Broccoli And Cheddar Potato Patties

A life long infatuation with condiments, sauces, glazes and dip has propelled me to create food that’s pretty much a vehicle for sauce. In the name of health, I’m also making a considerate effort to eat more vegetables at every meal, which is why I make a batch of these broccoli and cheddar potato patties every weekend. Aside from being vegetarian, they’re also gluten-free, making them one of more appealing options for dinner if you’ve got dietary restrictions to manage.

Mashed red potatoes provide the base and gives these patties sticking power without needing more than eggs as a binder. Sharp cheddar cheese brings flavor but also helps the patties develop a crispy crust during cooking. The bits threaded throughout the patty form little gooey pockets that ooze when bitten into. How’s that for satisfying?

Fair warning: There’s a lot of chopping in this recipes, so I suggest you breakout the food processor to make quick work of the prep. The rest of the recipe can be done in stages. I will often make the patties all the way through shaping and stick them in the fridge to chill and firm up a few hours up overnight. While this isn’t exactly a loose mixture, expect a few bits to break off during cooking. Consider them a preview of what’s to come.

As for the dipping—I’ve been eating these patties with a lemony aioli, but a dollop of Greek yogurt sounds good, too. After watching a toddler friend of mine gobble these up, it’s safe to say these veggie-packed patties are 100-percent kid-approved.

Ingredients

• 1 pound red-skin potatoes, coarsely chopped
• 8 ounces raw broccoli florets
• 1 large portabella mushroom, cut into large pieces
• 1 small onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves of peeled garlic
• 4 ounces, shredded white cheddar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 T. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. red chile flakes
• olive oil for frying

Preparation

Cook potatoes in salted water for 25 minutes or until fork tender. Drain completely. Mash potatoes until fluffy. Transfer to the fridge or freezer to chill until cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, add broccoli florets to the food processor and pulse seven to 10 times until coarsely chopped. There will be some bigger pieces left over, but you want that for texture. The broccoli should be fairly dry to touch. Transfer the broccoli to a large mixing bowl.

Add the mushroom, onion and garlic cloves to the food processor and pulse three to four times or until chopped into small pieces. If you pulse too long it will become a paste. Transfer the mushrooms, onions and garlic to the bowl with the broccoli.

Add the shredded cheddar. Toss the ingredients to combine. Add the reserved potatoes, and toss mixture with a fork, being careful to maintain as much air as possible when mixing.

In a small bowl whisk together the eggs, mustard, salt, pepper and chile flakes. Pour over the broccoli and potato mixture and mix in with a fork until combined.

Scoop out 1/4 cup at a time and shape into patties. Place patties on a lightly-oiled baking sheet and chill for 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a nonstick skillet over medium heat, warm a very thin layer of oil. Cook the patties in batches, about 2 to 3 minutes per side or until deep golden brown. Return the patties to the prepared baking sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet before eating.