Ingredients

• 225g/8oz plain flour
• plus extra for dusting
• 150g/5½oz table salt
• 1 free-range egg white
• 4 large Jersey Royal potatoes (each weighing around 100g/3½oz)
• scrubbed
• 12 shavings Parmesan or Gouda-style hard cheese
• 1 tbsp small capers
• to garnish
• 1 tbsp snipped fresh chives
• to garnish
• 2 large Maris Piper potatoes
• scrubbed
• 100ml/3½fl oz smoked oil
• 55g/2oz grated Parmesan or Gouda-style hard cheese
• 55g/2oz unsalted butter
• 100ml/3½fl oz milk
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 25g/1oz spring onion tops
• 25g/1oz chives
• 200g/7fl oz pomace oil
• 100ml/3½fl oz white wine vinegar
• 100g/3½oz caster sugar
• 2 banana shallots
• thickly sliced
• oil
• for deep-frying
• 2 banana shallots
• finely julienned
• cornflour
• to dust
• salt
• 1 onion
• thinly sliced

Directions

• For the salt pastry
• mix the flour and salt together in a bowl. Add the egg white and 125ml/4fl oz of water and stir well until the mixture comes together as a dough. Continue to stir or knead the mixture until you get a soft
• smooth dough. If you have time
• leave to chill in the fridge. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface until it is about 5mm thick. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C/Gas 6.
• For the baked potatoes
• wrap each potato individually in the salt pastry so they are completely encased. Place on a foil-lined baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before cracking open the pastry and removing the potatoes. Leave the oven on.
• Cut a cross in the top of each potato and squeeze to open and expose the flesh. Add three cheese shavings onto each potato and place back in the oven for 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile
• for the smoked potato purée
• bake the potatoes in the oven for 60 minutes
• or until soft. Cut each potato in half and scoop out the flesh. Pass through a fine potato ricer and place in a saucepan. Add the oil
• cheese and butter and stir gently over a low heat until everything is melted. Remove from the heat and add the milk. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the onion oil
• blend all of the ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Place in a saucepan and heat
• whisking continuously
• until very hot. Leave to cool completely and then pour through muslin cloth into a bowl underneath. Transfer the oil to a small bowl until ready to serve.
• For the pickled shallots
• bring the vinegar and sugar to the boil in a small saucepan. Add the shallots to the pan
• remove from the heat and leave to cool and infuse.
• For the crispy shallots
• preheat some oil in a deep saucepan to a temperature of 140C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Dust the shallots with the cornflour and deep-fry until golden brown. Carefully transfer using a slotted spoon to absorbent kitchen paper and season lightly with salt.
• For the onion ash
• place the onion slices under a medium grill and cook until deeply caramelized. Place in a pestle and mortar and crush until a coarse powder forms.
• To serve
• place some of the smoked potato purée in the centre of each plate. Add a salt-baked potato on top
• followed by a spoonful of onion oil over each potato. Reserve any leftover onion oil to use in another recipe. Add a generous pinch of onion ash
• some of the pickled shallots and some capers on top of each potato. Finish the dish with crispy shallots and chives.