Potato Bird Nest
April 21st, 2025
This Recipe creates 24 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
A single serving (about 1
ounce) contains about 40 calories
"Amuse bouche" (pronounced /amoos boosh/) is a French term that means "mouth amuser". An amuse bouche is a small, single-bite hors d'œuvre, typically served as a free appetizer, where the Chef can showcase their skills. This amuse bouche is relatively easy to make, and provides a nice palette cleanser to start your meal. Construct the bird nests in mini-sized muffin cups, lined with parchment paper mini cupcake liners. Use a paper towel or a clean kitchen towel to squeeze out any excess moisture from the shredded potatoes. Pack the parchment cups with the shredded potato, shape into a nest, and bake. Then add the bacon and bake again. Garnish the finished nest with a slice from a Cherry Tomato, and a strip or 2 of chiffonade basil leaf.
Ingredients:
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1 Package (20 ounces) Shredded Potatoes (fully thawed, if frozen)
1 Package Bacon, preferably Center Cut
1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter, melted
Salt, to taste
24 Mozzarella Cheese Pearls (about 2.5 ounces)
1/2 Ounce Fresh Basil Leaves
1 Package Cherry Tomatoes
Directions:
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Start with a 24 Cup Mini Muffin Pan. Insert a parchment paper cupcake liner into each muffin cup. Set it aside.
Preheat the oven to 375° F.
Wrap the Shredded Potatoes in paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and squeeze any excess moisture from the Shredded Potatoes.
Fill each paper cup loosely with about 1 tablespoon of Shredded Potato. Pack the potato and shape it into a "Bird Nest" Potato Cup. Each cup should contain 0.6 to 0.8 Ounce (about 17 to 22 grams) of Shredded Potato.
Add a couple drops of Butter into each Cup. Use your finger to coat the inside of each Potato Cup with Melted Butter.
Spread a pinch of Salt across the the entire pan, ensuring that each Cup gets lightly salted.
Bake the Bird Nests for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, par-fry the bacon so that it is cooked by still very pliable.
Cut each Bacon Slice into 3" Strips. Roll each strip of Bacon into a loose Bacon Ring. Drop a Bacon Ring into each Potato Cup.
Bake the Bird Nests for another 10 minutes.
The bacon should become slightly crispy and the Potato Cups should begin to brown.
Remove the parchment paper from each Potato Cup. Place the Cup on your serving plate.
Cut each Cherry Tomato into 3 or 4 slices.
Chiffonade the fresh Basil Leaves.
Place a Mozzarella Cheese Pearl inside the Bacon Ring, inside each Nest.
Add a Cherry Tomato slice into each Potato Cup.
Add 1 or 2 Chiffonade Basil Leaf strips on top of each Potato Cup as a garnish.
