Let’s talk for a minute about guilty pleasures. I say this because potato pancakes are one of mine. When early morning hours make it socially unacceptable to order french fries, I turn to their flat, greasy cousin – the pancake.
I don’t order them often. Probably just as often as I order a big, fat, buttery bag of popcorn at the movies. Oh how I love movie popcorn. I know it’s processed. I know it’s artificial. And yes, I know it’ll make my insides glow. But I don’t care. Once every two months I like to sit in front of that giant screen with fake butter running down my chin and salt covering fingertips.
Potato pancakes aren’t quite as hazardous to your health, but still, I wouldn’t feel good eating them on a weekly basis. These little pancakes though, are a bit different. Organic, local potatoes, leeks and sausage made from pasture-raised pork (Fatted Calf), fried in olive oil. Topped with an organic poached egg and served over mixed greens, you can feel less guilty and more pleasure. I wouldn’t eat fried food everyday no matter what it’s fried in, but I feel a lot better about these crispy treats than I do about the ones I would order at the dirty little corner diner.
And now a giveaway! What’s your guilty pleasure? Leave a comment below letting me know your dirty secret, and you’ll have a chance to win a jar of the luscious chestnut jam I wrote about last week. I’ll pick a winner at random and announce the lucky reader in my next blog post. It’s incredible stuff, that chestnut jam, I almost hate to give up a jar. Now for the recipe…
Potato Pancakes with Sausage, Leeks and Poached Eggs
Makes 12 potato pancakes. Cook time: About 1 hour
Special equipment: cheesecloth
2 pounds russet potatoes, washed (You can peel them if you want, but I didn’t)
1 leek, dark green parts removed and chopped finely
1/2 pound Italian sausage (Mine was made from pasture raised pork, organic garlic, organic herbs, white wine, sea salt and spices.)
½ cup all purpose flour
2 organic eggs, plus more for poaching
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Chives, chopped
Toasty bread
Fleur de sel
Remove casing from sausage. Heat up a cast iron skillet, add a touch of olive oil, and when hot, add the sausage. Stir, and cook until browned. Remove sausage from the skillet and set aside.
Add leeks to the same skillet and lower heat to medium-low. Sauté for about 10 minutes, or until soft.
In a small bowl, combine 2 eggs, flour, salt and pepper. Stir.
Grate potatoes using the large section of a hand grater. You can use the grater blade of a food processor, but I think it makes the potato pieces too small. Gather grated potato in cheesecloth and squeeze out all the excess moisture – try to get as much out as possible.
Combine potato, sausage and leeks in a large mixing bowl. Add the flour and egg mixture, and stir to combine. Using a jar lid, shape into round pancakes.
Use a paper towel to clean off your skillet. Add about 1 inch of olive oil and turn your heat to medium-high. Test the temperature by throwing a small piece of potato in the oil. If it bubbles, it’s ready. Fry the pancakes for about 2 minutes on the first side, pressing down to flatten. Flip and cook for another minute. Drain on paper towels and keep warm in the oven while you fry the rest. If you have leftovers, reheat them in the broiler to get some of crispiness back.
Perfectly Poached Eggs, if you like them runny
(I can’t take credit for this method, but I can’t remember where I first read about it. Once you get the hang of poaching, don’t use the plastic. Just drop the rim of a mason jar in the water and slide the egg in the ring.
Heat up 3 inches of water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a scant simmer.
Line a small bowl with plastic wrap, and drizzle in a little olive oil. Crack the egg into the plastic. Gather together the ends of the plastic wrap, drop in the water and cover. Let sit for 2 ½ minutes. Pick up plastic and slide egg on top of some potato pancakes. Sprinkle on chives and fleur de sel.
Serve over organic greens and freshly baked bread.
Where I Shopped:
Sausage, chives: Fatted Calf, Berkeley Farmers’ Market
Organic russet potatoes, organic leeks: Star Grocery, Berkeley
Organic eggs: Old Oakland farmers’ market
Rustin baguette: Le Farine Bakery, Oakland
Shopping Alternatives:
If you don’t have access to farmers’ markets or local foods, ask your butcher where the meat comes from and how it’s raised. At least you’ll know what you’re in for. Shop at mom and pop stores for groceries, and ask the owners to supply more local foods. If you can’t eat locally, at least support your community and shop locally.
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{ 49 comments… read them below or add one }
Ooh, I’ve never heard of putting sausage in potato pancakes! Brilliant!
As far as guilty pleasures go, I’ve got a weakness for homemade mac and cheese. Every time we have a cocktail party, I turn the leftover cheese bits into post-party hangover mac and cheese. Does the trick.
I am with you on the popcorn. only… I pour M&M’s into the popcorn so it is like salty/sweet in one bite. There is nothing healthy or natural about it – but damn it is good!
There’s a movie theater here that serves real butter on its popcorn. It’s heaven.
My guilty pleasure is tootsie rolls though. And someone keeps bringing them into my office!
I love buying locally raised meats. It’s definitely a more expensive option but I love the fact that through my CSA I can learn more about how the animals were raised and cared for and get specialty cuts of meat. I’m also a fan of anything with poached eggs. I also made latkes recently but opted for a baked version to keep the calories and fat down which surprisingly still came out crispy on the outside. Yum.
damn that looks good.
Great photos! My guilty pleasure is cereal:) I have an addiction. I eat oatmeal for breakfast every morning, but sometimes for dessert or snacks I enjoy cereal. My favorites are Crunchy Corn Bran, Oatmeal Squares, Honey Bunches of Oats, Puffins, and Honey Nut Cheerios!
Looks amazing! I have a lot of guilty pleasures but massages/facials are really the only thing I don’t regularly indugle in!
French Fries is also one of my guilty pleasures. Have you had taro fries? OMG! I also yam fries!
I just had potato pancakes for lunch. yum!
With you on the popcorn, 100%! but, also . . MacDonalds’ fries. there, i’ve said it! yes they are the devil’s spawn, but that’s part of what makes them so good. i haven’t had them in years, but i can still dream about them, can’t i?
Yikse, that runny yolk makes me so hungry… My guilty ice cream is ice cream by the pint. It always makes me feel sick afterwards, but during, I’m the happiest girl in the world!
This looks amazing and adding sausage to an already near perfect food like latkes is just plain brilliant!
Let’s see, guilty pleasure…well, I guess I’d have to say when it really comes down to it my guilty pleasure is decadent cheese and good bread. I’m talking brie, and I don’t skimp: it’s gotta be at least double, but preferably triple cream!
WOW!!! WOW!! You really captured an amazing shot, I love it and Lenny is going to dig this recipe, he is a total egg man!!! Adding this to our test kitchen!
Now what would I do with that jam? I am thinking platter w/some cheeses, baguette, nuts and wine!!!
Potato pancake and poached egg? Are you kidding? Holy deliciousness! Speaking of potatoes, as unoriginal as it may seem, french fries are my guilty pleasure. There is nothing in the entire world that I would rather eat than a big plate of perfect fries with lots of ketchup. Actually, I would still eat them even if they weren’t perfect!
chips and salsa
How did you get that beautiful poached egg to look like you gathered the whites up like a blanket? Just luck?
My guilty pleasure is a baguette with cold butter, shaved ham, swiss, pickle and potato chips inside the sandwich. The kettle cooked kind, which I can’t even keep in the house.
looks easy to make & delicious
Okay, you’ve inspired me! I gotta make some potato pancakes… looks DELISH! My dirty serect….ummmmmmmm… let’s see… I can’t really remember… OH, yeah… ice cream
) I would feel so sick afterwards that I’ve pretty much stopped eating processed ice cream… now I make my own and that is above any pint at the store!!!!!!!
These look so delicious! I also love zucchini cakes with tzatziki as a fried pleasure! Thanks for sharing!
These pancakes sound sooo good!
My guilty pleasure is some really creamy, high fat, brie cheese…
Wow, those look yummy! I may try them with russets and sweet potatoes : )
I have been thinking of making potato pancakes for awhile now–I think you have finally prompted me to do it!
And guilty pleasures? Macaroni and cheese from a box (powdered cheese and all), mixed with canned tuna, and made with cream instead of milk. And I eat the entire box. It’s terrible, but soooo good. I try to save this for moments when I’m in need of major comfort food.
These look awesome – and that is a droolworthy photo of the egg yolks dripping down!
My guilty pleasure is definitely french fries….but I now make oven fries at least once a week at home, and that takes care of the craving. I also love cheetos, but I get the natural kind now….and they are just as good!
A really good dark chocolate – or duck fat french fries – or both!
That dripping yolk looks incredible! Personally, I have many guilty pleasures, some classier than others. I don’t think life gets any better than a bottle of red burgundy, some port salut cheese, proscuitto, and a baguette. I also love mac and cheese in every capacity…. And chili cheese fries. And I mean mystery meat diner chili and cheese wiz. Don’t forget the ketchup and the hot sauce!
there’s just something so unbelievably beautiful about a busted egg yolk. great dish!
my guilty pleasure? cream cheese frosting by the spoonful, no cake required.
Wow! What a beautiful pictures! I would love that dish for breakfast with a Colombian cup of coffee
My guilty pleasure is Bandeja Paisa ( Paisa Tray: Colombian typical dish includes: beans, rice, egg, chorizo, fried pork belly, plantain, beef and avocado).Everything in one plate 
Delicious!
That is exactly what Alejandro said!
Great pictures!! I think I’d rather win the opportunity for you to cook this for me
Thanks Darya! I’d love to cook for you sometime.
What beautiful photos! Tough to do with the runny egg–props to you. And this looks amazing. I’m a sometimes-Jew who loves a good potato pancake…and a dressed up one is even better. Thanks for this…
Bananas + peanut butter + toast + honey = guilty guilty pleasure
Oh, man. That egg looks fantastic.
Guilty pleasure? Ice Cream straight from the pint.
Chestnut jam…brings back nostalgic memories of roasting chestnuts over an open flame from my childhood!
Definitely can’t eat potato pancakes everyday and get away with it but its an absolute treat isn’t it?
My guilty pleasure has to be fried chicken and “mac&cheese” from those fast food chains (Popeyes, Church’s, KFC). It’s so bad for you and I’m pretty damn certain the mac doesn’t even have real cheese in it. Ahhh…being overcome with shame now…
Guilty pleasure? Easy. General Tso’s Chicken!
I’ve never admitted my true secret pleasure before, even to my husband I keep it a secret, but for a jar if chestnut jam it’s worth it. To the public I say poutine, but when everyone is sleeping and the curtains are drawn I eat canned vanilla frosting on saltines.
i work in an organic produce company but my guilty pleasure is….(i really LOVE chestnuts and am hoping no one from work sees this) deep fried oysters. i live in florida and there is a place right down the road that makes them just right, so plump and juicy inside. i like to use their disgusting tarter sauce, too. i had them two days in a row last week. the first time i ate there alone at my table in the back. sshhhh..please don’t tell on me – (even though I do have to say vanilla icing and saltines should be the winnder).
ooh those look delicious! like dinner tonight delicious!!
my guilty pleasure is cream of wheat made with a tbsp of sugar and chocolate chips on top … so yummy!
My guilty pleasure is biscuits — particularly buttermilk, and sweet potato. With a pat butter melting on top. I love poached eggs on crispy potatoes – thanks for posting!
My guilty pleasure is eating Nutella right out of the jar. If I use manners I use a spoon but most of the time I use my fingers.
Those potato pancakes look and sound soo good! That poached egg is perfect!
My guilty pleasure is brownies from a box mix. I make them in an 8×8 pan, undercook them, scoop vanilla ice cream directly on top, then give all my friends spoons and we polish it off in one sitting
I saw this on foodgawker and I’m going to try it one of these days!
Guilty pleasure is usually a toss-up between fried oysters or tortellini alfredo. I love the idea of a poached egg on top of the potato pancakes – total yum!
guilty pleasure…dulce de leche ice cream. and your potato pancakes!
gorgeous.
ooooooooohh I saw this at one of those food photo sites and was taken by it and now here it is in virtual real life?
One guilty pleasure? I have at least five that I rotate around so they don’t seem so guilty. The dish looks lovely as usual and I’m sure tasted even better. I make several dishes similar to this – one with sweet potatoes. The latest in the guilty pleasure rotation for me is gelato from a local ice cream parlor (thesplitbanana.com). My wife and I like to get a quart of half chocolate and half pistachio to take home – it’s unbelievable! A few others would be – a medium rare steak (from all grass fed local steers of course) with balsamico roasted potatoes, or my mom’s southern fried chicken with mashed potatoes, gravy, and hoecake bread. The last one is why we southerns live about six years less than the rest of the US
Although my mom rarely cooks that dish anymore, it is still one of my favorites.
I can’t wait to make this tomorrow morning for brunch !!! It looks yummy !! My guilty pleasures are many !! Love movie popcorn, mango sorbet, good and plenty candy, french fries, and potatoe chips !!! To many ???
Mmmm, a bit odd to state but I looove runny eggs. I’m definitely going to try that poaching method, and the pancakes, though sans-sausage and with purple potatoes instead (just bought some from my farmer’s market in Seattle).
My all-time guilty pleasure is, reliably and undeniably, crunchy peanut butter. I eat that stuff right out of the jar. I don’t even bother with bread and sometimes dip spoonfuls of chocolate or raspberry jam in. Me + PB = BFFs!
Guilty pleasure? Well, of course, chocolate – preferably dark. Or Nutella