Potato Pancakes and Mustard Sesame Chicken Legs

Potato pancakes make me think of my dad. I remember him trying to make them when I was a kid. I can't remember if he ever successfully did, but if not, here ya go dad! These are also a HUGE hit with my husband. Now, the pictures below were taken before I added an additional egg. Once I added another egg, the consistency became very runny and was almost impossible to hold together before frying --- this is normal. Once I put the mixture into the refrigerator, it firmed up. Unfortunately, I ran out of time so it was still a little bit difficult to work with because it was so messy. This is mostly aggravating, but it doesn't affect the pancake. It will fry and stick together forming a beautiful, golden potato pancake. The KEY to these pancakes is the correct amount of eggs AND leaving them to cook for 4 minutes per side. Do not move them, shift them or bother them until the 4 minutes have passed.

As for the chicken it's tasty and easy. I love mustard, so anytime I can incorporate it into a new meal, I'm happy.

Mash the potatoes and let them cool a bit.

Chop up some parsley and add to the potatoes.

Add one egg, mix and refrigerate.

Sprinkle Parmesan on each pancake.

Fry one pancake to check the consistency.
I needed one more egg.

Mashed Potato Pancakes
Original Recipe: "Vegetables" by James Peterson, 1998, p 256
Serving Size = 8 4-inch pancakes

• 2 eggs or more as needed
• 2 cups Mashed Potatoes
• 1/4 cup oil or clarified butter (just enough to coat the bottom of the pan)
• Grated Parmesan cheese (optional) use a microplane
• Chopped fresh parsley (optional) maybe 1/4 cup or less
• Salt/Pepper to taste

Note: The original recipe calls for mashed potatoes, meaning cook the potatoes until tender and mash with some milk. I skipped the milk though.

1. Let the mashed potatoes cool down to room temperature and add the parsley, salt and pepper. Add the eggs, mixing after each addition. The mixture should be somewhat runny, and the potatoes will not hold together unless you use two hands to keep them together. You CAN fry them at this point, but it is challenging. So chill the mashed potato mixture so that it will be easier to form pancakes (maybe 30 minutes).
2. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with oil and set the heat to medium.
3. Once the oil is hot, start by testing one pancake. Make the pancake about 4 inches in diameter, about 1/2 an inch thick. Coat each side of the pancake with the Parmesan cheese and slide carefully into the oil. Cook 4 minutes per side and do not touch them until the time is up. Once the pancake is done, check to see if it needs another egg. If it's falling apart (and it might even fall apart in the skillet), then add an additional egg, mix and refrigerate again.
4. Once the texture is perfect, cook them but do not over crowd the pan too much. Drain on a plate with a paper towel.

Mustard Sesame Chicken Legs

Original Recipe

Serving Size = 3 - 4

• 4 chicken legs
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (roughly)
• 2 - 3 teaspoons Dijon mustard (again, roughly)
• Sesame Seeds
• Dried tarragon to taste (about 1/2 teaspoon per leg)
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon of butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 450F (I did 400F)
2. Dry the chicken legs and then coat each one with 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard, until just covered. 
3. Sprinkle each chicken leg with sesame seeds and dried tarragon, as much as you want. Salt and pepper to taste. 
4. Roll the legs in the panko breadcrumbs and place into a baking dish. Drizzle on the melted butter and bake for 20 - 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

I forgot to take a finished picture. Woops!