American Potato Cutlets

Note from Cheri: The recipe and text below was reprinted with permission from Mollie Katzen's Sunlight Café -- Over 350 Easy Recipes for Irrisitible Muffins, GLorious Omelets, Tasty Pancakes, Hommade Protein Bars, and Other Delights to Launch and Sustain Your Every Day (2002, Hyperion). Click here for interview with Mollie Katzen, one of the best selling cookbook authors of all time, as well as more book reviews and lots more recipes!

For an unusual skillet breakfast, serve these mashed potato cakes with Fried Green Tomatoes (follow link for recipe). The timing is good, because you can prepare the tomatoes first and then let them cool while you fry the potato cakes. (The tomatoes need time to cool anyway.)

Recipe Notes:
Why russets? Because they are a dry, meaty variety that mashes well. Other, waxier types can turn gluey when mashed. You can use leftover mashed potatoes for this. If they've been salted, adjust the amount of salt accordingly. If you're cooking the potatoes just for this recipe, use 1 pound. Peel them, cut them into chunks, and boil until soft. Drain very well, and mash until smooth. You can make and coat the patties up to a day in advance, storing them on a plate, tightly covered with plastic wrap, in the refrigerator. Dredge them again in bread crumbs just before frying.

Variation: Broccoli-Potato Cutlets
Follow the main recipe with these adjustments. Add to the potato mixture: · 1 1/2 cups finely minced broccoli (florets and peeled stems) For a touch of color, replace the scallion with 1/2 cup finely minced red onion.

1 1/2 cups cooked, mashed russet potatoes 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill 1 teaspoon minced garlic 1/2 cup finely minced scallion 1 hard-boiled egg, minced or grated 3/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste 1/8 teaspoon black pepper 1 large egg, beaten 1/3 to 1/2 cup fine bread crumbs 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil a little butter (optional)

YIELD: About 4 servings (2 patties each) PREPARATION TIME: about 30 minutes 1. Place the mashed potatoes in a medium-sized bowl. Add the mustard, dill, garlic, scallion, hard-boiled egg, salt, and pepper. Mix until everything is thoroughly blended. 2. Break the egg onto a dinner plate, and beat it with a fork until smooth. Place the bread crumbs on another plate. 3. Use your hands (wet them if you like, for easier handling) to form the mixture into 3-inch patties, using about 1/4 cup for each. 4. Carefully dip both sides of each patty in egg and dredge them lightly in the bread crumbs to coat on all sides. 5. Place a 10-inch skillet over medium heat. After a minute or two, add the olive oil, wait for about 10 seconds, then swirl to coat the pan. If you like, you can also melt in some butter. 6. When the pan is hot enough to sizzle a bread crumb, fry the cutlets about 5 minutes on each side, or until golden and crisp. Remove the cutlets from the pan, and transfer them to a wire rack over a tray to cool. (This retains their crispy texture.) 7. Serve hot or warm, with any of the suggested toppings.