Courgette fritters with halloumi, dukkah and mint yogurt

It’s all about timing, so be quick once you’re ready to assemble the dish!

PREPARATION TIME 45 minutes COOKING TIME about 10 minutes SERVES 2

125g block halloumi cheese Olive oil, for brushing

2 courgettes

2 large eggs, plus 2 for poaching 75g plain flour

Rapeseed oil, for frying

FOR THE COURGETTE CRUST

75g panko breadcrumbs

½tsp dried chilli flakes

½ small bunch coriander, chopped, plus extra sprigs to garnish

1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1tsp ground white pepper

25g plain flour

15g cornflour

1tsp sea salt

Zest ½ lemon

½tsp onion powder

FOR THE MINT YOGURT (makes 4-6 portions)

100g full-fat Greek yogurt

60g bunch of mint, picked and shredded

60g coriander, finely chopped, plus extra to garnish

1 garlic clove, finely chopped Zest and juice 1 lemon

TO SERVE

60g baby mixed salad leaves 1tbsp olive oil

4tbsp dukkah

Parmesan cheese, shaved 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced

2tsp harissa

lllllllllllllllllllllllllll1 For the mint yogurt, pour yogurt into a fine strainer and leave to drain for 5min. This will remove any excess liquid. Then put yogurt in a large bowl and add mint, coriander and chopped garlic. Mix well until all herbs are incorporated. Add lemon zest and juice, and season with salt and pepper. Mix well again and check seasoning. Chill until ready to serve.

2 Make the breadcrumb crust for the courgettes. In a large bowl, toss all the ingredients together until thoroughly mixed.

3 Cut the halloumi into 2 thick slices and brush with olive oil. Set aside.

4 Wash courgettes and slice off ends. Cut them both into quarters lengthways so you have 8 long pieces of courgette. Crack the 2 large eggs into a deep dish large enough to accommodate the courgette strips. Beat and season. Put flour in a dish of a similar size. Put breadcrumb crust mix in a third dish. Dip courgette quarters into flour, then into beaten eggs and, lastly, into breadcrumb mix. Once fully coated, put strips on prepared baking tray, leaving space between them so they don’t stick together.

5 In a large, deep non-stick frying pan add enough rapeseed oil to fill pan to

4cm deep. Carefully heat oil to 180°C. Alternatively, test whether oil is hot by cutting a cube of bread and frying until golden – which should only take a few min (if the bread darkens too quickly the oil is too hot and the temperature will need to be lowered).

6 Once oil is ready, put 4 courgette strips into the pan and cook until golden and crisp, about 5-7min, turning regularly with a slotted spoon so they brown evenly. Once cooked, remove from oil with a slotted spoon and put on to a tray lined with kitchen paper to soak up excess oil. Repeat with remaining courgette strips.

7 While the courgettes are frying, put the halloumi slices in a separate dry frying pan and cook over a medium heat for 1-2min a side until golden.

8 In a pan of simmering water, poach the other 2 eggs. In a bowl, toss salad leaves with olive oil, dukkah and Parmesan.

9 Now assemble the dish. Spread

2tbsp mint yogurt in a small circle in centre of a serving plate. Put half a sliced avocado on top of yogurt, slightly to the right, leaving enough space on the left to place a halloumi slice. Add 1tsp harissa in the middle, sitting on top of halloumi and avocado.

Put 2 courgette fritters on the stack, one on top of the halloumi and the other on top of the avocado. Take 2 more fritters and place at right angles on top of fritters on the plate so that you have a box of courgette fritters surrounding the harissa.

Put a poached egg inside the fritter box on top of the harissa. Finish by placing half the dressed salad leaves on top of the fritters, covering the poached egg. Repeat, and then garnish both plates with a sprig of coriander to serve.