I created this dish with Mother’s Day in mind. My mom is vegetarian and also doesn’t eat sugar so I went with a savoury brunch I knew she would enjoy. I will definitely be making this again! If you are making this for guests, you can make the latkes ahead of time and keep them warm in the oven, and then simply sauté the mushrooms and poach the eggs when you’re ready.

Potato Latkes with Sautéed Mushrooms & Poached Eggs

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 55 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

For the Potato Latkes

2 medium sized Russet potatoes, peeled
½ a yellow onion, peeled
1 large egg, beaten
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
Cracked black pepper to taste
Vegetable oil, for frying

For the Sautéed Mushrooms

2 cups oyster mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 cups shitake mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. fresh tarragon, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

For Serving

4 large, fresh eggs
Splash white vinegar
Salt and pepper
Chopped chives

DIRECTIONS

Grate the potato and the onion using either a box grater (large holes) or a food processor with the shredding attachment. Place the potato and onion mixture into the centre of a cheesecloth or a dishtowel and squeeze out any excess moisture over the sink. If the potatoes begin to brown due to oxidization, do not fret. You won’t be able to tell once you fry them up, and the taste will be the same!

In a large bowl, mix together the egg, flour, salt and pepper. Stir in the grated potato/onion mixture.

Heat approximately 2 tbsp. of oil in a heavy bottomed pan or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. At this point you can decide if you want to make small latkes or large ones. I decided to make large ones because I found it sped up the process. Either way, take your desired amount of potato mixture and scoop it into your preheated pan. Press it down with the back of a spoon to create an even circular patty, approximately ½ an inch in thickness. Let it brown for 3-4 minutes, flip and brown for another 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and place them on a wire cooling rack with paper towel underneath to catch any grease. Add another 2 tbsp. of oil to the pan and repeat the process until you’ve used up all of your potato mixture.

While you cook your latkes, you can also start sautéing your mushrooms. If you aren’t great at multi-tasking, you can make the latkes first and keep them warm in an oven set at 250F.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter with the oil “for the sautéed mushrooms”. Add in both types of mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned, stirring every couple of minutes for around 6 minutes total. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to sauté for 5 minutes, until the moisture has been released and the mushrooms have softened slightly. Add the tarragon and garlic, and cook for another 2 minutes or until fragrant.

While the mushrooms cook, fill a medium sized pot with water and add a splash of white vinegar. Bring to a very light boil. Crack one egg into a ramekin or small bowl. Take a slotted spoon, and stir the water to create a whirlpool. Gently pour the egg into the center of the whirlpool. Let cook for 3 minutes for a soft poached egg. Remove the poached egg from the water with a slotted spoon, and place on a paper towel to remove moisture. Repeat the process with the remaining eggs.

To assemble, place a latke (or two or three, depending on the size) on a plate, and top with a generous spoonful of sautéed mushrooms and top with a poached egg. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh chives. Serve hot!