Beef Cakes
Inspired by a nineteenth century recipe, these Beef Cakes are an ingenious and delicious way to use up leftover beef.
Introduction
This recipe is an adaptation of something I found in a nineteenth-century recipe book, and a great way for making cold beef into a tasty and appetising new dish. The recommmendation was for it to be served hot for breakfast, but this might be a little too out of the ordinary for modern tastes. I can see it being a great brunch dish or an easy Monday-night supper, especially if prepared beforehand from the Sunday joint. The quick frying of the assembled cakes is only intended to colour the tops and bottoms of the potato; the heat won’t reach the meat patty. The cakes can then be chilled until needed and then only require a thorough warming in the oven before serving.
Ingredients
| 150g | cold, preferably underdone beef |
| 50g | lean bacon |
| 25g | fresh suet |
| 1 | shallot or small onion, finely chopped |
| 1tbsp | walnut ketchup (pickling liquid from a jar of pickled walnuts) |
| 4 tbsp | chopped fresh parsley |
| 2-3 tbsp | beef stock or 1 tbsp Bovril mixed with 2 tbsp hot water, cooled |
| 400g | mashed potato |
| salt and pepper | |
| butter, for frying |
Method
Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3.
Mince or finely chop the beef and bacon. Add the suet, chopped onion, parsley, ketchup and stock. Season with salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly and divide into 4 portions. Shape into patties.
Season the mashed potato and divide into 8 portions. Spoon a layer of mashed potato on top of each meat patty and pat into shape.
Turn the patty over and add a second layer of potato. The cakes should now resemble a burger in a bun, but with potato in place of the bun.
Melt a little butter in a pan and fry the cakes for 3-4 minutes on each side over a high heat, until nicely browned and starting to crisp. Transfer to a baking tray and warm through in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
