potato pancakes with smoked salmon

one of my favorite menu items at navarre is the potato pancake. it's perfectly crunchy, salty and topped with a dollop of creme fraiche. from the moment i tasted it, i knew i wanted to recreate it at home (with my own little twists, of course).

potato pancakes with smoked salmon (makes 4 large pancakes) 

1 1/2 lbs baby red potatoes 
olive oil 
1 shallot 
juice of 1 small lemon 
soft goat cheese 
capers 
salt + pepper 
wild smoked salmon

wash and dry the potatoes, then shred them with a cheese grater into a large bowl. if there is excess water in the shredded potatoes, squeeze it out before frying. in a pan over medium-low heat, add about a tbsp of olive oil and fry up the sliced shallot, until translucent. add shallots to about 2 tbsp of soft goat cheese, lemon juice, salt, pepper and some capers. mix and set aside. next, form shredded potato into a patty and place in pan (you may need to add more olive oil). flip the patty once the bottom has a nice golden crust. when both sides are browned and crispy, top pancake with a slice of smoked salmon, the goat cheese mixture, and a few extra capers.