Small batch summer vegetable fritters
stovetop pan fried vegetable fritters that are mostly vegetables
Servings 12 fritters
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