5 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, julienned
2 large Idaho white potatoes, peeled
Freshly ground white pepper
4 ounces grated Cheddar cheese
8 ounces chopped crispy bacon
2 teaspoons chopped chives
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
In a saute pan, over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the onions until caramelized, about 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Using a box grater, grate the potatoes. Season the potatoes with salt and pepper. In a medium nonstick pan, over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Add half of the grated potatoes and press firmly into the pan, covering the entire area of the pan. Cook the potatoes until golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Using a long metal spatula, flip over the potato cake and continue to cook until golden and crispy. Remove the potato cake and place on a parchment or waxed paper lined baking sheet.
In the same pan, melt the remaining butter. Repeat the process with the remaining potatoes.
Spoon the caramelized onions over one of the potato cakes. Spread the cheese over the onions. Top the cheese with the crispy bacon and chives. Place the other potato cake on top of the bacon and place in the oven. Cook for about 4 minutes or until the potato is crispy and the cheese starts to melt. Remove from the oven and cut the potato cake into fourths.
Yield: 4 servings