Chicken Hash Cakes

Cut the potatoes into chunks and cook in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and return to the heat to steam off excess moisture. Tip into a bowl and mash coarsely with a fork.

Heat the oil and butter in a sauté pan and cook the onion, spring onions, celery and garlic until very tender. Add to the potatoes and leave to cool.

Take the meat off the chicken and discard the skin, bones and any fat. Chop and add to the potatoes with the flat-leaf parsley. Whisk the egg and mustard together and tip into the bowl. Season and use a fork to combine the mixture.

Divide into 8 portions and form into cakes approximately 8 cm wide and 5 cm high. Wrap a rasher of bacon around the equator of each hash cake and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with the remaining mixture and bacon. The hash cakes can be covered and refrigerated overnight at this point.

To cook: Heat a sauté pan with a little oil and a knob of butter. Lightly dust the flat side of each hash cake with seasoned flour. Cook until golden and hot in the centre. Alternatively, the hash cakes can be browned on both sides then transferred to a lined baking tray. Bake in a 180°C oven for 10 minutes.

To serve: Place 2 hash cakes on each plate and garnish with rocket. Serve with bowls of tomato salsa and sour cream. 

The secret to keeping hash cakes together is to not have any large pieces in the mixture. This causes them to fall apart. Also make sure the onions etc. are very tender. Crunchy, raw onion will add no flavour to the dish.

Menu: Serve with Baked Croissant with Caramelised Apples, Strawberry ‘Margaritas’ and Blueberry Smoothies to drink.