Pancake Tuesday always sneaks up as the first celebration day before Paddy’s Day, Easter and beyond, so this week I want to arm you with some flipping great recipes.

Boxty is where it starts. These Irish potato pancakes sit somewhere between breakfast, brunch and dinner, and they’re endlessly flexible and a super way to use up leftover mashed potato. The key is texture: squeezing excess moisture out of the grated raw potato makes all the difference to a nice crispy golden finish.

Don’t be afraid of a fairly loose batter – it should drop off the spoon easily. Fry them in butter until deeply golden; pale boxty is a missed opportunity. Adding cheese halfway through cooking lets it melt into the pancake rather than burn on the pan. Serve with bacon and eggs and you’ve got a seriously delicious late winter breakfast. I often add shredded cabbage or spring onions to the batter if they are on hand.

Crepes Suzette is at the other end of the spectrum to boxty – a sophisticated French dessert made with simple ingredients but all about confidence. Ooh la la! The batter should be thin enough to coat the pan in one smooth swirl, and don’t worry if the first crepe goes wrong – it’s the test run.

When making the sauce, aim for a light-coloured caramel – that’s what keeps the sauce glossy and balanced rather than bitter. Flambéing is essential. It adds drama and theatre to proceedings and it’s easier than it looks if you keep the pan off the heat when lighting. Don’t fear the flame!

The savoury crepes here are the most useful of the three, brilliant for a lazy Sunday lunch or something you can assemble ahead and grill just before eating. Let the leeks soften slowly so they turn sweet, and take your time with the cheese sauce. A gentle heat keeps it smooth and pourable. A sharply zingy dressed salad alongside is essential; it cuts through the richness and makes the whole plate feel complete.

Plenty of pancake options to get you flipping!

Boxty Irish Potato Pancakes

Boxty Irish Potato Pancakes. Photo: Donal Skehan & Tara Fisher; Food Styling: Charlotte O’Connell

Serves: 4

Time: 30 minutes

For the boxty:

• 250g mashed potato
• 250g peeled, grated, raw rooster potato
• 250g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 6 spring onions, finely sliced (optional)
• 300ml buttermilk
• Butter, to fry
• 100g Irish cheddar cheese, grated (optional)
• Sea salt and ground black pepper

To serve:

Method

1. For the boxty, put the mashed potato, raw grated potato, flour, baking soda and spring onions in a large mixing bowl and mix until evenly combined. Add the milk, little by little, until you have a wet, dropping consistency. Season to taste with sea salt and ground black pepper.

2. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat with a little butter. When the butter begins to foam, spoon heaped tablespoon measurements of the mixture into the frying pan and fry for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Once you turn them, add a little grated cheese and allow to melt for an extra indulgent pancake.

3. Remove from the pan and place on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining mixture. Keep warm in a low oven. Serve with bacon and eggs for a hearty, Irish-style breakfast.

Crepes Suzette

Crepes Suzette. Photo: Donal Skehan & Tara Fisher; Food Styling: Charlotte O’Connell

Serves: 2

Time: 20 minutes

For the pancake batter:

• 100g plain flour
• Zest 1 large orange
• Pinch of salt
• 225ml milk
• 2 free-range eggs
• 25g butter, melted

For the sauce:

• 50g caster sugar
• 50g butter
• Juice of 2 large oranges
• 4 tbsp Grand Marnier

To serve:

• Good-quality vanilla ice cream

Method

1. Sieve the flour into a large mixing bowl, add the orange zest, pinch of salt and, with a spoon, make a well in the centre. In a separate bowl, add the milk, eggs and melted butter and mix until combined. Pour the milk mixture into the flour well and slowly incorporate. Whisk until you have a light and smooth batter.

2. Add a little butter to your frying pan over a hot heat, evenly coat the surface, and then, moving quickly, add a ladleful of the batter to the hot pan and move from side to side until it evenly covers the surface of the pan. Reduce the heat and cook for about a minute each side or until the batter begins to take a nice golden colour. Fold in half and then in half again to create a triangle and keep warm. Repeat this with the remaining 3 pancakes.

3. Place the sugar into the pan and let it caramelise a little but not turn into a caramel colour. Add the butter, swirl through and, once frothy, add the orange juice to the pan. Once the sauce is slightly thick, add the pancakes back to the pan, one at a time, coating in the juices as you go. Continue like this until they’re all re-heated, folded and well-soaked with the sauce.

4. Drizzle the Grand Marnier into the pan, tilt the pan towards the flame to flambé or use a lighter, taking care at this point of the flames. Serve onto individual plates with a drizzle of any remaining sauce in the pan and a scoop of ice cream or orange slices.

Savoury Crepes with Ham, Leeks & Dijon Mustard Cheese Sauce

Savoury Crepes with Ham, Leeks & Dijon Mustard Cheese Sauce. Photo: Donal Skehan & Tara Fisher; Food Styling: Charlotte O’Connell

Time: 1 hour + cooling

Makes: 2lb loaf

Ingredients

• 100g plain flour
• 1 egg, beaten
• 650ml milk
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 100g butter
• 4 leeks, washed and thinly sliced
• 200g ham, shredded
• 2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
• 30g plain flour
• 100g cheddar cheese, grated
• 50g parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

• ½ butterhead lettuce, roughly torn
• ½ Frisee lettuce, roughly torn
• ½ red onion, very thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp capers, washed and roughly chopped
• 2 cornichons, roughly chopped
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• ½ tsp honey

Method

1. Put the flour and ½ tsp salt in a bowl. Combine the egg with 200ml of milk, then gradually pour into the dry ingredients, whisking constantly until it’s a smooth batter. Transfer to a large jug.

2. Swirl a little oil around a large, non-stick pan over a gentle heat. Pour a quarter of the batter into the pan, tilting to coat the entire base. Cook for 1 minute, flip over and cook for a further 30 seconds, then remove from the pan and set aside. Repeat until all of the batter is used up.

3. In a separate frying pan, gently melt the butter over a low heat, then add the leeks and fry for about 8-10 minutes until the leeks are soft and tender. Stir through the ham and chives and warm everything through for a few minutes.

4. Divide the ham and leek mixture between the pancakes, spreading out in a long strip in the centre of each pancake, then roll up to seal in the filling and place the rolls into an ovenproof baking dish. Preheat your grill to high.

5. Place the remaining 50g butter in a saucepan and melt over a medium heat. Add the plain flour and stir to combine and make a roux. Cook for a few minutes, then remove from the heat and gradually stir in the remaining 450ml milk, stirring constantly. Place back on to the heat and gently bring to the boil, stirring, until slightly thickened, which should take about 3-4 minutes. Now stir in the cheeses and Dijon and season with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce over the pancakes in the dish and sprinkle the top with a little extra cheese.

6. Place into the grill and allow to cook for 5-6 minutes until the top of the gratin is golden and bubbling.

7. To make the salad, place the butterhead and Frisee lettuces in a large bowl. Add the red onion, capers and cornichons and toss to combine. Place the olive oil, vinegar, Dijon and honey into a small bowl along with a pinch of salt and pepper and whisk together well to combine, then pour over the salad and toss everything together to coat in the dressing.

8. Serve the pancake gratin alongside the salad.