 inch heavy non stick skillet about 2-3 inches deep to make this. For grating the potatoes and onions I heartily recomend that you invest in a Microplane box grater (see review on this blog), while not cheap it is a great investment in your cooking pleasure and works much better than any other grater I have ever used, and I have used a lot of them in lots of years of cooking.
Potato Rosti
4 very large russet potatoes, peeled and washed
1 medium onion, peeled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons bacon fat or oil (bacon fat preffered) divided
Into a large bowl grate the potatoes on the large holes of the box grater, when finished grating the potatoes turn them into a strainer and press out all the liquid, when drained put them back into the bowl. Grate the onions on the small side of the box grater, grate them right into the bowl with the potatoes. Add the salt and pepper to the mixture and mix it all up well, I use my hands for this, make sure the onion is distributed throughout the potatoes.
Heat a 9-10 inch skillet over medium heat, when hot add 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat or oil and let that get hot. When the fat is hot add the potato mixture to the pan and press it down very well, you want it as even and flattened out as possible. Lower the heat and cover the pan and don’t disturb it for the next 10 minutes, make sure you have the flame lowered so it doesn’t burn. After 10 minutes remove the lid and lift the edge gently to check on the browning, if it is brown enough take a large flat plate and place it face down over the skillet, in one motion turn the whole thing over at once, be very careful and make sure you are using heavy duty pot holders. Once you have flipped it set the plate with the potatoes aside and put the skillet back on the flame, add the rest of the fat and let it melt. When the fat is melted and heated take the plate and place it next to the skillet, gently with the help of a large spatula slide the potato mixture back into the pan on the uncooked side. Press it down well and this time do not cover it, turn down the heat and let it cook undisturbed for another 10 minutes. Carefully with a thin small spatula try to lift up the side of it to check the browness of it, if it is done to your liking then using the spatula slide it onto a serving plate, if it is not done enough to your liking them let it continue to brown but keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Cut it into pie shaped wedges to serve. Some like it with sour cream or applesauce or just plain. I have made it and added crisply cooked chopped bacon to it as it was assembled, also leeks and once in a while sharp cheddar cheese. When adding cheese to it I usually put half the potatoes into the pan and then add the cheese and then the rest of the potatoes, that helps lessen the chance of the cheese burning and creating a burnt mess.
