Lent is looming. Abstinence beckons. Pancake Tuesday marks the eve of the Lenten period, when historically, all the rich foods in the house, like eggs and milk, would be used up in readiness for fasting before the Christian celebration of Easter.  Making pancakes was the most common way to do this, and the tradition has stuck. The day to toss a pancake or two is upon us! You  might be a pancake purist, who prefers a simple pancake batter, cooked and served with lemon and sugar. There are those who choose to adorn their pancakes with rich chocolate sauce and nuts, mixed berry compote and natural yogurt, or maple syrup and bacon. The list of toppings is endless. We’ve got something a little different this Pancake Day.  From the makers of handcrafted Keogh’s Crisps,  comes this fantastic savoury Potato Pancake recipe. Keogh’s crisps are made with the farm’s own home grown potatoes, and are available in many Good Food Ireland shops and farm shops.  Keogh’s fresh potato packs, as used in this recipe, can be found in good supermarkets nationally. We like Denise’s serving suggestion below! See what you think! Happy Pancake Day

DENISE’S NOTES

These Potato Pancakes are sublime when topped with smoked salmon and crème fraiche but they’re also a fantastic addition to a traditional Irish breakfast on a lazy Sunday morning!

INGREDIENTS

1 Pack of Keoghs Easy Cook 9 minute Jacket Potatoes

1 small bunch of Fresh Chives

120g Self Raising Flour

Salt & White Pepper

2 Free-Range Eggs

130 to 150mls Fresh Milk

50g Butter and a few drops of Sunflower Oil for the frying pan

1. Cook the potatoes in the microwave oven according to the instructions on the pack. Allow to cool until they are warm enough to handle, then peel away the skin.

2. Meanwhile, wash , dry and finely chop the chives.

3. Sieve the flour, salt and white pepper into a bowl.

4. Make a well in the centre of the mixture then add the eggs and half of the milk.

5. Whisk the mixture together. Gradually add enough of the remaining milk to form a smooth batter.

6. Melt half of the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat with oil.

7. Grate the potatoes into the batter then stir in the chopped chives.

8. Drop approx. two tablespoons of the batter onto the pan for each small pancake. Fry the pancakes gently until they appear golden and firm and underneath bubbles have formed on the surface, (approx. 2 minutes). Carefully turn over then fry on the other side.

9. Remove the pancakes from the pan, keep warm. Add the remaining butter to the pan as needed.

10. Continue to fry as above until all the batter has been used.