Idaho Potato Crab Pancakes with Endive Caviar Salad
Elegant potato pancakes featuring hand-grated Idaho potatoes mixed with sweet crab meat, black chanterelles, and fresh herbs, pan-fried until golden and crispy. Topped with a sophisticated salad of chiffonade endive, smoked salmon caviar, and red onion, then finished with scallion-infused oil. Perfect for upscale brunch service or special occasion appetizers. The combination of earthy mushrooms, delicate crab, and briny caviar creates restaurant-quality flavor layers.
Ingredients
- 1 medium Idaho potato, cooked, peeled and hand grated
- 1 small yellow Spanish onion, grated
- ¼ cup scallions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup black chanterelles, washed well and broken into piecesbutton mushrooms1:1vegetarian
more available
- 3 tablespoons chives, chopped
- 2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
- 1 cup crab, leg meat onlycooked shrimp1:1seafood
similar texture
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- fresh ground pepper, to taste
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- clarified butter or olive oil
- 1 cup red and white endive, chiffonade
- ¼ cup chives, 1 inch bias cut
- ¼ cup red onion, minced
- 4 tablespoons smoked salmon caviarregular caviar1:1luxuryfish-free
different flavor profile
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup olive oil, for scallion oil
- 6 grilled scallions, for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Combine potatoes, onions, scallions, chanterelles, herbs and crab in large bowl
- 2
Sift in flour, baking powder, salt and pepper
- 3
Whisk egg yolks with milk in small bowl and blend into crab mixture
- 4
Add lemon juice and adjust seasonings
- 5
Heat clarified butter or oil in non-stick pan until water drops dance
- 6
Spoon 1/4 cup batter per pancake forming 2 inch circles
- 7
Brown lightly on each side and drain on paper towels
- 8
Combine endive, chives, red onion, caviar, lemon juice, salt and olive oil
- 9
Blend scallion oil ingredients and strain
- 10
Place 2 pancakes per plate, top with endive salad, drizzle with scallion oil and garnish with grilled scallion
Tips
Test pan temperature with water drops - they should dance on surface when ready
Drain pancakes on paper towels to remove excess oil and maintain crispiness
Make scallion oil ahead as it needs time to infuse flavors and will keep 2-3 days refrigerated
Good to Know
Refrigerate pancakes up to 1 day, reheat in oven. Scallion oil keeps 2-3 days refrigerated.
Pancake batter can be made 2 hours ahead. Scallion oil improves with time.
Serve immediately while pancakes are warm and crispy
Common Mistakes
Don't overmix batter to avoid tough pancakes
Ensure pan is properly heated before adding batter to prevent sticking
Shake scallion oil before using as ingredients separate
Substitutions
Dairy-Free Swaps
General Alternatives
similar texture
different flavor profile
FAQ
Can I make the pancakes ahead of time?
Yes, pancakes can be made up to 1 day ahead and reheated in a 350F oven for 5 minutes to restore crispiness.
What if I can't find black chanterelles?
Substitute with any mushroom variety like button, cremini, or shiitake. Clean and chop them similarly.
How long will the scallion oil keep?
The scallion oil will keep for 2-3 days in the refrigerator. Shake well before using as ingredients naturally separate.