Sunday, July 28, 2013

Blue Cheese Potato Cakes

by Sheila Connolly

I thought I was done with Irish recipes for a bit, but I keep finding good ones—as I keep saying, Irish cooking had gotten a lot better in the past decade or two. This one you might call a new classic: it uses potatoes (which the Irish have been doing well for a couple of centuries) and blue cheese (there are a lot of dairy farms in Ireland—my great-grandfathers in Co. Cork raised cattle), but it adds a nice mix of herbs and garlic to punch up the flavor.

BLUE CHEESE POTATO CAKES

1 1/2 - 1 3/4 pounds baking (you want a mealy potato, not a waxy one) potatoes,

   peeled and cut into 2" pieces
   (note: this recipe makes 12+ cakes,
   So feel free to reduce it)

2 Tblsp unsalted butter
2 Tblsp fresh chives, minced
1 Tblsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp nutmeg (if you like)
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tblsp fresh dill, minced
2 Tlbsp fresh parsley, minced

1 cup (4 oz. by weight) blue cheese, crumbled
1 egg yolk



1 cup flour
2 eggs, beaten with 1/2 cup milk
1-1 1/2 cups bread crumbs or panko
oil for cooking


Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water for 12-15 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mash.

In a small skillet, melt the butter over low heat.  Cook the chives and garlic for 1-2 minutes, until soft. Stir into the mashed potatoes. Stir in the nutmeg, salt, pepper, dill and parsley.  Cool completely.


 Stir in the cheese and egg yolk (leave the cheese lumpy).

Shape the mixture into 12 cakes.  Refrigerate on a sheet of waxed paper or foil for 10 minutes.

Dredge the cakes in flour, then coat with the egg mixture, followed by the bread crumbs or panko.



Heat the oil in a large skillet.  Add the cakes and cook for 3-5 minutes per side, until browned. (You can cook them to this point then reheat them for serving.)


Serve with a dollop of sour cream if you want

.

6 comments:

  1. Wonderful...just mention blue cheese and or garlic and I'm on it like white on rice. Thanks for this, Dee

    ReplyDelete
  2. Ooh, I love potato cakes done right and these look wonderful and still in the Irish mode. Thanks, Sheila!

    MJ

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow. These look great! I love the blue cheese in them. Two or three of these in a smaller version would make a lovely appetizer, too!

    ~Krista

    ReplyDelete
  4. Blue cheese is a right nice surprise in these Irish cakes. Thanks, Sheila ~ have a wonderful Sunday! ~ Cleo

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sheila, simple and lovely! Yum!!! Let's hear it for Ireland.

    Daryl / Avery

    ReplyDelete