Potato and Bacon Cakes

JANUARY is a hard month to love. The coffers are bare, winter is in full swing and calorific treats are off the menu as the nation tries to combat the traditional post-festive bloat.

Thankfully, the humble potato goes some way to addressing these concerns. Not only is it a cheap cupboard staple that’s easy to cook, it has the starchiness we crave on cold nights and experts say it’s good for our health, too.

Despite popular opinion steering us away from carbohydrates, spuds are naturally fatfree, low in calories and a good source of fibre, vitamin C, potassium and vitamin B6.

In fact, a recent study found eating a portion of potatoes twice a day can lower blood pressure, and a separate study claimed potatoes provide more health benefits than socalled “superfoods”, such as banana, broccoli, beetroot, nuts and avocado.

Sian Porter, consultant dietician to the Potato Council, said: ‘‘It is important to have a wide variety of foods in your diet and to include at least five different portions of fruit and veg a day, but sometimes our heads are turned by new things and we underestimate old favourites like potatoes and how they compare to other, often more expensive, superfoods.’’ So whether you’re mashing, baking or boiling, it’s high time to fall back in love with the trusty spud.

POTATO AND BACON CAKES

(Makes 4-6 cakes)

Price per portion: 58p

Calories per portion: 178 kcals

4 large potatoes (fluffy), skin on and cut into small cubes

4 lean rashers smoked bacon, grilled and chopped

4 spring onions, finely sliced

2tbsp green pesto Seasoning

Flour for dusting

1-2tbsp olive oil for frying

Eggs for poaching

Take the cubed potatoes and place in a large plastic (microwave proof) bowl. The potatoes will cook quicker if not packed too densely. A bigger bowl with a thinner layer works best.

Rinse the cubes with water, drain, then place back into the bowl and add a small splash of water and garlic. Cover with a plastic plate or cling film and cook. For a microwave of 800 watts (category E), cook for 5-8 minutes. For microwaves of different watts or category, adjust the cooking time in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

After cooking, shake the bowl and leave to stand for one minute.

Alternatively, place the potatoes in a pan on the hob, with just enough boiling water to cover them. Put the lid on, bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain.

Crush the potatoes. Add the bacon, spring onions, pesto and seasoning and mix well together.

Take handfuls of the mixture, shape into a ball and then flatten and make into cake shapes. The mixture should make about 4-6 cakes. Lightly dust with flour and then chill.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the cakes for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Finally, heat a large pan of boiling water.

Crack the eggs into the water, turn off the heat and leave for about 6 minutes (for a soft poach). Remove and serve on top of the potato cakes.