St. Paddy's Green Potato Pancakes
...with Pale Green Horseradish Drizzle

Yield: about twelve (3 to 3-1/2 inch) pancakes

The custom of serving green food for St. Patrick's Day can be taken to extremes, with most of the green coming from chemical dyes. But this variation of traditional Irish potato cakes blends in naturally green spinach with a touch of tarragon for zest. Drizzle these cakes with the pale green Horseradish-Sour Cream Sauce below.

1-1/2 pounds Yukon Gold or boiling potatoes,
      cut into large (about 2-inch) pieces
2 teaspoons salt for boiling
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons cream
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Pale Green Horseradish Drizzle
4 teaspoons spinach water, reserved from pancake recipe
2 teaspoons reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish

Heat oven to 200 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with paper towels.

Bring a large pot of water (about 4 quarts) to a boil. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain. Place the potatoes in a large bowl.

While the potatoes cook, thaw the spinach in a microwave. Place the spinach in a sieve over a bowl and press out as much water as possible. Reserve the spinach water for the Pale Green Horseradish Drizzle.

Heat the butter and cream gently until melted. (A heatproof measuring cup in a microwave on low setting works well for this. Check every minute or so until butter is melted.)

Mash the potatoes together with the spinach, butter mixture, flour, tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste.

On a lightly floured surface, pat the mixture into 1/2-inch thick cakes, about 3-1/2 inches across. Mixture makes about 12 cakes.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet on medium-high until hot. Brown the cakes on both sides, and 3 minutes per side, making sure they don't burn. Drain the cooked cakes on the paper towel-lined baking sheet, and keep warm in the oven until all cakes are made. Serve hot, with the Pale Green Horseradish Drizzle.

Pale Green Horseradish Drizzle
Mix together the spinach water (4 teaspoons only) with the sour cream and horseradish until smooth. Mixture will be thin. Drizzle it over the pancakes right before serving, or to nap an appetizer plate, drizzle a small amount on the plate and set 2 pancakes on top.

Potato Pancakes for St. Paddy's and Passover

Copyright © 1999, Kate Heyhoe. All rights reserved.

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