I was inspired to create this recipe after watching a chef cooking competition show called Top Chef. One chef Bryan Voltaggio made potato cakes with shallots, gruyere cheese and thyme. I was meant to make them because those were the ingredients that I had to use up in my house. I don’t know for remember how the chef on TV make his potato cakes but mine also came out fabulous……They came out FORKING AMAZING! The whole house smelled FORKING AMAZING too! These are easy to make and come out incredible. A few oof the ingredients that I used are harder to find but if you don’t make this exactly the way I did it won’t come out as great. This recipe happened to make 12 smaller perfect potato cakes so I’d say that is about 12 servings but they are so delicious that some people might want to eat two servings.

Ingredients for up to 12 servings

1 lb shallots – peeled – sliced paper thin

1 1/2 lb red potatoes – peeled – cut in half depending on size -sitting in cold water -(salt)

2 Tablespoons sea salt (for boiling potatoes)

1 hot banana pepper – cut long ways in half (to boil with potatoes to give flavor)

2 oz unsalted butter

4 oz gruyere cheese – shredded

2 Tablespoons canola oil

1 Tablespoon Calabrian Chili Oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

few grates nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 egg – beaten

1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

non stick cooking spray

Directions set oven to 500 degrees F.

On one burner put your pot of potatoes on a medium high boil with the salt and the hot pepper. Cook till potato is tender (15-20 min.)

On your other burner add the oils to the pan on high heat. When the oil is hot add the shallots and turn down to medium high. Stir occasionally and cook till soft but not brown. (about 7=8 min). Take off heat and add to potatoes after potatoes are drained and the hot pepper is thrown away.

By now your potatoes are done. Mash them with the butter and add the 1 teaspoon sea salt, white pepper, few grates of nutmeg, black pepper, thyme and gruyere cheese. Mix well. Add the beaten egg and shallots and mix well.

Spray muffin pan with non stick spray and fill each cup with mixture.

Place in preheated 500 degree F oven.

After about 5 minutes the potatoes will be brown so turn down the oven to 350 F degrees. They will only need about ten more minutes for a total of 15 minutes in the oven. (about 5 minutes 500 degrees F , turn down to 350 degrees F about ten minutes more)

Remove from oven and let cool down. Serve when warm or refrigerate and reheat. Can be frozen and then thawed to reheat.

Everyone will FORKING LOVE THEM!