Thursday 22 April 2010

The Kitchen Front - Potato and Bacon Cakes


 I have collected over the past few years many pamphlets and books on Wartime cooking filled with hundreds of frugal and filling recipes that kept Britain fighting fit during the constrictions of Rationing.  I thought it was about time that I gave some of these recipes an airing and had a bash at them myself. So to begin with I have chosen to start simple with Potato and Bacon Cakes.



~ Potato and Bacon Cakes ~

Ingredients:
1lb Cooked Potatoes. 
6 tablespoons Onions - chopped. 
11/2 - 3 oz Bacon. 
2 teaspoon of Meat or Vegetable Extract - I took this to mean Bovril or Marmite? 
1/2 - 1 teaspoon of salt. 
Milk and Bread Crumbs for coating. 

Needless to say, I left out the whopping quantity of salt recommended in the recipe for my batch; what with the Bacon and the Marmite there really is no need to add more salt!

1. Mash the potatoes well while still hot. 
2. Chop the bacon and fry with the onion until both are golden brown. 
3. Add to the mashed potato with the extract salt and pepper.  
4. Mix well together and form into 8 cakes.
5. Coat with milk and breadcrumbs and bake in a moderately hot oven till firm. 
6. Serve with lightly boiled vegetables.


I cooked these up last night and I can honestly say they are really quite lovely; they go all gooey inside once they have been browned in the oven. They passed the boyfriend test so I am sure these will now become a regular in our house! I think I will have a go at the iconic Woolton Pie next, see if this one passes muster. Fingers crossed.

Wendy x