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Visit Andaucia Best Travel Platform Spain

Recipes from Andalucia

By Nick Nutter

Courgette fritters with Tarragon aïoli mayonnaise

Crispy, tasty fritters. Ideal for lunch with a green salad (from the garden) or a snack. Your kids will love these and not know they are eating veg.

Courgette fritters with Tarragon aïoli mayonnaise

Preparation Time: 10 mins Cooking Time: 40 mins Total Time: 50 mins
Serves: 4 Difficulty: Easy to Medium Suitable for: Vegetarians

Ingredients

  • For the Aïoli
  • bunch French tarragon leaves and stalks
  • 300ml vegetable oil
  • 1 garlic clove crushed to a paste with a pinch of salt
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/2 lemon juiced
  • For the Fritters
  • 4 courgettes coarsely grated
  • 4 spring onions sliced
  • 50g feta cheese crumbled
  • 50g parmesan cheese grated
  • pinch chilli flakes
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 4 tbsp self-raising flour
  • 2 lemons zested
  • 2 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds or toasted almond flakes
  • olive oil for frying

Method

First, make the tarragon aïoli. Prepare an ice bath with ice cubes and water in a bowl, ready to refresh the tarragon. Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the tarragon for 30 secs. Drain quickly and immediately refresh in the ice-cold water. Squeeze out the excess water, then blitz with the oil in a food processor until you have a green oil. Strain through a sieve to remove some of the bits.

Put the garlic and egg yolks in a bowl and whisk until the yolks go pale and fluffy. Squeeze in a touch of lemon juice and whisk again, then slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking quickly and continuously, until it starts to thicken. Add a tiny splash of water if it looks like it’s going to split. Keep adding the oil until it’s all combined into a nice, thick green aïoli. Taste for seasoning and add lemon juice or salt to balance it.

To make the fritters, toss the courgettes with a large pinch of sea salt and put in a colander set over the sink or a bowl for about 10 mins. Tip into a clean tea towel and squeeze out the excess moisture.

Mix the courgettes with all the other fritter ingredients (except the oil) until well combined. Heat a little olive oil in a non-stick pan and add fritter-sized spoonfuls. Cook until a crust has developed, then flip over with a palette knife or spatula. Keep warm on a plate in the oven until they’re all done, then serve with hefty dollops of the aïoli. This is good as a side for fish, or as a snack/starter on a summer day.