helpful hints
Use any soft cheese such as feta, blue, Swiss, havarti or fontina

make ahead tips
Several hours ahead--cook potato pancakes to point before final crisping (end of step 3).  Leave them in the pan at room temperature and toast to a crisp just before serving.

You can also cook pancakes to the end of step 3, cool them and then freeze them for up to 1 month.  Thaw slightly and proceed with recipe 

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Cheese and Herb Potato Pancake
Makes 10-12 pancakes; recipe can be doubled

potatoes
1 1/2 pounds baking potatoes (about 3)
6 ounces mild goat cheese, crumbled; or other soft cheese.  See Helpful Hints
1/4 pound mixed salad greens 

salad dressing
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
Fresh-ground black pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 small clove garlic -- minced
4 tablespoons fresh chives or scallion tops -- chopped

prepare the potatoes
Peel the potatoes and grate them on the coarse side of a grater; or cut the potatoes into julienne with a mandoline. Squeeze any excess liquid from the potatoes and stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.

Brush a large nonstick frying pan with about 1 tablespoon of oil. You may need to use two pans. Use about a hand-full of grated potatoes to make piles in the pan and press them into flat cakes about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Top each round of potatoes with a sixth of the cheese and a teaspoon of herbs.  Press the remaining grated potatoes onto the goat cheese so that the cheese is completely covered.

Put the pan over moderate heat and cook the potatoes just until they form a crust on the bottom, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan and cook the potato cakes until they are lightly browned on the bottom, about 10 minutes. Flip each potato cake. Cover and continue cooking until the potatoes are cooked through, about 10 minutes longer. step 4

Uncover the pan and toast the potato cakes over low to moderately low heat until crisp and golden brown on the bottom, about 8 minutes longer. Flip the potato cakes and toast them on the second side until crisp and golden, about 8 minutes longer.

prepare salad dressing and salad
In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar with the mustard, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and a pinch of pepper. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil slowly, whisking. Stir in the shallots, garlic and 2 tablespoons of the chives. Set this dressing aside

Just before the potato cakes are done, toss the salad with the dressing. Divide the greens among six plates and put the hot potato cakes on the greens.