Small batch summer vegetable fritters are for those of us who can’t choose just one. Corn? Green beans? Peppers? Have one or have them all- it just takes a few more bowls and and less than five more minutes to make a fritter buffet showcasing all the summer vegetables.
I won’t mention the summer squashes which are a category all their own- want recipes for that? try these zucchini falafel fritters or give up on the fritter vibe altogether and bake some blueberry zucchini bread!
When faced with a bounty of summer vegetables there is, at some point in august, a sense of overwhelm, followed quickly by guilt at being flustered by such bounty, and a surety that it will be a long cold winter just to punish you for not appreciating summer.
I assuage this guilt by frying- well, sort of.
Notes on small batch summer vegetable fritters
- a note on flour- All purpose will be the best binder here but with the egg and the cheese you can go with a gluten free variation, just be aware you need to add more egg and flour to have things hold together. Garbanzo flour would be a great choice (see my falafel fritters for a variation on this theme) or almond or even a mixture of corn meal and AP.
- a note on dipping sauce- These really don’t need sauce. There is already cheese and bacon- if you went that route. But should you want to I’ve included the links to what I used in the photos.
- a note on inspiration- as often happens I had the basic idea in my head, went to the internet and found several things similar enough to what I imagined make some final tweaks. So thanks to smitten kitchen’s corn fritters always one step ahead : )
Small batch summer vegetable fritters
Small batch summer vegetable fritters
stovetop pan fried vegetable fritters that are mostly vegetables
Ingredients
- 1 large or extra large egg smaller than this might not be enough
- 1/4 cup shredded cheese- something with a bit of flavor like a sharp cheddar is my favorite but parmesan or another hard cheese works well too.
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 ear of corn kernels or about 1 1/4-1/2 cups of another crispy summer vegetable like green beans or sweet peppers chopped into bite sized corn kernel sized? pieces.
- one piece of cooked bacon cut into bacon bit sized piece if not using bacon you will probably want to add salt
- 1/4 cup onion finely diced can sub scallion or shallots
- 1/4 cup fresh herbs of choice finely chopped optional but encouraged, parsley is great, or dill, or even cilantro
- black pepper to taste
- avocado safflower, or other neutral oil for the frying
Instructions
Prepare your vegetables of choice.
- For the corn, shuck it and then standing the ear upright in a largish bowl cut off the kernels with a sharp knife, use the back side of the knife to milk and remaining bits of kernel and corn juices from the cob.
- For the sweet peppers, remove the stem, seeds, and pith. Smaller more consistent pieces work best (I’m bad at this- reason #47 why I’m not a chef).
- For the green beans check to see how tender they are. If they are a little tough you might want to pre-cook them a bit. So after cutting into corn kernel sized pieces just toss in a well seasoned cast iron (I use the one I’m going to fry up the fritters in) until they just begin to brown. Remove from heat and continue with the rest of your prep while they cool.
Ingredients assemble!
- Add the diced bacon, onions, herbs, and cheese. If omitting the bacon add a pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper.
- Lightly scramble the egg and add it to the vegetable mixture, stirring until it’s all coated. Add the flour and stir to throughly combine. As Deb from Smitten Kitchen pointed out, at this point my corn fritter mixture looked a lot like egg salad, to give you an idea of what you’re looking for: mostly vegetables with just enough batter to bind it all together. A scoop should hold together until pressed down. If your batter doesn’t hold together add a teaspoon more of flour. (note: for the small batch the size of the egg really makes a difference. I buy my eggs from a local lady so they vary wildly. The smaller eggs left my batter dry).
Fry
- Heat a glug of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. More oil makes for a crisper more evenly browned fritter but just a sheen in the pan will work too if you want them lighter.
- Once the oil is shimmery hot, add a scoop of vegetable fritter batter and press it gently to flatten. A medium #40 scoop, which holds about two tablespoons works well. Smaller fritters with plenty of room to flip (don’t crowd the pan) are easier to manage.
Note: If you want to do a test fritter completely cook one, taste for flavor and add salt and pepper (or more binder) and then continue with the rest of the batch.
- Remember fritters cook quickly, so avoid the urge to step away, between two to four minutes a side. When the underside is a deep golden brown, flip and cook to the same color on the other side. Set cooked fritters on a rack or paper towel to drain/cool.
- Continue until done, adding more oil as needed.
- Do ahead: The cooked fritters keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, the batter will keep (well covered and refrigerated) for 4-6 hours.
- If you had to try all three flavors and find yourself with too many fritters for two you can freeze them. Reheat at 350F
Tried this recipe?Mention @recipefiction or tag #recipefiction!
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