Råraka is a classic Swedish dish similar to Swiss Rösti. Raw and grated potato is fried in butter and formed into crispy cakes.

Traditionally it is served with thick bacon and lingonberries as a hearty meal, but in this luxurious recipe, I paired it with salty fish roe, crème fraiche, and diced red onion.

As it wants to be served hot from the pan and eaten immediately, it suits a smaller dinner party. Alternatively, make them half the size and serve as an elegant and delicious starter.

Finish it off with a slice of lemon and chopped chives or dill. Fish roe can be swapped for smoked salmon.

Serves: 2 (main course) or 4 (starter)  Total: 30 min

INGREDIENTS

Serves: 2 as a main course or 4 as a starter
Total time: 30 min

600 g firm potatoes
Butter for frying
Salt
80 g fish roe
1 small red onion, finely chopped
100 ml sour cream or crème fraiche
1 Lemon wedge per portion
Chives, finely chopped

Tips: You can swap the chives for dill. The potato cakes taste much better fried in butter than in oil, but a mixture of butter and oil, or goose fat, works too.

METHOD

Scrub or peel the potatoes and coarsely grate. Add salt to taste and toss to coat. Squeeze out as much liquid as possible using your fists or a clean tea towel.

Melt a generous pat of butter in a hot frying pan. Test the temperature with a potato shred; it should sizzle when it hits the pan. Add loosely ¼ of the grated potatoes and let it sizzle away for a couple of minutes. Then start to form a thin cake with a fork or turner by pressing down gently and tucking in the edges. Lower the heat to avoid the potatoes browning too rapidly. Loosen the potato from the pan after another couple of minutes and continue cooking until the potatoes on top start turning transparent, usually 6-8 minutes.

Slide the potato cake onto a plate and with a second plate on top turn it around. If you are making them half size as a starter, they are easy to flip over in the pan using a turner. Add more butter and slide it back into the pan. Cook for another 6-10 minutes or until beautifully golden, crisp and cooked through.

Drain the Råraka briefly on a paper towel before transferring to a plate. Top with a spoonful each of fish roe and sour cream and garnish with the lemon and the finely chopped red onion and chives.

Tips: Use two frying pans simultaneously. You can swap the fish roe for smoked salmon.