Serves: 4
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes

• 250g potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 50-60ml milk
• 2 large eggs, separated
• 40ml buttermilk or natural yoghurt
• 20ml finely snipped chives
• 75ml (50g) cake flour
• sunflower oil, for frying
• 10ml lemon juice
• 200ml cream cheese
• smoked seafood of your choice for topping (salmon, mackerel or mussels)
• chive flowers or other edible flowers and herbs, to garnish

1 Boil the potato cubes in salted water until tender. Drain well. Mash with the milk. Season with salt and black pepper, then leave to cool.

2 Beat the egg yolks and buttermilk together. Mix into the cooled potato mixture, and add the chives and flour.

3 Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Stir a little of the egg white into the potato mixture, then gradually fold in the remaining egg white.

4 Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add a 1cm layer of oil to the pan and then fry spoonfuls of the batter until bubbles appear on the surface. Turn over and cook the other side. Remove from the pan and set aside while you cook the other cakes. Warm up in the oven or for a minute in the microwave just before ready to serve.

5 To serve, stir the lemon juice into the cream cheese. Top each cake with a teaspoonful of cream cheese. Add a selection of smoked seafood, or choose just one type, if you prefer. Garnish with edible flowers.

Text and image: Ideas magazine