Vegetarian mains
Potato and wild garlic cakes with carrot chutney
These wild garlic and potato cakes make a fantastic springtime brunch or light dinner. Don’t be alarmed by the mention of chutney, this is a quick version, where some texture to the carrot makes a nice contrast to the potato cakes. Freezing the cakes for a few minutes helps to firm them, making them easier to fry. You could give them a few extra minutes if you have time to spare. Save leftover egg white for meringues; they freeze well.
Ingredients
- 500g potatoes
- 1 onion
- 2 large carrots
- 1 apple
- 20g raisins
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 100ml cider
- 1 tbsp honey
- ¼ tsp chilli flakes - add to taste
- 100g wild garlic
- 2 egg yolks
- 20g plain flour
- 25g butter
- 50g watercress
Method
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Step 1
Peel and dice the potatoes into 2-3cm chunks. Transfer to a saucepan. Cover with water. Add a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, then cook until soft to a knife tip; 10-12 mins. Drain. Leave for 2 mins, then mash and place in the fridge to cool.
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Step 2
While the potatoes cook, peel and finely dice the onion. Peel and dice the carrot and apple into small ½-1cm chunks.
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Step 3
In a small pan, stir the carrot, apple, ½ the onion, the raisins, mustard seeds, ground ginger, paprika, vinegar, cider, honey, 300ml of water and a pinch of chilli flakes (to your taste). Season. Bring to a boil. Cook for 30 mins or so, stirring often, until the carrot is just tender.
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Step 4
Meanwhile, heat ½ tbsp of oil in a frying pan. Stir-fry the remaining ½ onion on a low heat for 8 mins, while you continue. Add a little water if it looks like catching. Set aside.
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Step 5
Boil a kettle. Put the wild garlic in a saucepan. Cover with boiled water, leave for 30 secs, then drain and refresh under cold water. Drain, squeeze out excess liquid, then chop it up.
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Step 6
Separate the egg yolks and whites. In a bowl, mix the potato, fried onion, ⅔ of the flour, and the wild garlic. Season. Gently stir in the egg yolks.
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Step 7
Put the remaining flour in a shallow dish. Shape the potato mix into 4 balls. Flatten them slightly into burger shapes. Turn them in the remaining flour to lightly dust them. Place on a tray and chill them in the freezer for 10 mins.
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Step 8
Heat the butter and 2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan on a medium heat. Fry the potato cakes for approx. 4 mins on each side, until golden. Serve with the carrot chutney and watercress.