Crempogau

Makes 24 Starters and mains

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Method

The recipe for each topping makes enough crempogau (mini Welsh pancakes) to serve 8. You can make all three, mix and match, or make a single topping and freeze any leftover crempogs for another occasion.

Put the flour and salt in a bowl. Melt the butter in a small pan, then add the buttermilk and stir over a low heat for 30 seconds until the liquid is just warm. Gradually whisk the liquid into the flour and allow to stand for 1-2 hours.

When ready to cook the crempogau, whisk the eggs, then add to the batter, stir well and add the bicarbonate of soda followed by the vinegar. Whisk everything together and leave to sit for 5 minutes.

Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a low heat. Add a little rapeseed oil to the pan (you only need a smear) and, using a 1tbsp measuring spoon, scoop spoonfuls of the batter into the pan to make 5.5cm rounds, making up to 5 at a time. Cook for 2 minutes until the surface looks set, then, using a spatula, carefully turn them over and cook until a golden colour on the other side, too. Transfer to a tray lined with kitchen paper until all the crempogau are cooked. Store in the fridge for up to a day or freeze until needed.

White crabmeat, laverbread and rice cracker

Laverbread –bara lawr – is made from laver (seaweed) that's harvested from Wales' coastline. Cooked and puréed slightly to produce a unique texture, it's considered a delicacy.

Preheat the oven to its lowest setting. Lay the sheets of rice paper on a non-stick baking sheet and divide the laverbread between the two, smearing it evenly over the surface. Bake for around 10 minutes, moving the sheets every so often (to prevent them sticking), until the laverbread is set onto the rice paper. Cut each rice paper sheet into 8 pieces.

Heat some oil in a small pan (a few cm deep) until a cube of bread turns golden in 45 seconds, then add the rice paper pieces, a piece at a time, and remove immediately. They will frazzle up instantly so don't let them brown. Drain on kitchen paper. If preparing ahead, the crackers will keep in an airtight container overnight.

Around 5 minutes before serving, lay the crempogau on a tray, spoon over the crabmeat and top with the crackers.

Horseradish, smoked salmon and sour cream

Lay the crempogau on a tray and spoon over the horseradish. Add the salmon slices, curling them neatly. Using a teaspoon, quenelle the sour cream onto the salmon, then top with fennel.

Stretch the bacon with a heavy cook’s knife. Cut each rasher into 3 and grill on a high heat until cooked and just crisp.

Put the cornflour and salt in a bowl. Pat the oysters dry with kitchen paper, then toss in the cornflour mix to coat. Put the egg and breadcrumbs into 2 separate bowls.

Pour 3cm oil into a small, deep pan and heat to 140C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 45 seconds). Dip the oysters into the egg, then the breadcrumbs. Fry until crispy and golden (they should still be soft inside) and drain on kitchen paper. Lay the warm crempogau on a tray and spoon on the laverbread. Top with an oyster and a piece of bacon.

Glamorgan sausage bonbons with laverbread mayonnaise

Slice the leeks into quarters lengthways and finely chop. Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat, add the leeks and sweat to soften for 5 minutes. Tip into a bowl and set aside to cool completely.

Mix together the mustard, 150g breadcrumbs, cheese, herbs and some salt and pepper, then mix in the egg yolks and bring the mixture together with your hands. Form into 24 bonbons, then chill on a plate for 15 minutes.

To make the laverbread mayonnaise, combine the ingredients in a bowl and chill.

Whisk the egg whites in a medium bowl until a little frothy. Put the extra breadcrumbs in a separate bowl. Heat the oil to 140C (or until a cube of bread turns golden in 45 seconds) in a wok or deep-fat fryer. Dip the bonbons into the egg white, then coat in the breadcrumbs. Fluctuate the temperature to cook the bonbons on the insides and give them a golden crumb finish. Serve on cocktail sticks with the laverbread mayonnaise on the side.

This recipe featured in the May/June 2021 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe, click here.