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Vodka and tonic battered Elderflowers

From: James Martin

For the batter
1litre/1¾ pints vegetable oil
1kg/2lb 4oz beef dripping
15g/⅔oz fresh yeast
pinch salt
pinch sugar
175ml/6fl oz tonic water
200g/7oz plain flour
25ml/1fl oz vodka
1 tsp cider vinegar
4 x 175g/6oz cod (or other white fish such as coley or pollack) fillets, skinned, pin boned
Elderflowers

Heat the vegetable oil and beef dripping in a deep fat fryer to 170C/325F/Gas 3. (CAUTION: Hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)

Mix the yeast, salt and sugar in a bowl until well combined.

Pour the tonic water into the yeast mixture and whisk in the the flour, vodka and vinegar. Leave to the mixture to ferment – it is ready to use when the mixture starts to bubble.

Coat the elderflowers in the batter and fry in the oil for 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Elderflower pancakes

Make normal pancake mixture, then add oil to the frying pan. Place about 4 whole elderflower into the frying pan. The stalks need to be cut as close to the flowers as possible. Pour the pancake mixture carefully over each flower so that you have four elderflower-sized pancakes in your pan. After a few minutes turn them to fry the other side - and then they're ready.