Boxty Cakes

An Irish potato pancake just in time for St. Patrick’s day.

These are hearty buddies for any kind of meal and a great way to use your leftover mashed potatoes. The basic idea is to mix mashed potatoes with grated raw potatoes and an egg, but there are infinite possibilities of variables that could be introduced.  Herbs, garlic, curry, jalapeños, horseradish, siracha, yams, caraway, saffron…

The origin of the name is likely the Irish phrase arán bocht tí meaning “poor-house bread”.   It’s a perfect meal for the lean days of late winter before the spring crops have sprouted—fresh eggs mixed with last year’s crop of potatoes that made it through the winter, and throw in whatever else you have in the cupboard. 

.

Boxty on the griddle,
And Boxty on the pan;
The wee one in the middle
Is for Mary Ann 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 

(a wee bit early)

Boxty Cakes

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes to boil and mash the potatoes, 20 minutes to fry the cakes

Mix in a bowl:

1 cup Mashed Potatoes

1 cup Potatoes, peeled and grated

1 cup Rice Flour

1 Egg

1 small Leek or Onion, minced

1 Tablespoon Cream (especially if the mashed potatoes were not made with a good fat or liquid)

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

Nutmeg

Form the mixture into small patties.

Heat in a heavy frying pan: 

Butter or Oil of your choice

Fry the boxty cakes over medium heat until a toasty brown, then flip and fry until done.  

Serve with butter and bacon, or sour cream and applesauce. 

Additions that may or may not be very Irish:

• Bacon (duh)
• Caraway
• Jalapeños
• Garlic
• Horseradish
• Herbs—Rosemary, Parsley, Thyme, Cilantro
• Chevre
• Curry
• Paprika
• Cumin and Coriander
• Saffron

.. 
We’re remembering our dear friend Mary Kay this week as we celebrate her birthday.  Two of her grandsons paddled in the gulf of Bay St. Louis at one of her many Celebrations of Life as she gave us the most incredible sunset amidst a sheet of rain!