Rosemary Potato Pancake with a Poached Egg

Rosemary Potato Pancake
with a Poached Egg

Breakfast is by far my favorite meal of the day. This is true for a number of reasons. Breakfast is the most versatile meal of the day. It can be sweet or savory, warm or cold, simple or complex. My love affair with breakfast began with chocolate chip pancakes at a young age but I find that as I grow older I find myself preferring the more savory breakfast dishes. Eggs, of course, are a breakfast staple and I was almost appalled at myself that I hadn't attempted to poach one yet! So needless to say, the time had come, for me to poach my very first egg.

My first egg poaching experience was a flawless one as you'll find out how to do yourself in just a bit. And the deliciously crispy and flavorful red potato pancake was the perfect accompaniment. Rosemary and potato is a classic combination that I catered to my breakfast craving and it turned out exceptionally well :)

Ingredients

2 red potatoes

1 shallot

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon flour

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 egg

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a small pan over medium high heat and add the two tablespoons of olive oil. Using a cheese grater with a medium grate, grate the red potatoes and the shallot into a small bowl. Dump the contents of the bowl onto a paper towel and squeeze out the excess water over the sink. Getting rid of the water enables the pancake to brown nicely. Pour the grated potato and shallot back into a bowl and add the flour, dried rosemary and garlic powder and a touch of salt and pepper. Stir the mixture with a fork until the flour and herbs are well distributed and the grated potato is coated. Using your hands, form the mixture into a tight patty. Place in the pan and allow to cook for five or six minutes, flipping once. Once the pancake is cooked place it on a paper towel to drain for a minute before plating.

And now for the pièce de résistance, the poached egg. Don't be daunted by this process because I promise it is not nearly as hard as it sounds. Crack an egg into a small bowl and bring a medium pot of water to a simmer. You do NOT want boiling water. Once the water is just barely simmering, turn the heat down slightly and pour a little bit of white vinegar into the pot. Using a large slotted spoon, stir the water in the pot to create a little whirlpool for the egg. Pour the egg into the middle of the whirlpool and just let it do its thing for about thirty seconds of cooking.  If you notice the egg is sticking to the bottom of the pot use a spatula to give it a little nudge. After a few more minutes the egg should be solid white and the yolk still runny. Using the same slotted spoon lift the egg out of the pot and place it on top of the potato pancake.

The combo of runny egg yolk and crispy potato pancake with the tantalizing flavors of onion and rosemary is a match made in heaven. I had actually skipped breakfast the day I made this and even late in the day it was just as satisfying as ever. Feel free to top it with salt, pepper, hollandaise or hot sauce and enjoy!