Potato Fritters with Smoked Salmon
These moreish fritters are the perfect base for our favourite Aoraki smoked salmon. We love to fry these in clarified butter for the rich golden colour and deep flavour it imparts. Make the mash a day ahead to get a head start on cooking.
Ingredients
700g agria potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
100g packet Aoraki cold smoked salmon slices
25g butter
3 spring onions, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
50g parmesan (or other hard cheese), finely grated
½ tsp salt
½ cup flour
½ tsp baking powder
Clarified butter or oil for frying
½ cup crème fraîche
Grated zest and juice of ½ lemon
2 Tbsp chives, finely chopped
Method
Put the potatoes in a pan of cold, salted water and bring to a simmer. Cook until tender, approx. 15-20 minutes. Drain well and mash with 25g butter, then set aside to cool.
In a bowl, combine the mashed potato, spring onions, egg, parmesan, salt, baking powder, and ¼ cup of the flour. Shape into golf ball-sized pieces and flatten to fritters. Put the remaining flour in a bowl and dredge each fritter through the flour, dusting off the excess.
Heat some clarified butter or oil in a frying pan over a medium heat and add the fritters, cooking in batches (without crowding the pan). Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden. Add more clarified butter between batches, if necessary. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Allow to cool for a few minutes before adding the topping.
Mix the crème fraîche with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and chives, and season with salt and black pepper. If necessary, thin with a little water. Dollop a small spoonful onto each fritter. Cut the salmon into thin slices and arrange on top of the fritters.