"Gimme some of your tots!" is what I almost named this recipe. Because as much as I try, I can’t shake the thought of Napoleon Dynamite sitting in school with tots crammed into his pants zipper pocket. The ingenuity.

Unlike Napoleon’s cafeteria tots, these are fancied-up with ease. But with the sour cream sauce they may not be fit for a small pants pocket...I’ll pay you to try.

DRINK: LEMON GIN SPRITZ

SNACKS: 6 – 8

COMMITMENT: GO THE DISTANCE

INGREDIENTS
60 ml (2 fl oz/1/4 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
50 g (13/4 oz) capers, drained and rinsed
1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) frozen potato gems (tater tots)
Two lemons
360 g (121/2 oz) sour cream
Two tablespoons horseradish cream
bunch of chives, chopped
bunch of dill, chopped  
celery salt
300 g (101/2 oz) hot-smoked salmon

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F). Line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Heat the oil in a small saucepan over a medium–high heat until it has a good quiver. Pat the capers dry with paper towel then add to the hot oil. Shake the pan occasionally and cook until they look puffed and crisp. Transfer the capers to a paper towel using a slotted spoon. Set the pan of oil aside. 

3. Spread the potato gems on the baking tray. Pour over the caper oil and toss to coat. Bake until golden, around 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, zest the lemons then slice into wedges. Spread the sour cream on a serving platter and mix in the horseradish cream, most of the herbs, lemon zest and a spritz of lemon juice. Season with salt, be strong with the pepper.

5. Sprinkle some celery salt on top of the potato gems to taste. Toss to coat.

6. Top the sour cream spread with the gems and flake the smoked salmon over the top. Garnish with the remaining herbs and the fried capers. Serve with lemon wedges on the side. Forks are handy here, as are fingers (and pockets?).

THE SUBS:
CAPERS pitted green olives
SOUR CREAM cream cheese / Greek yoghurt
HORSERADISH CREAM dijon mustard /wholegrain mustard
CHIVES AND DILL parsley / mint / basil
CELERY SALT chicken salt / garlic salt /sea salt flakes
HOT-SMOKED SALMON smoked salmon /cooked salmon

This is an edited extract from Happy Hour Snacks by Bec Vrana Dickinson, published by Hardie Grant Books. Available in stores nationally from the September 3rd, 2024. Photography by Chris Chen.