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Prep time
10 minutes
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Cook time
25 minutes
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makes
8 pancakes
Author Notes
These creamy, crispy potato pancakes lie somewhere between Irish boxty, Korean jeon, and Indian vegetable cutlets. Stuffed with shredded cabbage and redolent with scallions, ginger, and garlic, they cook up with a french-fry-like shatter on the outside, while retaining all the best qualities of mashed potatoes inside.
Cream of Wheat is the secret weapon in transforming leftover mashed potatoes into these golden pancakes. Adept at absorbing lots of moisture, it provides the structure and support needed to flip these puppies in a pan of oil. (In my tests, a more traditional binder like bread crumbs created a gummy texture in the finished pancakes.) Use the amount of Cream of Wheat stated in the recipe as a guide: Maybe your mashed potatoes are super creamy, in which case you’ll need to add more. Fry up a small pancake in a sacrificial test to figure out the right amount. If it falls apart when you go to turn it, you’ll know to add more (start with an extra 2 tablespoons at a time and wait for 15 minutes before testing again).
A few drops of soy and sriracha are my go-to for these. To make it a full meal, add a crisp salad of bitter leaves. Or, if you didn’t carbo load enough during the holidays, consider sliding one of these between two slices of buttered toast along with some pickled chiles and crisp bacon. Now that’s a leftover redux. To make in advance: You can mix and shape the pancakes up to 4 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated in a single layer, then shape and cook as instructed. —Shilpa Uskokovic
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Ingredients
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2 1/2 cups
finely shredded cabbage (or one 10-ounce package shredded coleslaw mix)
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2 cups
cold leftover mashed potatoes (about 1 pound)
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6
scallions, thinly sliced (both white and green parts)
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1
large egg
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1/2 cup
Cream of Wheat
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1 teaspoon
finely grated ginger (from about 1 inch fresh ginger)
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4
large garlic cloves, finely grated
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Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
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Vegetable oil, for frying
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Soy sauce and sriracha, for serving
Directions
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Position a rack in the center of the oven, then turn on the oven to 300°F. Place a wire rack in a rimmed sheet pan and place in the oven.
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Using a sturdy rubber spatula or clean hands, in a large bowl, mix the cabbage, potatoes, scallions, egg, Cream of Wheat, ginger, and garlic until well combined. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve for 15 minutes to allow the Cream of Wheat to hydrate.
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Heat ⅛ inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, divide the potato mixture into 8 portions (about ½ cup each) and shape into ½-inch-thick patties. When the oil shimmers, add as many potato pancakes as will comfortably fit. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes per side, until golden brown on both sides. As the pancakes finish cooking, transfer to the sheet pan in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining potato mixture, adding more oil to the pan as needed.
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Serve the pancakes warm with shakes of soy sauce and sriracha on top.
Shilpa Uskokovic is recipe developer, food writer and budding food stylist and photographer. She was previously a line and pastry cook in some of NYC's top rated restaurants like Marea, The NoMad Hotel, Maialino and Perry Street.
A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Shilpa loves books, Bundt cakes, cute Basset Hounds and peak millennial memes. She was born and raised in Chennai, India.
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