RECIPE DOCTOR
Cut half the calories from 'Ultimate' rosti

By Elaine Magee
Knight Ridder News Service

Q. I saw this recipe (rosti with bacon, mushrooms and onions) on Tyler's "Ultimate" show on the Food Network and wondered if you could lighten it up for my wife and I. We are both on lower-fat diets for medical reasons and thought this dish looked positively delicious, but we can't eat it as is.

A. I had to laugh when I got this because I had literally just watched this particular episode and afterward I was ready to lighten up all three potato recipes.

Here's my variation using frozen hash browns instead of boiled and grated potato (saving steps), and turkey bacon instead of regular bacon; and cutting back on the oil, butter and cheese. With these changes, the calories went from around 750 to 380 and the fat grams from approximately 45 to 14 grams per serving.

If you want to use lean ham instead, just substitute about 1/2 cup of finely diced ham for the 6 slices of turkey bacon.

The original recipe has approximately 750 calories, 45 grams of fat, 24 grams of saturated fat, and 110 mg cholesterol per serving (if 4 servings).

Light Rosti with Ham, Mushrooms and Onions

• 8 cups frozen shredded hash browns
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 slices Louis Turkey turkey bacon
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 sprig thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cups diced raw mushrooms
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• about 4 ounces of jarlsberg lite, thinly sliced (gruyere can also be used)

Put frozen hash browns in a microwave-safe covered container, add 1/2 cup water, cover and micro-cook on high until tender (about 15 minutes). Drain, sprinkle with salt and set aside to cool.

Pan-fry turkey bacon on medium heat in a large, nonstick frying pan coated with canola oil, until nicely crisp. Let cool on paper towel, then crumble into pieces.

Add mushrooms and onions to the pan, coated with canola or olive oil cooking spray, and cook until soft (about 5 minutes.) Turn off heat and stir in the bacon pieces and the shredded potatoes.

Heat a teaspoon of olive oil over high heat in small nonstick frying pan and scoop a cup of the potato mixture into the center of the pan. Use a spatula to flatten the mixture into a round flat cake. When the bottom is nicely browned (about 2 minutes), flip it over and brown the underside while you add an ounce of sliced cheese on top. Once the underside is lightly browned you can turn the rosti onto a plate or finish melting the cheese by putting the pan with the rosti briefly under a broiler.

Repeat with the remaining potato mixture, olive oil, and cheese.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Per serving (if 4 per recipe): 380 calories; 16.5 g protein; 49 g carbohydrates; 13.9 g fat (5 g saturated fat; 6.3 g monounsaturated fat; 1.7 g polyunsaturated fat); 33 mg cholesterol; 4.5 g fiber; 972 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 32 percent. Omega-3 fatty acids: 0.4 g. Omega-6 fatty acids: 1 g. Weight Watchers: 8 points.

Elaine Magee's new book, "The Flax Cookbook" is in bookstores and at amazon.com. Write to her at www.recipedoctor.com. Personal responses cannot be provided.