Mushroom and Potato Rösti

Ingredients:

Rösti - Serves 4

• 2 pounds gold potatoes
• 1 tbsp plus a pinch of kosher salt 
• 1/2 pound mixed fresh mushrooms, I used oyster
• 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh herbs such as mint, oregano, chives
• 1  tbsp salted capers  
• 1 garlic clove, grated with a microplane
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 4 tbsp of ghee or neutral oil
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Herby Salad 

• 1/2 cup torn fresh herbs, such as mint, parsley, chives
• Flaky salt, such as maldon
• Zest and juice of  a lemon
• Black Pepper

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
2. Peel and wash the potatoes. Shred them using a large-hole box grater or food processor, put into a large bowl. 
3. Add one tablespoon of salt to the bowl and mix to evenly coat the potatoes in salt. Allow to sit for 10-15 minutes to release liquid.
4. When the potatoes have released a lot of liquid, squeeze the excess liquid from the shreds and transfer to a dry bowl. You can work in small batches, or use a cheesecloth for this step.
5. Repeat the process as many times as you can stand to, I did it about three times total, discarding the liquid each time. 
6. Coarsely chop the oyster mushrooms and place them in a bowl. Add the chopped herbs, capers, garlic, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Allow to sit for 15 minutes.
7. Squeeze out any liquid, again either working in small batches or using a cheese cloth.
8. Combine the mushroom mixture with the potatoes, mixing thoroughly. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes, then  repeat the water-squeezing process one last time. The mixture should be quite dry.
9. In a medium, oven-safe skillet, I used cast iron, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee or neutral oil and 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat until shimmering. 
10. Add in the potato-mushroom mixture and press into an even layer. 
11. Cover and cook until the underside is beginning to brown and able to hold together, 10-15 minutes. 
12. When the bottom is holding together nicely, invert the rösti onto a plate, Add the remaining ghee/oil and olive oil to the pan. Slide the rösti back into the pan, uncooked side down. Again cook over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes.  
13. To finish, place the rösti into the oven for 15 minutes, or until a deep, toasty brown.
14. While the rösti is in the oven, make the herby salad. Toss the torn herbs with the lemon zest, lemon juice, flaky salt, and black pepper. Add a glug of good olive oil to taste. 
15. Top the rösti with the salad and serve!

Recipe adapted from "Cooking with Mushrooms" by Andrea Gentil