Halloumi and Spring Vegetable Fritters

Often I crave large helpings of green vegetables.  Today after melting in the heat yesterday the weather has changed to damp and dreary so something a little comforting seemed in order.  Fritters fit that comfort food bill every time, and these do it leaving your conscience in a good place too.

Although the weather is dreary my little vegetable patch is starting to yield a few goodies and add to that the wonderful array available in the market and the choice is there to play.  You can make this with pretty much whatever greens  you have in your fridge and or garden.  Recipes like this make me happy because I get to use the whole vegetable, I love the fact that I can grate the broccoli stalk and any other stalks into the allocation of of vegetables.  It is also a good way of clearing out all those odds and ends that accumulate in your fridge at the end of the week.  The flavours I have used here are more of a mediterranean bent, and so choose your herbs accordingly, parsley, mint, and even basil if you should be so lucky.

Haloumi and Green Vegetable Fritters

• 3 eggs
• 3 tablespoons brown rice flour (you can use any flour you like here it is just to add a little thickening and body)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pinch pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (optional)
• Chilli or chilli flakes to taste (optional)
• Approx 100 grams halloumi
• 5 cups fairly finely chopped and grated green vegetables.  I used 2 courgettes, 1 head of broccoli, 2 spring onions, handful of peas, kale leaves, mint, parsley.  Use whatever you have at the time 

In a large bowl whisk together eggs, flour, salt, pepper and cumin seeds.

Cube the halloumi into small 1/2 – 1 cm squares and add to the bowl.

Grate and squeeze liquid from the courgettes, apply a bit of pressure here so your fritters don’t go soggy. Grate broccoli stalks and finely chop the rest of your ingredients and add to the bowl.

Mix all together and taste to check your seasoning,  adjust if necessary.

Heat a large pan with  tablespoon of  olive oil and a tablespoon of butter to a medium temperature, you don’t want it too hot as the vegetables are raw and need to be cooked without burning.  Add large spoonfuls of mixture and with your spatula push into shape, once the bottom is lightly browned and the batter is firm flip the fritters, I turned these  several times to cook through without burning 

To serve these I made a little green salad and blended a small block of feta with milk to make a creamy feta sauce.