potato cakes seem like a strange thing to write about especially on a site dedicated to health. i had a grandmother who made really unappetizing potato cakes when i was growing up so i discounted them for years. what i’ve come to realize is that they can be a healthy fantastic side dish to almost any meal. i had potato cakes on the menu this weekend with our fish special at catelli’s restaurant and they were so delicious versatile and surprisingly healthy. first start with organic yukon gold potatoes or sweet potatoes or a combination of the two. decide if you want to add vegetables like shredded zucchini. i start by shredding the potatoes on a blade in the cuisinart or by grating them on a box grater. next take a bowl and toss the potatoes with fresh herbs. there are plenty that add great flavor… rosemary and thyme are two of my favorites. add savories like shallot onion and garlic. (i like to sauté my finely chopped onion and garlic first in a bit of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of hot pepper flakes. ) put the shredded potatoes herbs and vegetable in a bowl and fold in the cooked onions and garlic. then season with salt and cracked black pepper. heat the oven 450 degrees. from there line a baking sheet with parchment paper and for each cake make about a cupcake-size mass. spread them out equally on the sheet pan. drizzle a bit more olive oil on top for extra browning and then bake for about 15-20 minutes. these cakes a great side dish with all proteins are really simple to make. they make weeknight meals into something more interesting and you can be as creative or simple as you want. a few additional ideas: add cilantro and chopped jalapeno for a latin flair. add some parmesan and extra garlic to a cake with rosemary. crushed coriander and some curry powder can lend to indian flavors. whatever you choose to do have fun with it.
how can i prepare potatoes healthfully?