Smoked Salmon Pancakes

Method
Prep:10min  ›  Cook:15min  ›  Ready in:25min 

1. Measure the milk in a large jug, then whisk in 2 tbsp of the crème fraîche and the lemon juice using a fork. Pour half the mixture into a blender. Crack the eggs into the blender and add the spring onions. Blend for 1 minute. Add the dill and flour, and blend for a further minute or until the batter is fairly smooth with tiny pieces of spring onion and chopped dill. Add the remaining milk mixture and blend again. Stir in 50g smoked salmon trimmings and season with ground black pepper.
2. Preheat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan oven), gas 2. Heat a heavy nonstick frying pan until it is medium hot, then add a little oil and swirl it around to coat the pan. Spoon in about 2 tbsp of the batter to make a pancake about 9cm in diameter. Make two or three more (depending on how many you can fit in the pan), spacing them slightly apart. Cook for 1 minute or until small bubbles appear all over the surface of the pancakes and the tops are dry. Using a palette knife turn the pancakes over and cook the other sides for about 1 minute. Take out of the pan and keep warm in the oven on a baking sheet while you cook the remaining batter – there will be enough to make 18 pancakes.
3. Put a heaped teaspoon of crème fraîche in the middle of each pancake, then top with slivers of the remaining smoked salmon and garnish with lumpfish roe, if using, and dill or chives. Arrange on a large, warm platter or individual plates and serve.

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Swaps

For smoked salmon, use skinned and flaked smoked mackerel fillets and add a little mild horseradish sauce to the crème fraîche for topping; garnish with watercress. * For spring onions, dill and salmon, coarsely grate 1 carrot, 1 courgette and 75g Gruyère cheese, and reduce the milk to 250ml. Serve with Greek-style yoghurt and a sliced tomato and red onion salad.

To serve

For a cucumber and avocado salsa, toss 2 chopped ripe avocados in a bowl with the juice of 1 small lime. Add 1/2 cucumber, finely chopped, 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander and a chopped fresh red chilli or a pinch of mild chilli seasoning, or to taste.

…another idea

Chickpea and sweetcorn pancakes In a blender, combine 175g chickpea or gram flour, 125g fine cornmeal, 4 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp curry powder and 1/2 tsp each salt and caster sugar. Add 2 eggs, 450ml semi-skimmed milk and 50g cooled melted butter. Blend until smooth. Stir in 75g sweetcorn, well-drained or thawed if frozen. Cook the pancakes as the basic recipe and serve with bought or homemade cucumber raita.