This is another recipe that has been languishing in my drafts folder for quite a while. Inspired by a recipe I made while working in Roots, I have been playing around with these fritters for quite some time. I finally settled on this recipe here and when catering for a party earlier this year I suggested these served as warm bite size canapes for the vegetarian option and they went down a treat.

I forgot about them then for a while until chatting to friends about Sabrina Ghayour’s book Bazaar. We were discussing her Carrot, Halloumi and Dill balls, which look incredible. In her recipe, they are deep fried and have a delicious crunchy crust. The only issue I have with her recipe is use of dill, because try as I might I cannot warm to this herb.

These delicious Carrot, Courgette and Halloumi Fritters are vegetarian and are great to make ahead, I often take them to work for my lunch. You can simply reheat them in a low oven or for 30 seconds in a microwave, or serve them at room temperature. They are best allowed to cool a little as they firm up as they cool.

 

Useful tips & links:

• I love halloumi but you can use other cheese, for example feta also works well here.
• Feel free to add a little chilli or extra spice to these. I like the mild kick from cumin and sumac but you can use some chilli flakes or cayenne pepper in them.
• I like these as canapes or for a light meal. They would also work well for breakfast like these Courgette and Sweetcorn Fritters.
• If you are a fan of halloumi then you will love these Halloumi Fries.
• Have a look at these gorgeous Vegan Vegetable Fritters on The Last Food Blog for more inspiration.

 

 

 

 

 

Carrot Courgette and Halloumi Fritters

 

Makes 8-10, more if served as canapes

 

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized carrots
• 1 medium sized courgette
• Salt
• 100g of halloumi
• 2 eggs
• 3 heaped tablespoons of flour
• The zest and juice of half a lemon
• 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon of sumac
• 3 spring onions, sliced
• Chopped coriander leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon of oil

 

Method:

• Peel and coarsely grate the carrots and wash and grate the courgette. Place the grated veg in a sieve over a bowl and salt generously. This will draw out the excess moisture. Allow that to stand while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
• Grate the halloumi and set it to one side.
• Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Add in the lemon zest and juice, cumin and sumac and mix thoroughly. Pour in the flour and mix it through.
• Place the grated veg into a clean tea towel and squeeze to remove as much of the water as possible.
• Add the carrots and courgettes along with the halloumi, sliced spring onions and a small bunch of chopped coriander leaves. Add some black pepper and quickly mix the whole thing together. Do this gently and do not over mix or you will release more water from the veg and make the whole mix too soggy.
• Heat the oil in a large shallow frying pan over a medium high heat. Fry a little of the fritter mixture on both sides until golden brown and then check of flavour and seasoning. You should have enough salt from the cheese and from when you salted the veg but add more now if you like.
• If you are happy with the flavours, scoop heaped tablespoons of batter into the hot pan and gently press them to shape. Fry for approx. 3 minutes per side until golden brown.
• Remove the fritters, drain on kitchen paper and cover with foil to keep them warm while you fry up the remaining fritters. If making a double batch, keep them warm in a low oven.
• Serve with a little more fresh coriander and a simple salad or a dip of yoghurt with lemon juice and sumac.