The Swiss, including the residents of
Champex Lac, are proud of their local cuisine and most restaurant menus consist of locally
produced traditional fare.
As a mountain village the food tends to be
hearty and wholesome rather than fancy. But you can always guarantee that the quality of the
food is good and after a hard day walking or
skiing you'll really appreciate it.
Swiss Rosti
Originally a breakfast eaten by farmers, today it is considered by some to be the national dish. It is eaten all over Switzerland including in Champex. For a complete meal it is often served with cheese, fried eggs, and ham. It is also served as a side dish.
The below recipe serves 4 as a side dish, 2 as a main course
Ingredients
2 medium-sized waxy potatoes
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp goose fat
Method
1. Parboil the potatoes in salted water until just tender, but not soft. Allow to cool, and chill for at least a couple of hours.
2. Coarsely grate the potatoes and season. Heat half the fat in a small, heavy-based frying pan until sizzling, and then add the grated potato, allow to cook for a couple of minutes and then shape it into a flat cake, pressing down as lightly as possible. Allow to cook for a couple of minutes, then gently shake the pan to loosen the potato.
3. Continue to cook for about 10 minutes until golden and crisp, then place a plate on top of the pan and invert it so the cake sits, cooked-side up, on the plate.
4. Add the rest of the butter and goose fat to the pan and, when hot, slide the potato cake back into the pan the other way up. Cook for another 10 minutes, then serve.