Dessert: Herbed Rösti Potato Cake

Recipe by Alexis Touchet The Thanksgiving table would not be complete without potatoes to absorb all that delicious gravy. Mashed potatoes are the most common, but sometimes you yearn for something with a bit more texture. That's where the Swiss rösti po

Ingredients

3 pounds large Yukon gold potatoes (about 7)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon olive oil
Special equimpent: A four-sided grater; 10-inch well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or 12-inch deep nonstick skillet

Instructions

Cover potatoes generously with well-salted cold water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer potatoes, partially covered, until they are just barely tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
Transfer potatoes to a colander using a slotted spoon, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, and dry.
Chill potatoes on a plate, uncovered, at least 8 hours.
Peel potatoes and coarsely grate into a large bowl. Add thyme, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper, then drizzle with 2 tablespoons butter and toss mixture well.
Heat oven to 375 °F with rack in middle.
Heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then add potato mixture and tamp it down firmly in skillet with a rubber spatula, smoothing the top.
Reduce heat to medium and cook potato cake, covered with a lid, until edges begin to turn golden, about 5 minutes.
Remove lid, then bake potato cake, uncovered, 10 minutes.
Brush top of potato cake with remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
Turn on broiler and broil potato cake, 4 to 5 inches from heat, until golden brown, 3 to 7 minutes.
Remove skillet from oven carefully (wear oven mitts!). Run the rubber spatula around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the skillet.
Invert a large round heat-proof plate over skillet and invert potato cake onto plate.
Cut into wedges and serve.