FIREFIGHTERS are urging residents to stay safe this pancake day as they reach for their frying pans and batter mix – with a little help from a celebrity chef.

This Shrove Tuesday (February 21) homes across Chester will be filled with families and friends whipping up eggs and butter and flipping pans as they attempt to serve up the perfect pancake.

But with only seconds needed for an unattended cooker to burst into flames Cheshire Fire and Rescue Chiefs are urging residents to put safety on the top of their ingredient list.

Speaking about the dangers of leaving appliances unattended Unitary Performance Manager Terry McDermott said that it could be a matter of life and death, saying : “It only takes a few seconds for an unattended pan or cooker to ignite and develop into a serious and life threatening fire.

“We're asking everyone to follow our safety tips for a safe Shrove Tuesday.”

Celebrity chef Brian Mellor, who is supporting the service's Cook Safely campaign and recently established his own cookery school at Harthill, near Tattenhall, has created the recipe for a perfect pancake, which he hopes a simple and delicious recipe for the perfect and fire free pudding.

Brian said: “I would urge everyone who cooks to follow the firefighters' safety tips. Interest in cooking is stronger than ever which is fantastic but I always insist on safety in the kitchen when teaching.”

Safety advice

When cooking your perfect pancakes using a frying pan or cooking with hot oil firefighters are advising:

Never leave the pan unattended when the heat is switched on

Do not move the pan if it is on fire

Never put the food in the pan if the oil begins to give off smoke

If there's a fire, get out, stay out and call us out

Supervise children in the kitchen at all times

Brian's Pancake Lemon Souffle - makes two pancakes

Ingredients:

55g plain flour

1 each whole egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

150ml whole milk

2 each egg whites

2 tablespoons castor sugar

4 tablespoons lemon curd

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6

2. For the pancakes, place the egg and flour in a bowl and whisk together

3. Gradually add the milk, whisking continuously, to create a smooth batter

4. Add the oil to a hot frying pan and add a spoonful of batter, swirling around to coat the pan evenly

5. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side and then transfer to a baking sheet while you repeat this process to make a second pancake

6. For the filling, place the egg whites in a clean bowl and whisk until stiffened. Gradually add the sugar, whisking continuously, until the mixture forms stiff peaks when the whisk is removed

7. To assemble, spread the lemon curd around the base of each pancake and then divide the meringue mixture between the pancakes, covering only one half of each pancake

8. Fold the pancakes over to seal in the meringue and place in the oven for 3-4 minutes, or until they have puffed up and cooked through.