Surf n Turf Tater Tots

With a creamy malt vinegar sauce

This is a favorite side dish for both the restaurant and our family. It’s perfect alongside grilled meats, roasts, or as an appetizer. The recipe below is a foundation that you can use to build your own flavors.

You can change out the cheese for your favorite, the seafood, or the meat. The ratios are the important part, so have fun and create your own favorite tot!

Ingredients:

4 large potatoes peeled and diced into 2-inch pieces

1/2 onion diced (roughly 1 cup)

2 tablespoons fresh thyme chopped

1 tablespoon fresh garlic chopped

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup whole butter

1 lb ground beef 80/20 is ideal

1/2 lb cooked shrimp (or crab) diced - about 1 cup

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 cups freshly shredded mozzarella

1 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese

1 cup smoked cheddar or gouda

5 tablespoon kosher salt

1 cup favorite BBQ sauce (any bbq will work)

1 tablespoon hot sauce

3 eggs

1 cup panko bread crumb

For the breading:

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon salt

4 eggs beaten with water

1 quart panko bread crumb (you may need more)

For the sauce:

2 tablespoon malt vinegar

1.5 cup mayo

1/4 cup sour cream

1 garlic clove minced

3 tablespoon freshly grated parmesan

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoon fresh chives

For Frying:

2 quarts of beef tallow (preferred), ghee, olive oil or avocado oil

Instructions:

1. Peel the 4 potatoes and dice. Place in a pot and rinse with cold water until the water runs clear, then cover by 1 inch and place on the stove. Simmer until they are fork tender, about 20 minutes.

2. While the potatoes are simmering, saute your onions in butter over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until they are highly browned. Add your garlic and toast for another minute. Add your ground beef and cook for about 5-7 minutes over medium heat. Be sure to constantly stir so the browned bits on the pan incorporate into the meat. Add your fresh thyme at the end.

3. Remove the beef mixture from the heat and set aside to cool.

4. Strain the potatoes in a colander and rinse with warm water when they are tender. This will remove the extra starch. Place them in a bowl while they are hot and mix in the cream, butter, hot sauce, Worcestershire, and salt. Smash the potatoes together with the cream mixture until fully incorporated. You will want some of the chunk to remain in the potato. When the mixture has cooled a touch, add the rest of your ingredients and stir until combined. Place this mixture in the fridge for about 10 minutes so the flavors meld and the bread crumb is fully combined.

5. While the potatoes are cooling, set up your breading station. In one bowl add your flour and seasoning, then your eggwash then your breading. Have a pan ready at the end to tray the product.

6. You can begin heating your tallow or oil on the stove at this point. I suggest beef tallow or ghee, however, avocado oil or olive oil will work as well.

7. Bread your potato by shaping balls with the potato then dredging in the flour (shaking off any excess flour), then eggwash and finish in the panko. It will stick to the tot. Place on the pan.

8. Bread one ball and fry a test batch to taste the seasoning. If you feel it needs something, now is the time to add (more salt, vinegar, herbs, hot sauce, etc).

9. Once the seasoning is set, fry the remaining balls.

10. While you are frying the balls, have someone mix all of the ingredients for the malt vinegar sauce. Serve together and be sure to season the outside of the balls as well while they are hot out of the fat.