Boxing Day Bubble & Squeak Cakes

I don’t know about you, but leftover potatoes are pretty much a given in our household at Christmas, and come Boxing Day these hash cakes are the perfect way to those tasty morsels a new lease of life with very minimal effort. Whether it’s for brunch, lunch or a light dinner, this forgiving recipe will have everyone back at the table for seconds!

Gluten-free Dairy-free
Makes 4 serves
Takes 40 minutes

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
4 rashers streaky bacon (or leftover Christmas ham), diced
½ cup cabbage, thinly sliced
½ red onion, thinly sliced
4 cups cooked potatoes, roughly diced
1 tbsp capers
1 small handful parsley, roughly chopped
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp fine polenta, or breadcrumbs
Quick tartare sauce
1 egg yolk
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 small lemon, zested & juiced
1 tsp wholegrain mustard
½ cup vegetable oil
3 tbsp capers, drained & chopped
3 tbsp gherkins, drained & chopped
1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 small lemon, zested & juiced
3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

Method
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the bacon (or ham) and fry until browned. Add cabbage and onion and saute for 1-2 minutes, until softened. Remove the pan from the heat and spoon cabbage mixture into a large bowl.

Add the potatoes, mixing to combine, mashing the potatoes slightly but leaving some chunky. Add the capers, parsley and egg, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Portion the mixture into evenly-sized patties, flattening each patty with your hands. Coat lightly in polenta, and place in the fridge for 30 minutes, to firm up.

To make the quick tartare sauce, add the egg yolk, garlic, vinegar, 1 tsp of lemon juice and mustard to the small bowl of a food processor. Blend to combine, and then with the food processor still running, slowly add the oil, a few drops at a time, until the oil is incorporated and the mixture has emulsified. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper, adjusting the seasoning as necessary.

When you’re ready to cook, return the pan to the heat and add some extra oil, if needed. Fry each bubble & squeak cake for 2-3 minutes on each side, until crispy and browned.

Serve with extra parsley leaves and a decent drizzle of tartare sauce.

Tip
There is so much scope to add anything you like to this recipe – leftover roast vegetables, corn, different herbs, salmon or smoked fish, or simply leave them as potato cakes and served topped with a poached egg.