Potato Scallops Cakes

Recipe: Potato Scallops Cakes Recipe »

Potato scallops - or potato cakes, depending on where you live - are one of summer's most delicious treats to have with fish and chips, and they're surprisingly easy to make at home. I ate the puffiest, crunchiest batch a few months ago and the lovely cook shared the recipe (and yes, they're vegan), so here's how to get golden, bubbly potato cakes on your plate without any fuss. This is a pushy recipe, Dear Reader.

Potato scallops or potato cakes (name depending on the state that you live in) are one of my favourite things to eat. They're crispy and crunchy and utterly moreish. I might even prefer them to battered fish! We visited Penny's Hotel in Potts Point last year and this cute little pub is known for two standout dishes: the chana dahl and the potato scallops which was a nice surprise as it was not just the usual chicken parmigiana or schnitzel. The potato scallops were so crispy and crunchy and had this incredible vinegar salt seasoning. I asked them for both recipes and they kindly gave me both so here I am sharing Penny's precious potato scallop recipe (and the dahl to come very soon)! These are literally the best potato scallops I have had in recent years, not just because of that amazing vinegar salt.

5 Tips For Making THE BEST Potato Scallops or Potato Cakes

1 - Deep frying is only really unpleasant if you don't have enough ventilation so make sure to turn the extractor fan on.

2 - The other annoying thing about deep frying is if the food spits when it is cooking. Any sort of water will cause the oil to spit but in this case the water molecules are combined with flour ones to make the batter which ensures that there is actually no spitting at all - I promise!

3 - Make sure that the potatoes are sliced to 5mm/0.2 inch thick. That way they'll cook perfectly in the time given.

4 - These are delicious just with sea salt but they are INCREDIBLE with vinegar salt! You can easily buy vinegar salt item online and it's very well priced, lasts for ages and goes with so many dishes. I also used it on my Pommes Anna.

5 - You can use any sort of beer for this. I've tried it with non alcoholic and alcoholic beer and both work well! The beer gives a nice flavour to the batter.

Other Potato Recipes You Might Like: Accordion Potatoes, Potato Latkes, Potato Platter, Garlic Butter Rosemary Roast Potatoes or Greek Lemon Potatoes.

And if you've got the deep fryer going try my Salt and pepper Squid recipe that goes so well with these potato scallops!

Potato Scallops Cakes

An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott adapted from Penny's Hotel

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 6 minutes per batch

Serves: 2-4 people

• 2 large Desiree or Dutch Cream potatoes (around 500g/1.1lbs)

• 1/2 cup/125ml/4flozs soda water

• 1/2 cup/125ml/4flozs VB beer (or any beer you like, I've tried it with non alcoholic beer too!)

• 125g/4ozs self raising flour

• 50g/1.7ozs corn flour

• 5g/0.2oz salt

• 30g/1oz plain all purpose flour

• Vinegar salt for serving

Step 1 - Wash the Desiree potatoes and finely slice them 5mm/0.2inch thick leaving the skins on. Whisk the self-raising flour, corn flour and salt in a large bowl. Then slowly with a whisk, mix in the beer and soda water until combined and without any lumps.

Step 2 - Heat enough oil to submerge the potatoes in until it reaches 180C/350F. Place the plain flour in a bowl and lightly flour the potato slices in the plain flour, then dip them into the beer batter mix in the bowl. Completely coat with batter and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Sprinkle generously with vinegar salt or sea salt and serve straight away.

Personal Note

We love potatoes but I recently discovered someone that loves potatoes even more. It was my mother in law Tuulikki's birthday picnic and everyone arrived and took out their food. There were tubs of hummus, an enormous fruit salad and a big platter of fruit which was her birthday present (every member of the Elliott family except for me asks for a fruit platter for their birthday).

Mr NQN asked her about what age she was turning. She mysteriously answered that she was born in the 17th century and then reborn many times after that. Classic Tuulikki.

I never seem to use up my potatoes quickly enough in my vege box so I brought along a bag of potatoes. Tuulikki doesn't like the usual food presents. If you give her a box of chocolates or a cake she will look positively terrified. But I finally found the gift that she loves best...POTATOES!

I handed her a paper bag of potatoes and she peered inside. Her eyes lit up excitedly and she said "I love potatoes!!". It was like I handed her a cute puppy as a gift! Finally, I've found the food gift that she wants to receive.

So tell me Dear Reader, do you ask restaurants for recipes? And what food gift would you like to receive?

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