Mini Potato Cakes with Smoked Sturgeon and Herbed Cream

• Recipe by Polo Dobkin and Cal Elliott

To ensure that these delectable little fried cakes are crisp, squeeze as much liquid as possible from the shredded potatoes.

Ingredients

1. 1/4 cup crème fraîche
2. 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3. 1/2 teaspoon each of chopped dill, tarragon, chives and celery leaves
4. Salt and freshly ground pepper
5. 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and coarsely shredded
6. 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
7. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8. 2 tablespoons canola oil
9. 4 ounces sliced smoked sturgeon or other smoked fish, torn in pieces
10. Radish sprouts, for garnish

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk the crème fraîche with the lemon juice and chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper.
2. Squeeze small handfuls of the shredded potatoes over a colander to remove as much liquid as possible. Transfer the potatoes to a medium bowl and toss with the flour; season with salt and pepper.
3. In a very large nonstick skillet, melt the butter in the oil. Add rounded tablespoons of the potato mixture to the skillet, about 2 inches apart; you should have 16 mounds. Flatten each mound slightly into a cake that's 1/2 inch thick and 1 1/2 inches wide. Cook the cakes over moderate heat, turning once, until golden and crisp, about 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
4. Arrange the potato cakes on a platter. Top each cake with a small dollop of the herbed cream, a few pieces of sturgeon and a few radish sprouts and serve.

Make Ahead

The herbed cream can be refrigerated overnight. The potato cakes can be pan-fried 8 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Reheat in a 325° oven before serving.