Hot potato cakes with smoked salmon and creme fraiche
Serves six

Ingredients 900g unpeeled 'old' potatoes (as in not little KE waxy new potatoes) 25g butter 50g flour 1 tbsp chopped herbs, such as parsley, chives and a little thyme Salt and pepper Some creamy milk (milk with a little cream) Seasoned flour (flour seasoned with a little salt and pepper) Some butter and olive oil for frying Creme fraiche 110g Connemara Smoked Salmon A few chopped chives

Cook the potatoes in their skins, pull off the peel and mash right away, adding the butter, flour and herbs. Season with salt and pepper and add a few drops of hot creamy milk if the mixture is too stiff (it does need to be quite firm for the cakes to stay together in the pan). Mix well, taste and correct seasoning. Shape into potato cakes about one inch thick. Dip in the seasoned flour to coat, then fry in a little butter and olive oil till golden on one side then flip over and cook on the other side for a few minutes again. They should be crusty and golden. Place on very hot plates. Put a dollop of creme fraiche on top of each potato cake, top with slivers of Connemara Smoked Salmon and sprinkle with chopped chives. Serve immediately. (Recipe from Sunday Tribune 9/12/2007)