This trinxat—which translates to “chopped” in Catalan—is a gem of a recipe from Cerdagne, a region of the Pyrénées-Orientales mountains straddling France and Spain. Mashed potatoes are simply mixed with cabbage, fried in a skillet like a galette and garnished with bacon. It’s easy and so satisfying, and a great way of using up leftover mashed potatoes too.
Like most mountain cooking, this recipe was born from a need to adapt to the region’s climate and altitude. In the Catalan mountains, locals would make do with what can only grow at high altitude; in this case, potatoes and sturdy cabbages. The cabbages for this recipe were originally only harvested in the winter months, when bright green and slightly frosted. Nowadays, most recipes use Savoy cabbage.
In the spring, the cabbage can be replaced by peppery dandelion leaves. And at Christmas, trinxats traditionally get studded with raisins—it’s surprising at first, but delicious.
SERVES 4 / MAKES 1 TRINXAT
3 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
Big pinch of salt
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 strips bacon
½ Savoy cabbage (¼ lb [113 g]), shredded (discard the outer leaves)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Optional: ¼ cup (40 g) raisins (for the Christmas version)
Fresh ground black pepper
Cook the potatoes in boiling water with a big pinch of salt for about 15 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain and let cool for 5 minutes. Mash the potatoes with 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil, using a fork or a potato masher.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon strips until crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes on the first side and 2 minutes on the other. Reserve the bacon on a plate, and keep the rendered bacon fat in the skillet.
Add the shredded cabbage and crushed garlic to the skillet. Cook for about 15 minutes, until tender and slightly caramelized. In a separate bowl, mix in the cabbage with the mashed potatoes. Mix in the raisins (if using). Season to taste.
Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet. Return the cabbage and potato mash to the skillet, and flatten it with the back of a large spoon to create a large galette. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the bottom is brown and crisp. Top with the bacon strips, and serve immediately.