I’ve taken a liking to making these potato cakes. Handy to finish off in the oven, alongside a joint of meat, a roast chicken or a casserole. Good rib-sticking, no-nonsense, traddy fare, despite the fancy oil.

1 KG potatoes, Golden Wonder or Kerr’s Pink preferred, skins left on
1 small red onion, chopped fine
1 bunch of scallions, chopped fine
2 rashers back bacon, diced
pinch saffron
2 tsp ground coriander seeds
3 field mushrooms, sliced and diced
olive (or truffle or porcini) oil
1 dtsp plain flour
2 beaten eggs
salt and black pepper

Boil the potatoes until just cooked through. Remove and mash, or grate into a large bowl.
Heat 2 dessertspoons olive oil, better still truffle or porcini oil and lightly fry saffron, coriander, onion and scallions, rashers just until the scallions turn yellow. Add the mushrooms and fry for a couple of minutes more. Combine with the potatoes, flour and beaten eggs, season, and shape into 6 large cakes or 12 small ones.
Heat a little more oil in the frying pan and fry the potato cakes lightly for a couple of minutes, turn and repeat. Place on a baking tray or foil sheet and leave in the oven while the maet is cooking. They seem quite time-tolerant but watch to see they don’t burn.
They can be made in advance and reheated.