After some mix up with the alphabetical order of my recipes, now we are back on track!
This is really a comfort food! The only hard part is peeling the potatoes! You can simply exchange bacon for mushrooms, to get the vegetarian version. We’ve had it as a main dish, served with fried egg on the side, but it can be as a side dish itself, for example to the fish recipe I’ve posted earlier.
Ingredients
- 700 g floury potatoes
- 400 g savoy cabbage (vitkål works too)
- finely shredded 120 g bacon or smoked pork belly (veg: 250 g mushrooms, sliced)
- 2–3 tbsp butter + 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- ¾–1 tsp salt
- black pepper
- Optional: pinch smoked paprika; chopped parsley/chives
- To serve: fried egg, green beans, or a spoon of aioli
Steps
- Boil & steam dry: Peel/chunk potatoes. Boil in salted water 12–15 min. After 5 min add shredded cabbage. Drain very well and let steam dry 2–3 min. Rough mash together; season.
- Crisp the bacon (or mushrooms): In a 26–28 cm pan cook bacon in a little oil until browned; remove, leaving ~2 tbsp fat. Veg: sauté mushrooms in oil/butter until well browned; set aside.
- Flavor base: Lower heat; add garlic 30 sec, then half the butter. Fold half the bacon/mushrooms into the mash.
- Form the cake: Add remaining butter + a splash of oil. Pack mash into the pan, pressing to a 2–3 cm thick cake. Cook medium low 8–10 min until the bottom is deep golden.
- Flip & finish: Invert onto a plate, slide back and brown the other side 6–8 min. (Or make 4 small patties, ~3–4 min/side.)
- Serve: Top with remaining bacon/mushrooms and herbs; add a fried egg, beans or tomato salad. A little aioli is classic.
Notes & swaps
- Dry mash = crisp cake: steam dry after draining; squeeze watery cabbage. Savoy gives best texture; kale works—boil 5 min longer.
- Make ahead: boil/mash earlier; crisp just before serving.
- A pinch of smoked paprika in the mash is lovely.
Lambros' kitchen travellog 