What is it that’s so appealing about crispy foods?
You know how it is. Our eyes light up at the sight of the browned, cheesy top on the macaroni cheese, the lovely light, crispy batter on our fried chicken, a bowl of crunchy homemade granola, the thin glassy layer of sugar on top of a crème caramel, or a rogue extra crispy fry hiding among all the others on our plate. We munch and crunch our way through the whole bag of tortilla chips we got to go with our dip and Friday night movie, licking our fingers to make sure we don’t leave a single crumb. And we fight over the crispiest roasted veggies that got stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Oh, that’s not you? Well, I don’t mean to be rude, but … shut up, I don’t believe you!
You see, ‘crispy’ is apparently the adjective that sells more food than any other. And, again apparently (because I just did a nifty little bit of research), there are a few possible theories to explain this. One: something to do with primates and insects (which, don’t worry, we definitely won’t go into!) Two: the fact that crispy things make a noise that resounds right through our heads, thereby sort of heightening the sensory experience of eating, if you like. Hmm, maybe I can buy that one. And three: onomatopoeia!! Remember that from your English class days? You know, water plops into pond, splish splash downhill* and all that. In other words, ‘crispy’ just sounds cool when we say it and so we associate it with something good!
Go on, test that one out. I know you want to. Say ‘crispy’ … CRISPY … CRIS-PY … CREEEESPEEEEE. Are you feeling the deliciousness?
Ahem. I know what you’re thinking. Now you shut up, Helen, and get to the point.
OK then, so let’s talk cauliflower & feta fritters for a while. The reason I wanted to make these fritters for you (besides the fact that I love cauliflower and I love feta!) was that my eyes always light up and my mouth starts watering whenever anything is called a ‘fritter’. Because they’ve got that crispy satisfaction thing going on. Which I think we’ve just established usually means a winner of a food item!
And the bonus is that these are pretty straight-forward to make. You simply cook your cauliflower by blanching it for a couple of minutes, then you pan fry it on all sides (or if you prefer you can simply roast it with a little olive oil for about 25 minutes). You then whisk together some flour, buttermilk, egg and fresh mint before stirring in your feta cheese and cooked cauliflower florets. Drop spoonfuls of mixture into a hot pan and cook until the fritters are well browned and have a lovely light crisp to them. I say ‘lovely light crisp’ because these aren’t crispy crispy, like crisps (sorry, can’t bring myself to say chips – true Brit here). But delicious, nonetheless. Or I hope you think so, anyway!
Just make sure that you don’t do what I did at first and make your florets too large. Not only were the large-floreted fritters super ugly (sorry, large-floreted fritters, but it’s true), but it was impossible to keep them in one piece in the pan, especially when turning them over. Besides, they looked nothing like fritters – just big lumps of gloop! If you keep your florets really small, on the other hand, they lie flat which makes for much easier pressing down into the pan for a bit of a better crisp! They are still just a teeny bit fragile, though, so you’ll have to be careful when turning them over.
So, I finally perfected my plate of fritters and Mr. Scrummy and I ate them for Sunday brunch, if I remember rightly. As you can see from this next photo, I put a poached egg on the top of mine, but Mr. Scrummy preferred to eat his as they were. It’s totally up to you, of course. I think the egg goes really well with the fritters, but the feta and mint certainly make them tasty enough to eat exactly as they are.
Or perhaps with a big squirt of tomato ketchup on the side. Oh-oh. Reminds me of that Jim Gaffigan sketch again. Hilarious. Here it is if you missed it in my last post!
Just before I go … I’d love to know what you think. Does the mere thought of a crispy food make your mouth start watering? And if so, what crispy foods in particular get your juices going?
Cauliflower & feta fritters
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup self-raising flour (I used gluten-free and it worked fine.)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk (I made my own by adding ½ a tablespoon lemon juice to ordinary milk and leaving it to stand for 5 minutes. Vinegar works as well.)
- 1 egg
- 1 1/2 tablespoons of chopped fresh mint
- 9 ounces cauliflower chopped into small florets
- 7 ounces feta crumbled
- a little oil for cooking
- eggs/tomato ketchup/lemon wedges/green salad leaves to serve (all optional)
Instructions
-
Blanch the cauliflower florets by boiling for about 4 minutes. Drain and let them steam for a short while, then heat up a couple of tablespoons of oil in a pan and fry for a few minutes on each side. (Alternatively, roast the florets in a little olive oil in a moderate oven for about 25 minutes. No need to blanch first.)
-
Combine the flour, buttermilk, egg and mint in a large bowl and mix well. Add the feta and cooked cauliflower and stir well.
-
Heat a little vegetable oil in a skillet/frying pan and drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the pan and flatten slightly. Cook for a few minutes on each side until golden brown and a little crispy.
-
Serve immediately with a poached egg on top and tomato ketchup or with lemon wedges. Some fresh green salad leaves go well either way!
Recipe Notes
Very slightly adapted from a recipe from the Coles supermarket magazine, Australia.
* ‘water plops into pond, splish splash downhill’ from a poem by Lee Emmett of Australia, as found here
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Eva says
29 Mar 14 at 10:24 amJ’adore les brunchs! Un bon café et un plat comment celle que tu as fait….c’est le bonheur! Ta recette est vraiment super 🙂
Helen says
29 Mar 14 at 10:52 amMerci beaucoup, Eva! Ces ‘fritters’ ont ete vraiment le bonheur! Bon weekend! 🙂
Consuelo @ Honey & Figs says
29 Mar 14 at 11:11 amCrispy food is my favorite thing ever ahhh. Especially when runny yolks are involved. This looks like the msot delicious weekend breakfast! xx
Helen says
29 Mar 14 at 1:23 pmThanks, Consuelo! Maybe this nutritious cauliflowery-eggy brunch would help you with your studying (brain food!) 🙂
whatjessicabakednext says
29 Mar 14 at 10:08 pmThese fritters look amazing, Helen! I love feta, definitely one of my fav cheeses!
Helen says
30 Mar 14 at 8:39 amThanks, sweet Jessica! I hope you give them a go some time!
Jessica @ Jessiker Bakes says
30 Mar 14 at 12:53 amI am making these! OMG. I have been trying to figure out what to do with my roasted cauliflower and this is an AMAZING idea!! I just know this is going to taste amazing. Thanks Helen, will let you know how they turned out!
Helen says
30 Mar 14 at 8:38 amAw, Jessica, you’ve just made my bleary-eyed early Sunday morning with this comment! So glad you are going to give these a go and please DO let me know how they go! Make sure you press them down in the pan a little to get that lovely crisp!
cheri says
30 Mar 14 at 1:04 amHi Helen, love everything about these fritters and to top it off there crunchy too, perfect!
Helen says
30 Mar 14 at 8:33 amThanks, Cheri! So glad you like them! 🙂
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
30 Mar 14 at 2:16 amI love crispy and especially when paired with soft of creamy! It’s just so moreish! 😀
Helen says
30 Mar 14 at 8:33 amI didn’t think of that reason that crispy is so good, Lorraine. It’s the contrast of the crispy against other textures. Ah-ha!
Liz says
30 Mar 14 at 2:39 amOh, yes, I definitely adore crispy food! And I need to have some cauliflower fritters in my life…they look fantastic!
Helen says
30 Mar 14 at 8:31 amI think you do, Liz! Get some down you, and don’t forget the runny egg! 🙂
Ashley says
30 Mar 14 at 4:12 amHa! I totally agree – there is just something about crispy foods! These fritters look wonderful! I love feta and with cauliflower and topped with that gorgeous runny egg???
Helen says
30 Mar 14 at 8:30 amSo glad you like them, Ashley! The runny egg on the top was a bit of a last-minute decision, but I thought it worked well. 🙂
Alyssa @ My Sequined Life says
30 Mar 14 at 7:49 amOh, I am all about crispy satisfaction! I’m in constant search of yummy ways to incorporate cauliflower into our meals, and combining it with feta and mint in this wonderful looking fritter sounds like just the way to do it!
And crispy food definitely gets my mouth watering. I’d have to say one of my favorite crispy foods is pizza, when the crust is well done and has small charred spots. YUM. 🙂
Helen says
30 Mar 14 at 8:25 amGlad I could please you with the fritters, Alyssa! I’m with you on the pizza … I just need to train my oven to get hot enough and help it to get all crispy like that!
Chantal says
30 Mar 14 at 9:27 amHi Hellen,
This dish looks so good and healthy.
I just discover your beautiful blog,really like it.
Bon week end
Chantal
Helen says
30 Mar 14 at 10:22 amMerci beaucoup, Chantal! Je suis tres heureuse que tu m’as trouve and que tu aimes le blog! Bon dimanche! 🙂
Layla @ Brunch Time Baker says
30 Mar 14 at 4:42 pmThese Fritters look so crispy and delicious!
Helen says
30 Mar 14 at 7:38 pmHello, Layla! Thank you so much for visiting and so glad you liked the fritters!
Kaylee @ Lemons and Basil says
31 Mar 14 at 12:51 amI am totally with you on the crispy thing! I want the slightly “too-done” edge of the brownies and the roasted vegetables around the outside that dry out and crisp up. In my book, crispy is always better!
And these Cauliflower Feta Fritters look wonderful, especially with the egg on top! I’ll have to give these a try!
Helen says
31 Mar 14 at 7:58 amMmm … me too. Super crispy roast potatoes … perfect! I really hope you do give these a go, Kaylee. So glad you liked them!
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl says
31 Mar 14 at 2:35 amCauliflower fritters sound like such an amazing idea, Id eat so many of these babies!
Helen says
31 Mar 14 at 8:01 amI actually did, Pamela, because hubby prefers plain old scrambled eggs on toast for brekky I think, when it comes down to it. So guess who ends up gobbling up most of these more ‘adventurous’ brunches?
Kathi @ Deliciously Yum! says
31 Mar 14 at 2:51 amCrispy foods are the best and these fritters look ah-mazing!! Love that you added feta and the runny egg definitely sets it over the top. Soo good and beautiful. Hope you had an amazing weekend!!
Helen says
31 Mar 14 at 7:55 amAw, thanks Kathi! I really hope you had a good weekend, too! So glad you like the fritters (or the idea of them anyway!)
Mary Frances @ The Sweet Tooth Life says
31 Mar 14 at 3:44 amHelen, these sound amazing! Haha, you can talk all you want if you we’ve me these – I totally sounded out crispy as you typed it. 🙂
Mary Frances @ The Sweet Tooth Life says
31 Mar 14 at 3:44 am*serve* not we’ve Sorry !
Helen says
31 Mar 14 at 7:54 amGlad I had the desired effect on you, Mary Frances!
Cate @ Chez CateyLou says
31 Mar 14 at 4:38 amOhhh Helen, your whole first paragraph is making me drool. The crispy bits are always the best part. And these fritters look absolutely incredible – so browned and cripsy. And such great flavors! Love that poached egg too!!
Helen says
31 Mar 14 at 7:53 amSorry to have made you drool so much, Cate! Glad you like them, though! 🙂
Chrissy says
31 Mar 14 at 4:54 amHa- I have the same reaction when I hear the word fritter. It’s like Pavlov’s dog.
Helen says
31 Mar 14 at 7:52 amHaha … that’s right, Chrissy! Hilarious!
Erin | The Law Student's Wife says
31 Mar 14 at 7:22 amCrispy is a FANTASTIC word, and these fritters look just as fabulous!
Helen says
31 Mar 14 at 7:52 amIt is, isn’t it?! Thanks, Erin! 🙂
Joanne says
31 Mar 14 at 2:11 pmI do love me some crispy foods! Especially crispy foods covered in egg yolks. THese fritters look AWESOME.
Helen says
31 Mar 14 at 10:01 pmThanks, Joanne! I love me some crispy foods, too! 🙂
Melanie @ Carmel Moments says
31 Mar 14 at 3:00 pmWhoa! Those sound really yummy. I’d love to try a cauliflower fritter. Looks delish!
Helen says
31 Mar 14 at 9:53 pmHello, Melanie, and thanks so much for stopping by and saying nice things about the fritters! 🙂
Natalie @ Tastes Lovely says
31 Mar 14 at 6:55 pmI’m all about crispy. Especially when it comes to my bacon. These fritters look delicious! Love that poached egg on top. Yum!
Helen says
31 Mar 14 at 9:38 pmAh yes, of course, bacon … for the ultimate crispy factor!! 🙂
Chris @ Shared Appetite says
31 Mar 14 at 9:28 pmWhat a great idea to make fritters out of cauliflower and feta!!! And that oozing egg… oh my gosh I want it right now!
Helen says
31 Mar 14 at 9:37 pmHaha … I would happily share with you and your wife, Chris, if you lived nearby! So glad they tempted you!
Norma | Allspice and Nutmeg says
01 Apr 14 at 1:02 amI love crispy food. These are similar to cauliflower fritters I’ve made except without feta. I want to try them with feta, it sounds delicious!
Helen says
01 Apr 14 at 6:10 amThanks, Norma. Do try making them with feta … they really are tasty!
Cindy @ Pick Fresh Foods says
02 Apr 14 at 4:40 amYum, crispy food is always good. Something about that crunch that makes it amazing! Amazing like these fritters looks. What a fantastic idea and recipe!!
Helen says
02 Apr 14 at 6:02 amThank you for saying so, Cindy! 🙂
Shelley @ Two Healthy Kitchens says
02 Apr 14 at 6:14 am“CREEEESPEEEEE” … yep! I’m feeling it! Totally in on the crispy thing – plus the cauliflower and feta thing, just because I love them both (and I guess especially so if they’re “CREEEESPEEEEE”!!! :D). Seriously – these look awesome, and I would totally do an egg on top – I think Mr. Scrummy missed out on that one! And, geez – this post seriously has EVERYTHING going for it – you even managed to work in another Jim Gaffigan reference – lol!!!! 😀 Pinning, of course!
Helen says
02 Apr 14 at 6:57 pmHaha … thanks, Shelley! This comment sure made me smile … so glad that you’re feeling the CREEEESPEEEE thing!
Laura @ Raise Your Garden says
03 Apr 14 at 5:30 pmLooks delicious! Yum!
Helen says
03 Apr 14 at 9:34 pmThank you so much, Laura, and thanks for passing by the blog!
Tina @ Tina's Chic Corner says
04 Apr 14 at 5:36 pmLol! My sisters and I still fight for the crispiest piece of any dish that’s served! I love fritters and I love cauliflower so this is a brilliant idea!! You know how much I love feta so this is clear winner in my book. 🙂
Helen says
04 Apr 14 at 6:13 pmGlad to have ticked all the boxes for you with the fritters, Tina! I have to stop myself from adding feta to things sometimes … it really does go well with so many savoury dishes!