Crispy Mashed Potato Stuffing Patties

The week between Christmas and New Year's, which has its own quality: unhurried, slightly outside of time, the year nearly spent and the next one not yet requiring anything. The house has gone back to quiet — the family left Thursday, Carol on Friday, Frank and Barbara on Saturday morning. By Saturday evening it was just me and the woodstove again and the Christmas tree still up and the leftover lamb in the refrigerator.

Made lamb hash on Saturday — the leftover lamb chopped with roasted potatoes and onions and herbs, browned in a cast iron pan until crispy at the edges. This is the best use of leftover Christmas lamb and possibly better than the roast itself in the way that certain leftovers are. You've already done the hard work and now you just assemble and apply heat. The pan goes into the oven for the last ten minutes and comes out as a thing you'd eat voluntarily rather than dutifully.

I've been thinking about the year. 2021 was the year the world opened again, the year the vaccines came and the year the family visits became possible again. Looking back at the particular quality of 2020 — the compression, the isolation, the smallness — and comparing it to 2021, which was the same but with more people in it and more of the world accessible, I find I'm genuinely grateful in a specific, earned way. Not relieved. Grateful.

New Year's Eve is Thursday. I'm going to open the good Burgundy and make a proper dinner. That's the plan and I intend to keep it.

The hash I made Saturday was the right instinct — leftovers assembled and applied to heat, the hard work already done — and these crispy mashed potato stuffing patties are the recipe I’d hand anyone who finds themselves in that same between-years quiet with a refrigerator full of holiday remnants and no desire to start from scratch. They come out of the cast iron the way the best leftovers do: better than you expected, better in some ways than the original, proof that a little patience and a hot pan are often all that’s required.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 20 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

2 cups leftover mashed potatoes, cold
1 cup leftover stuffing (any variety), cold
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup all-purpose flour, for dredging
3 tablespoons neutral oil or clarified butter (for the pan)
Sour cream or whole-grain mustard, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Combine the mixture. In a large bowl, mix the cold mashed potatoes, stuffing, beaten egg, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper until just combined. The mixture should hold together when pressed; if it feels too loose, refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Form the patties. Divide the mixture into 8 equal portions. Shape each into a round patty about 3/4-inch thick. Press firmly so they hold their shape.
Dredge lightly. Spread the flour on a shallow plate. Gently press each patty into the flour on both sides, shaking off any excess. This helps form a crust.
Heat the pan. Place a cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil or clarified butter and let it heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes.
Sear the patties. Add the patties to the pan in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Do not crowd the pan. Cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes until the bottom is deep golden and crispy. Flip carefully and cook another 3–4 minutes on the second side.
Finish in the oven (optional). For extra crispiness, transfer the pan to a 400°F (200°C) oven for 8–10 minutes after flipping. The edges will tighten and the centers will heat through completely.
Rest and serve. Remove from the oven or stovetop and let the patties rest for 2 minutes. Serve warm with sour cream, whole-grain mustard, or alongside fried eggs.

Nutrition (per serving)

Crispy Mashed Potato Stuffing Patties — The Hash That Made the Quiet Week Worth It