Boxty Pancake with Creamy Chicken, Leek and Smoked Bacon

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 15 min. Drain, leave in the colander for 2 minutes to steam dry, then mash until completely smooth and let cool.

   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 from the liquid. Add the grated potato, mash, flour, baking powder, eggs and salt to the starch, then whisk in the buttermilk little by little until you have a batter like a thick crêpe batter that spreads slowly when ladled. Leave it to rest for 15 min so the flour hydrates.

   Add in this stepPotatoes for grating raw (peeled weight) 160 gPlain (all-purpose) flour 60 gBaking powder ½ tspEggs 1Buttermilk (or milk with a little lemon juice) 150 mlSalt ½ tsp

3. Meanwhile make the filling. Put the bacon in a 24 cm frying pan over medium heat and cook for 5 min, until the fat has rendered and the edges are crisp.

   Add in this stepSmoked bacon, cut into 1 cm strips 80 g

   medium heat

4. Add the chicken and cook on medium-high heat for 6 min, until browned on the outside. Add the butter, sliced leek and thyme, turn down to medium heat and cook for 4 min more, until the leek is soft and sweet. Cut a piece of chicken open: it must be white all the way through with no pink.

   Add in this stepSkinless chicken thighs, cut into 2 cm pieces 240 gButter 11 gLeek (or the white part of spring onions/scallions) 120 gFresh thyme sprigs 2

   medium-high heat→medium heat

5. Pour in the wine and scrape up the brown bits from the pan with a wooden spoon, letting it bubble until almost gone. Add the cream, pepper and salt and simmer on medium heat for 3 min, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Remove the thyme stalks, cover and keep warm.

   Add in this stepDry white wine 50 mlDouble (heavy) cream 120 mlBlack pepper 1 pinchSalt ¼ tsp

   medium heat

6. Heat a 22 cm ×2 non-stick pan over medium heat and brush with a thin film of butter (×2 means 2 pancakes, one per serving). Add a ladle of batter and swirl the pan to spread it into a round about 5 mm thick. Cook for 3 min per side, until golden on both sides and springy in the centre, then transfer to a plate and cover with foil.

   Add in this stepButter 25 g

   medium heat

7. Spoon the creamy chicken onto one half of each pancake and fold it over. Drizzle with a little extra sauce, scatter with chives and serve straight away.

   Add in this stepChives, finely chopped 5 g