Potato, Leek & Parsnip Cakes
Potatoes and leeks are a vegetable staple of any European diet. In fact, the humble leek is the original national emblem of Wales. It is cited as the symbol of Wales in William Shakespeare’s Henry V. Historical evidence also exists that the Tudor dynasty issued leeks to be worn by their guards on March 1, known as St. David’s Day, in honor of the patron saint of Wales. Leek and potato soup is a favorite of the boys, but my all-time favorite combination is a leek and potato cake with a crispy fried egg on top.
The soft texture of the cake infused with a small amount of parsnip and shredded leek make a winning combination in any chef’s arsenal of recipes. To finish this dish to perfection, quickly fry an egg in hot oil until crispy but the yolk is still nice and runny. Enjoy these well matched basic ingredients to turn an ordinary night into a spectacular one.
Potato, Leek & Parsnip Cakes
Serves 4
Ingredients:
3 medium size potatoes, peeled and diced
1 parsnip, peeled and diced washed and grated
1 leek, washed and finely diced (white of leek)
1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
3 teaspoons of vegetable oil
How to make:
Take a medium size saucepan and fill half way with water, add the diced potatoes and parsnip, place on the stove, turn on the heat, bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked. Remove the pan from the stove and drain off the water, mash the potatoes and parsnips together with a fork, allow to cool.
Fry the leeks in 1 teaspoon of oil until cooked about 3 minutes, drain off the oil and fold the leeks into the warm potato mixture along with the flour, then divide the mixture into 4 large pieces or 8 smaller equal size pieces then flatten into a patty-sized cake.
Heat the remaining oil in a large non-stick frying pan.
Fry the potato cakes in two batches for 4-5 minutes or until nicely browned and crusty.
Using a fish slice be very careful when you flip each cake over, cook for a further 3-4 minutes.
I like to serve mine with a fried egg and a salad of arugula tossed in a little olive oil, seasoned with freshly ground black pepper.