Bring on the Boxty.....

Have you ever had just a little bit of mashed potatoes left at the end of dinner?  You know, just enough that you don't want to finish them off but more than you want to throw away.  If you have about a cup of leftover mashed potatoes, I have the recipe for you -Boxty !  There are many variations on this recipe but the one I love the most is fairly thin and wrapped around any number of fillings.  I've had boxty at Gallagher's Boxty House in Dublin and I've had boxty at The Fiddler's Hearth in South Bend Indiana - both equally delicious.  Today I decided to make the Boxty (potato pancake) from Gallagher's with the filling I like the most from the Fiddler's Hearth.  What resulted was simply amazing !

Gallagher's Boxty (courtsey of Food Network)

8 ounces grated raw potato

6 ounces mashed potato

8 ounces all-purpose flour (I've also had this with buckwheat flour)

1 pint milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Wash and drain the grated raw potato at least twice to remove all the starch.  Place the raw and mashed potatoes in a bowl, add flour and milk. Season with salt and pepper and blend to a smooth consistency.  Drop a ladle full (about 1/2 cup) into a hot skillet or griddle; push the mixture from the center outwards with the bottom of the ladle, cook for 2 minutes then flip the boxty over and cook through.

Fill with your choice of fillings.  The recipe for the filling I used today appears below !  But you could also make a breakfast version stuffed with scrambled eggs, sausage/ham/bacon, cheese and veggies; a leftover Thanksgiving dinner vesion with stuffing, turkey, veggies and a bit of gravy - the filling ideas are only limited by your imagination !  Let me know what filling you use in your favorite boxty recipe.


Pork filling for boxty

3 center cut loin pork chops, cubed
1 medium onion, sliced
1 portobello mushroom, cubed
1 jar homemade Ballymaloe country relish (recipe to follow another time) or your favorite BBQ sauce (about 1-2 cups depending on how thick you want your filling)

Brown cubed pork, add onions and mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes.  Add sauce; cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes or longer if desired.

Spoon sauce into freshly cooked boxty and serve with a huge green salad with apples, blue cheese and balsamic vinaigrette.