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Crispy Mashed Potato Cakes with Easy Applesauce

Source of Recipe

From "The Foster's Market Cookbook" by Sara Foster


Recipe Introduction

"Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, these savory cakes are a terrific way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. They can be made several hours before serving (just reheat in a 400-degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes) and everyone loves them — especially kids. At the Market, we recommend them as a side dish to Chicken Marsala or Balsamic-Roasted Chicken. The spicy homemade applesauce is really easy, too, and is also great with Roast Pork Tenderloin."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 3 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and halved
â—¦ 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter
â—¦ â…“ cup milk
â—¦ â…“ cup grated Parmesan cheese
â—¦ 1 teaspoon salt
â—¦ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ ¾ cup fresh bread crumbs
â—¦ 1 large egg
â—¦ 2 scallions, trimmed and minced
â—¦ 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
â—¦ 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
â—¦ â…“ cup canola or safflower oil
â—¦ 1 cup Easy Applesauce


Recipe

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and add cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a low boil and cook, uncovered, 25 to 30 minutes or until tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.

Drain the potatoes, return them to the saucepan, and add the butter, milk, and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. (Note: The cakes stay together better if the potatoes aren't hot, so you can cook the potatoes ahead of time — even the day before.

Add half the bread crumbs, egg, scallions, and parsley to the potato mixture and stir to mix. Form about ½ cup of the potato mixture (you can use a large ice cream scoop) into 4-inch cakes about ½ inch thick. Mix the remaining bread crumbs and flour in a bowl. Coat both sides of each cake with the bread crumb mixture.

Heat the oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until the oil is hot enough to sizzle when you drop in a small amount of the flour-bread crumb mixture. Cook the potato cakes in the oil 4 to 5 minutes per side, until light brown and crispy. (Note: During the cooking process, you may need to lower the heat or add more oil; you want just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.) Serve hot with Easy Applesauce.

Makes six 4-inch cakes



Easy Applesauce:

â—¦ 4 pounds Granny Smith or other tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
â—¦ 1 ½ cups sugar
â—¦ ½ cup apple juice or water
â—¦ Juice of 1 lemon
â—¦ 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
â—¦ ½ teaspoon ground cloves

Place the apples in a heavy saucepan with the sugar, apple juice, and lemon juice.

Cook over medium-high heat about 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring frequently, until the sugar begins to dissolve and the apples begin to break up.

Add the cinnamon and cloves. Stir and cook about 5 minutes more. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use or up to one month. This spicy applesauce keeps in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Makes about 5 cups applesauce