Return of the larder lout

I can't believe it has been over a month since my last post. I'm embarrassed. How has this happened, you might ask, though it is more likely that you actually haven't noticed my lack of posts as you have had far better things to do - because a lot has happened in the last month. Hallowe'en, bonfire night, Remembrance Sunday, England beating Germany, and apparently there has been some sort of election in the States. Indeed, with the economic hysteria increasing evermore in intensity, it really feels like world has changed a lot since that chicken curry.

The world of a Bristol final year student has not changed a great deal. A mountain of work and the fact that I still don't have any internet at the flat is responsible for the dearth of postings. Please don't think that I ain't been cooking, though. We have been eating famously, and perhaps one day all the new discoveries will make their meandering way onto this blog. We've had cauliflower cheese with crumbled doritos on top (unbelievably good); pigeon with roast jerusalem artichokes; pumpkin risotto....the list goes on, and we are utterly beholden to Riverford Organic Veg for giving us such inspiration.

This recipe is a really surprising delight. Super simple and comforting, yet surprisingly light. A cracking Saturday lunch.

Potato cakes with brussel sprouts and bacon

Serves 2

2 medium floury potatoes
40 ml whole milk
20g butter
1 teaspoon English mustard
A good handful of Brussels sprouts, cut in half
4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, diced
Soy sauce

Peel the potatoes and chop into chunks. Bring to the boil in salted water and boil until cooked. About 20 minutes. Drain and set aside. In the same pan heat the milk over a gentle flame. Add the spuds and mash them thoroughly. Add the butter and mustard, salt and pepper and whip furiously. Leave to cool for half an hour.

Pat the mash into two cakes. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan and add the bacon and sprouts. Cook over a medium high heat, stirring regularly, till the bacon is crispy and sprouts cooked through. Transfer to a warm bowl and drizzle with a little soy sauce. In the same pan fry the potato cakes for 3-4 minutes on each side, till brown and crisp. Serve with the sprouts and bacon.