Name: The best-ever potato scallops
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 4 - 6
Ingredients: 800 ml pouring cream; 2 tbsp truffle oil; To taste: sea salt flakes and 30 turns of white pepper mill; 3 large potatoes, preferably King Edwards (200gm each), washed, ends cut off, sliced 1cm thick; For deep-frying: vegetable oil; Batter; 100 gm plain flour; 100 gm cornflour; 1¼ tbsp baking powder; 200 ml sparkling mineral water

The best-ever potato scallops

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for the best-ever potato scallops by Matt Wilkinson.

Serves 4 - 6

Prep

20M

Cook

40M

Total

Ingredients

800 ml pouring cream

2 tbsp truffle oil

To taste: sea salt flakes and 30 turns of white pepper mill

3 large potatoes, preferably King Edwards (200gm each), washed, ends cut off, sliced 1cm thick

For deep-frying: vegetable oil

Batter

100 gm plain flour

100 gm cornflour

1¼ tbsp baking powder

200 ml sparkling mineral water

Method

Main

1.For batter, mix dry ingredients together, then make a well and slowly whisk in the mineral water until you have a thick, smooth batter. Cover and set aside.

2.Preheat oven to 230C. Bring cream to the boil in a large saucepan, stirring occasionally. Take off the heat, then add truffle oil and season to taste with sea salt and white pepper. Line a 26cm x 20cm x 6cm baking tray with baking paper, including the sides, then pour in the cream mixture. Arrange potato slices in the tray in a single layer, then cover with baking paper and foil. Pierce 5 holes in the foil, then bake until just tender but still firm (25-30 minutes; when tested with a skewer the potato should give a bit of resistence). Leave to cool in the liquid (1 hour). Once cool, carefully remove potato from the cream and place on a tray. (Strain the cream mixture and reserve for a rainy day – maybe use the cream to cook and mash potatoes in.)

3.Heat oil to 160C in a deepfryer. If you’re feeling flush, buy some winter truffles, thinly slice them and place a couple of slices on each potato scallop. Otherwise just dip the potato slices in the batter, shaking off excess, and deep-fry in batches, turning occasionally, until golden (2-3 minutes). Sprinkle with salt and serve straight away.

Matt Wilkinson