This Surprisingly Easy, Incredibly Fun Appetizer Is My Spring Go-To
I am always on the lookout for easy, fun appetizer recipes. For me, that recipe has to work for a variety of occasions, but most importantly, I want the recipe to be fast, have ingredients that I mostly have in the pantry and refrigerator, and is easily adjustable for dietary restrictions like gluten-free, vegetarian or vegan, or any allergies.
So, with spring flavors and seasonality upon us, I’m here to share my latest appetizer crush: Hasseltots with Crème Fraiche and Caviar. It’s my 2020 go-to and I expect it will soon be yours, too.
Here’s the recipe for my favorite spring appetizer: Hasseltots With Crème Fraiche and Caviar
First, What Is a Hasseltot?
Let’s start with the Hasselback potato—the divine spud treatment created in 1953 by (and named for) Stockholm’s beloved Hasselbacken restaurant. Those slender accordion-like slices, perfect for catching flavor and creating crunch, are what characterize a Hasselback potato, and the variations and recipes are pretty much all wonderful, from Baby Hasselback Potatoes with Blue Cheese and Bacon to Hasselback Sweet Potato Casserole.
RELATED: Why Hasselbacking Is Still a Hot Move in the Kitchen
Now, take a tiny tater and go Hasselback with it. The result? A crispy/tender tot that’s an entertaining superhero. A Hasseltot!
Why I Love Making and Serving This Hasseltot Recipe
Let’s talk prep: This recipe preps in about five to ten minutes and involves hands-off cooking under an hour. That qualifies as a breeze. At my house, the oven preheats while I prep, then I pop them in for the first cook and get the rest of my snacks or beverages organized, do the second zhuzh, pop them back in for the final cook and go get dressed. By the time cocktail hour rolls around, I can garnish and serve.
Second, they are delicious hot, room temperature, or even chilled. I often have crème fraiche in my fridge, but have made them with sour cream, Greek yogurt, and labneh to equally delicious results. And while I can hear you asking if I also keep caviar in my fridge (never a bad idea to scoop up some inexpensive varieties when shopping), I’ve also topped these tots with white anchovy fillets, crispy prosciutto, chopped herbs, and chimichurri.
RELATED: Heinz Turned Its Ketchup Into Caviar
Have friends and guests with dietary restrictions? These are naturally vegetarian if you leave off the caviar in favor of a caperberry or toasted pine nuts, and vegan and dairy free with a dollop of artichoke or olive tapenade instead of the cream.
How to Pick Your Potatoes
My local market carries a mixed bag of baby potatoes in yellow, red, and purple varieties, which makes for a gorgeous platter. For a sweet variation, try it with baby sweet potatoes and topped with whipped miso honey, or sorghum butter and popped millet.
Whether you follow it to the letter or make up your own version, my best recommendation is to make about twice as many as you think you are going to need, because they disappear faster than almost any appetizer I have ever served.
To get the recipe, go here: Hasseltots With Crème Fraiche and Caviar
