Ingredients

Serves 4

Potato Pancakes with Smoked Salmon
500 g waxy potatoes, peeled
3 eggs
3 egg whites
75 ml crème fraîche
4 tablespoons plain flour
½ teaspoon salt
Pinch of white pepper
1 tablespoon chopped chives
100 g butter
12 slices smoked salmon, to serve
8 poached eggs (optional), to serve
Flat-leaf parsley leaves, to serve
Juice of 1 lemon, to serve

 

Farinata
150 g chickpea flour
Salt
75 ml olive oil
100 ml light olive oil
200 g raw prawns, peeled, deveined and Sliced in half
¼ cup rosemary leaves, tossed in olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

 

Method

Potato Pancakes with Smoked Salmon
This recipe is a blend of two that I’ve used over the years. I used to make one version at Monte’s in London, served with seared foie gras – a great combination, though the recipe was a little labour intensive. The other version comes from my mate Darren Simpson on The Best in Australia, which involves blending the potatoes with the remaining ingredients while they are hot. It’s a far easier way to make the batter and it keeps for a few days. To cook the pancakes, I use tarte tatin moulds or blini pans. The addition of a poached egg is an optional extra, and to enhance the batter you could add other chopped herbs or corn kernels.

Boil the potatoes in salted water. When cooked, drain and allow to steam dry. Place the potatoes in a food processor while still hot, along with the eggs, egg whites, crème fraîche, flour, salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Reserve and allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
When the mixture is cool, add 1 tablespoon chopped chives and combine thoroughly.
Spread 25 g butter in each of the four moulds or blini pans and place in the hot oven. When the butter begins to foam, remove from the oven. Divide the batter between the moulds or pans, return them to the oven and cook for 10 minutes, or until firm and golden on top.
To turn out, place a similar-sized tray or plate over each mould or pan and flip. Using a palette knife or eggflip, turn the pancake over and place in the centre of a serving plate.
Serve the pancakes with slices of smoked salmon, a poached egg (if desired), some parsley leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice.

 

Farinata
For me, farinata is the ultimate nibbly bite. A cool drink and a plateful of these crispy chickpea crepes just can’t be beaten. They also make a great addition to an antipasto platter. If you’re using a cast-iron pan, make sure it’s well seasoned so it’s as close to non-stick as possible. The success of this recipe depends on the temperature of your oven and the temperature of your pan – the hotter the better.

Sieve the fl our and slowly mix in 2 cups of tepid water to form a thin batter, making sure it’s completely free of lumps. Leave to rest for 1–1½ hours.
Preheat the oven to 250°C.
Just before you use the batter, add a good pinch of salt and the olive oil, making sure they’re thoroughly mixed in.
Heat a large non-stick or cast-iron frying pan on the stovetop.
When hot, carefully add enough light olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Pour in enough batter to form a thin layer. Sprinkle with the sliced prawns, rosemary leaves and a little pepper.
Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 5–10 minutes, or until the edges are brown. The centre should be cooked and the bottom crisp. Use a spatula to remove the farinata from the pan.
To serve, cut the farinata into pieces, arrange on a large plate or board and sprinkle with salt.