Recipe: Herby Haloumi and Zucchini Fritters

Brisbane-based food writer Clare Scrine has released a new cookbook that ticks a lot of our food boxes – her recipes are big on communal eating, low on cost and simple on our easily-baffled brains. Drawing culinary inspiration from her years spent sharehousing around Brissie,  ‘The Shared Table’ features vegan and vegetarian recipes to enjoy with friends, and each has a different theme  – think everything from a brekkie spread menu and a hungover brunch, to a Mediterranean dinner party and a Mexican-inspired feast. Here, we’re featuring her recipe for deliciously easy fritters that include the mighty king of squeaky cheese – halloumi. Enjoy!

These fritters are a really quick and easy way to escape a routine toast-based brekkie. They’re delicious served with sour cream and chutney, with chilli sauce, on their own, or as part of a brunch spread – however you like! I love them with eggs, rocket (arugula), avocado and hollandaise sauce. They’re even pretty good cold the next day.

Makes about 15 fritters · gluten-free option, leftovers friendly, freezer friendly.

Ingredients

3 medium zucchini (courgettes), grated

250 g (9 oz) haloumi, grated

½ bunch dill, chopped

½ bunch mint, chopped

3 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped

zest of 1 lemon

1 tbsp lemon juice

3 eggs, whisked

100 g (3½ oz/²⁄³ cup) self-raising flour (or gluten-free flour)

1 tsp salt

100–200 ml (3½–7 fl oz) olive oil, for pan-frying

Method

Put all the grated zucchini in a colander. Sprinkle liberally with salt and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Rinse the salt off, then squeeze all the water out of the zucchini; this is essential for crispy fritters. Pat dry with a clean cloth.

Transfer the zucchini to a bowl and add all the remaining ingredients, except the cooking oil. Stir well to combine.

Heat a large frying pan with a big glug of olive oil, enough to cover the pan by at least 5 mm (¼ inch). Once the oil is sizzling hot, add the fritter mixture in heaped tablespoon quantities.

Allow each fritter to fry until golden brown underneath (about 1–2 minutes), then flip. Press them down slightly to ensure the middle is cooking. Reduce the heat and cook for a further 2–3 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

The fritters are best served fresh and hot, but are easily brought back to life in a frying pan or warm oven once chilled.

Note: I grate the zucchini and haloumi using the grating attachment of a food processor, which makes it incredibly easy. A box grater will do fine, though.

THE SHARED TABLE IS PUBLISHED BY SMITH STREET BOOKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SIMON & SCHUSTER, AND IS AVAILABLE NOW AT ALL GOOD BOOKSHOPS. PHOTOS BY SAVANNAH VAN DER NIET.