Hebridean Seaweed and Potato Cakes
Crisp, golden potato cakes flecked with savoury Hebridean dulse seaweed. A comforting croft staple packed with deep coastal flavour.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 45 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 285 kcal
Equipment
- •Large saucepan
- •Potato masher
- •Heavy frying pan or girdle
- •Mixing bowl
- •Fish slice
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 285 kcal
- fat
- 12 g
- carbs
- 38 g
- fibre
- 4 g
- protein
- 5 g
- calories
- 285 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Place the peeled potatoes into a saucepan of cold, salted water.
- 2
Bring to the boil on the hob and simmer for fifteen minutes until tender.
- 3
Soak the dulse in cold water for ten minutes, drain, and chop finely.
- 4
Drain the potatoes thoroughly and return to the hot pan to steam dry.
- 5
Mash the potatoes with the butter and warm milk until completely smooth.
- 6
Stir the chopped dulse, spring onions, plain flour, salt, and pepper into the mash.
- 7
Divide the mixture into eight even portions and shape into flat round cakes.
- 8
Dredge each potato cake lightly in the fine oatmeal to coat both sides.
- 9
Heat the rapeseed oil in a heavy frying pan over a medium hob.
- 10
Fry the cakes for four minutes on each side until deeply golden and crisp.
- 11
Drain briefly on greaseproof paper and serve warm.
Chef's tips
Ensure the boiled potatoes steam dry thoroughly before mashing so the mixture stays firm. If using freshly harvested shoreline seaweed, wash it multiple times in fresh water to remove excess grit and sand before chopping.
Ingredient substitutions
- dried dulse seaweed → carrageen seaweed, nori sheets, or rehydrated sea lettuce
- Scottish cold-pressed rapeseed oil → traditional beef dripping or unsalted butter with vegetable oil
Storage
Store leftover cooled potato cakes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a dry frying pan or moderate oven at 180°C until piping hot and crisp again.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding too much milk, which makes the mash too wet to hold its shape in the pan.
- •Frying over excessive heat, causing the oatmeal coating to scorch before the interior warms through.
Serving suggestions
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