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Photo:Diana Chistruga
Diana Chistruga
Active Time:40 minsTotal Time:40 minsServings:6Jump to Nutrition Facts
Active Time:40 minsTotal Time:40 minsServings:6
Active Time:40 mins
Active Time:
40 mins
Total Time:40 mins
Total Time:
Servings:6
Servings:
6
Jump to Nutrition Facts
Jump to recipe
When it comes to brunch, I love muffins, cinnamon rolls, French toast, fresh fruit and coffee cake, of course, but I don’t feel like the brunch spread is complete if there aren’t some savory options too. I always look for a wedge of quiche, a link of sausage or some other savory morsel to put on my plate along with something sweet. So when I was planning the menu for a brunch I hosted last year and came across a recipe forPotato Galettes with Smoked Salmonin Ina Garten’s cookbookModern Comfort Food, I knew I needed to give it a try.
Ina wroteModern Comfort Foodin the middle of the pandemic with the idea that food is more than just sustenance; it’s something we turn to during good times and bad. She writes, “Food has an almost magical ability to comfort us, soothe us and bring us together in so many ways.” That was true during the stressful, isolating period of the height of the pandemic, and it’s also true anytime we’re all looking for comfort or camaraderie. I think that’s why I like this particular cookbook so much, and why this recipe spoke to me. Brunch is definitely about bringing people together and celebrating happy times.
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A quiche or a frittata is usually my savory go-to when I’m hosting, but these potato galettes give me the opportunity to mix things up. And if I’m having a larger brunch crowd, I can make both an egg dish and the galettes. In the spirit of modern comfort food, they are easy to make but also nourishing and satisfying. Ina feels that entertaining doesn’t have to be fancy. Rather, she writes, it’s about “taking the time to enjoy good food and good conversation with the people I love.”
How to Make Ina Garten’s Potato Galettes
Next she spreads the potato matchsticks out on a clean kitchen towel and gently squeezes them in the towel to remove moisture without breaking them up. This will help ensure that the resulting galettes are super-crispy. A quick toss with some salt and pepper and the potatoes are ready to cook.
Ina makes one galette at a time, adding half of the potato matchsticks to some olive oil that she’s heated in a small skillet. She presses the potatoes with a metal spatula and lets them sit for a few minutes to start cooking and browning on the bottom. Then—and this is the key—she drizzles some melted butter around the inside edge of the pan. The butter travels under the potato cake and encourages even more browning on the bottom, plus it adds a little richness and flavor.
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The next step requires a little caution: she calls for loosening the galette with a spatula and carefully flipping it over. Then the process is the same for the other side, adding a little melted butter and getting nice browning on the bottom.
When the galette is well browned and crispy, Ina calls for transferring it to a paper-towel-lined plate. This allows the galette to drain, and any excess butter or oil gets soaked up so it won’t be greasy. After that you simply repeat the whole process to make the second galette.
The finished galettes can be made an hour ahead, per Ina, and reheated before serving. (I have made them the day before and refrigerated them until I’m ready to reheat them. Just pop them into a 400-degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes to warm them.) You’ll want to wait to top them until you’re ready to serve them so the galettes stay warm and the toppings stay cool.
The galettes get a thin spread of crème fraîche on top (a complementary pairing for salmon and potatoes, not unlike sour cream), and then each one gets a little pile of slicedsmoked salmon. Ina recommends using Scottish salmon, which has a mild flavor, here. A sprinkle of chives and a little salt are the finishing touches.
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Ina instructs to cut each galette into six wedges, but depending how many guests you’re serving, you could also cut them into quarters if you like. Be sure to serve them while the potato galettes are still hot and crispy. There’s something so wonderful about the crunch of the hot galette combined with the cool creaminess of the crème fraîche and the brininess of the smoked salmon. And if you’re really into brininess, like me, try tossing a few capers on top of these galettes too. You could also add a little everything bagel seasoning or sliced avocado if you like. But they’re great as is and don’t need any embellishments.
Enjoy this simple brunch dish with friends—cooking for them is a great way to show how much you care about them. As Ina writes, “Cooking really delicious comfort food—particularly fresh, modern comfort food—ensures that everyone at your table will feel happy and satisfied, and isn’t that how we want the people we love to feel?”
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Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)Ingredients2largerussetbaking potatoes(1¼ pounds total)Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepperCanola oil4 tablespoons (½stick)unsalted butter, melted4tablespoonscrème fraîche1/4poundthinly slicedsmoked salmon, preferably ScottishMinced fresh chives, for serving
Cook Mode(Keep screen awake)
Ingredients
2largerussetbaking potatoes(1¼ pounds total)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil
4 tablespoons (½stick)unsalted butter, melted
4tablespoonscrème fraîche
1/4poundthinly slicedsmoked salmon, preferably Scottish
Minced fresh chives, for serving
Directions
Peel the potatoes, then cut them lengthwise in long matchsticks, using the finest julienne blade of a mandoline. Spread the potatoes out neatly in one layer on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, roll the towel up, and squeeze lightly to dry the potatoes without breaking them up. Put the potatoes into a bowl and toss them with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.Diana ChistrugaHeat 2 tablespoons oil in a small (8-inch) omelet pan (a sauté pan with sloped sides) over medium heat. Add half of the potatoes to the pan and press lightly with a large metal spatula to make the shreds lie flat. Cook them undisturbed for 5 minutes. Drizzle one tablespoon of the butter around the edge of the pan and cook the potatoes for another 3 to 5 minutes, until nicely browned on the bottom. Loosen the galette gently around the edge with the metal spatula and flip it over. (Be careful! The oil and butter underneath are very hot!) Add another tablespoon of butter around the edge and cook the galette for 4 to 5 minutes longer, until the second side is nicely browned. With the metal spatula, transfer the galette to a paper towel–lined plate and set aside. Repeat with the rest of the potatoes and butter to make a second galette.Diana ChistrugaPlace the two galettes on a cutting board. Spread each galette with 2 tablespoons of the crème fraîche and a layer of smoked salmon, covering the galette completely.Diana ChistrugaSprinkle with minced chives and sprinkle lightly with salt. Use a large chef’s knife to cut each galette into 6 wedges and serve hot.Diana ChistrugaTo Make AheadReheat the galettes in a 400-degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes before assembling.
Peel the potatoes, then cut them lengthwise in long matchsticks, using the finest julienne blade of a mandoline. Spread the potatoes out neatly in one layer on a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, roll the towel up, and squeeze lightly to dry the potatoes without breaking them up. Put the potatoes into a bowl and toss them with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small (8-inch) omelet pan (a sauté pan with sloped sides) over medium heat. Add half of the potatoes to the pan and press lightly with a large metal spatula to make the shreds lie flat. Cook them undisturbed for 5 minutes. Drizzle one tablespoon of the butter around the edge of the pan and cook the potatoes for another 3 to 5 minutes, until nicely browned on the bottom. Loosen the galette gently around the edge with the metal spatula and flip it over. (Be careful! The oil and butter underneath are very hot!) Add another tablespoon of butter around the edge and cook the galette for 4 to 5 minutes longer, until the second side is nicely browned. With the metal spatula, transfer the galette to a paper towel–lined plate and set aside. Repeat with the rest of the potatoes and butter to make a second galette.
Place the two galettes on a cutting board. Spread each galette with 2 tablespoons of the crème fraîche and a layer of smoked salmon, covering the galette completely.
Sprinkle with minced chives and sprinkle lightly with salt. Use a large chef’s knife to cut each galette into 6 wedges and serve hot.
To Make AheadReheat the galettes in a 400-degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes before assembling.
To Make Ahead
Reheat the galettes in a 400-degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes before assembling.
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Nutrition Facts(per serving)312Calories15gFat37gCarbs8gProtein
Nutrition Facts(per serving)
- Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.
