Potato Cakes

A favorite side dish for me are potato cakes. They are a easy to make ahead and serve when you are ready for them. The basic idea is to cook any kind of potato till just done, but still with some firmness. When cooled, you break them up into small chunks. At this point any seasoning or filling can be mixed in; try using chopped fresh herbs, chopped bacon, ham or maybe caramelized onions? I like to add diced and cooked sweet potatoes for flavor and a nice color. Once all the ingredients are mixed in, you may scoop into ring molds or some kind of container to form a round and flat shape. Now formed, it's easy to freeze them or just store in the fridge until ready to use. A non-stick or cast iron pan is great for reheating and gives them a nice golden brown color. These in the photo had a filling of sweet potatoes, cooked bacon, caramelized onions and fresh sage and were cooked in butter with more fresh sage. Give them a try -I promise you will like them.

Crispy Potato Cakes cooked in butter with sage