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Ireland, Europe · Boxty (Irish Potato Pancakes)

Cheddar and Chive Boxty Bites with Mustard Sour Cream Dip

Boxty batter mixed with sharp cheddar and chives, fried into crisp bite-sized potato puffs: the perfect bar snack or café nibble.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time48 min
DifficultyMedium
About servingsThis recipe uses hot oil. Never leave the pot unattended, and if the oil catches fire, do not use water: turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid.

Method

  1. Peel the potatoes for mashing, cut into 4 cm chunks and put them in a 18 cm pot with cold water. Bring to the boil on high heat, turn down to medium heat and cook for . Drain, leave for 2 minutes to steam dry, mash until smooth and let cool completely; if it is warm, the cheese melts and the mixture turns sticky.

    Add in this stepPotatoes for mashing (peeled weight) 160 g

    high heat→medium heat

  2. Finely grate the raw potatoes, squeeze them dry in a cloth and keep only the starch that settles in the bowl. Add the grated potato, mash, flour, baking powder, egg, cheddar, salt and chives and mix. It should be thick enough to hold its shape on an upturned spoon; if it is wet, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time.

    Add in this stepPotatoes for grating raw (peeled weight) 160 gPlain (all-purpose) flour 50 gBaking powder ½ tspEgg (beaten, then measured) 1Mature cheddar, finely grated 60 gSalt 0.4 tspChives, finely chopped 5.6 g

  3. Make the dip: mix the sour cream, mustard and remaining chives and chill until needed.

    Add in this stepSour cream 100 gDijon mustard 1 tspChives, finely chopped 2.4 g

  4. Pour the oil into a 18 cm deep pot (never more than half full) and heat on medium-high heat for to 170 °C. Without a thermometer, a dry wooden chopstick dipped in should release a steady stream of small bubbles. Keep anything wet well away from the oil.

    Add in this stepVegetable oil, for deep-frying 750 ml

    medium-high heat

  5. Turn the heat down to medium heat. Using two wet spoons, shape walnut-sized balls and lower them gently into the oil. Fry in batches (×2) so the pot is not crowded, about per batch, turning them until deep golden all over. Cut one open to check the potato in the centre is cooked and translucent. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on a rack.

    medium heat

  6. Sprinkle with the remaining salt while hot and serve straight away with the mustard sour cream dip. Let the oil cool completely before disposing of it.

    Add in this stepSalt ⅛ tsp

Cook's tip

A wet mixture spreads in the oil and can spit, so squeeze the raw potato as dry as you can. Fry one test bite first; if it falls apart, add a little more flour. If the oil is too hot, the outside burns before the middle cooks.

Cooking it at camp

Deep-frying in a lot of oil at a campsite is risky, so we don't recommend it. Instead, shape the mixture into flat coins and shallow-fry them in a cast-iron pan with 3 to 4 tablespoons of oil over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side. Keep the dip in the cooler.