This is really a hash recipe – ideal for using up leftover mashed potato and salt beef, but also other cooked meats, even pressed ox tongue or tinned corned beef. And, of course, you can use hen’s eggs, although duck eggs have a lovely richness that makes a glamorous treat out of a leftovers classic. If you’ve got suitable meat for this recipe, but no mash, it’s well worth cooking the spuds from scratch.
Serves 3–4
About 300g leftover mashed potato OR floury potatoes, such as King Edward, Wilja or Maris Piper, plus butter and milk for mashing
2 tablespoons rapeseed, sunflower or olive oil, plus extra for frying
1 onion, finely sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
About 300g cooked salt beef (here), shredded or chopped
A good handful of flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped (optional)
1 teaspoon English mustard
A small knob of butter
3–4 duck eggs (one per person)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
If you’re cooking spuds from scratch, peel them and cut into even-sized pieces. Put into a saucepan, cover with water, add salt and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15–20 minutes or until tender. Drain the potatoes, return to the pan and leave to steam-dry for a few minutes, then mash them, with a knob of butter and a dash of milk, if you like.
Place a frying pan over a medium heat and add the 2 tablespoons oil. Add the onion and fry for 10–12 minutes until soft and starting to colour. Add the garlic, shredded salt beef and parsley, if using, and fry for a further 2–3 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper. Fold this into the mashed potato, along with the mustard. Form the mixture into 3 or 4 large cakes, leave to cool on a large plate, then refrigerate for 1 hour.
Heat a thin film of oil in a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the hash cakes and fry gently for 5–6 minutes, turning occasionally, until nicely browned on each side.
Meanwhile, to fry the duck eggs, heat a touch more oil and a small knob of butter in another frying pan. Fry the eggs for 2–3 minutes to your liking, and serve with the fried hash cakes.
PLUS ONE Some might say it lowers the tone, but these cakes are pretty good served with baked beans!
SWAPS Pressed ox tongue and tinned corned beef are good straight swaps for the salt beef, as are hen’s eggs for duck eggs.