Rice pudding fritters with rhubarb and winter strawberry jam
(RECIPE P100)
Rice pudding fritters with rhubarb and winter strawberry jam
Two winter favourites, rice pudding and rhubarb, combine in these sweet treats.
Prep time 40 mins, cook 45 mins (plus cooling, chilling)
Makes about 22
750 ml (3 cups) milk
200 gm (1 cup) short-grain rice, such as arborio
20 gm butter, diced
1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
1 piece of thinly peeled lemon rind
110 gm (½ cup) caster sugar
60 gm plain flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp golden rum
1 tsp baking powder
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Pure icing sugar, for dusting
Rhubarb and winter strawberry jam
400 gm rhubarb, trimmed, cut into 2.5cm pieces
200 gm strawberries, hulled, halved
600 gm white sugar
Juice of ½ lemon
1 Combine milk, rice, butter, vanilla bean and seeds and lemon rind in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender (20-25 minutes). Transfer to a bowl, cool to room temperature (30-45 minutes) and discard vanilla bean. Add sugar, flour, egg, rum, and baking powder, stir to combine and refrigerate until firm (4-6 hours; if the mixture feels a little too wet add 1 tbsp of plain flour until it comes together). 2 For rhubarb and strawberry jam, place rhubarb, strawberries and 50ml water in a saucepan over medium heat. and cook partially covered, stirring frequently, until rhubarb is tender (12-15 minutes). Add sugar and lemon juice and cook until mixture reaches setting point (15-20 minutes; see cook’s notes p177). Set aside to cool.
3 Heat oil to 180C in a deep-fryer or deep saucepan. Deep-fry heaped tablespoonfuls of batter in batches until golden (2-3 minutes; be careful, hot oil will spit). Dust with icing sugar and serve with rhubarb and strawberry jam.
Wine suggestion Sparkling moscato.
Spiced potato and pea fritters with sweet and sour chutney
Vada pav, popular roadside snacks in India, are potato fritters served burger-style in a white roll; we’ve wrapped ours in roti. Don’t be shy with the condiments; add a dollop of thick natural yoghurt if you’d like to tone down the heat.
Prep time 40 mins, cook 1 hour (plus cooling)
Makes 12
4 sebago potatoes (about 800gm), peeled, cut into 4cm pieces
100 gm frozen peas
6 garlic cloves, plus 1 finely chopped
1-2 long green chillies, coarsely chopped, plus ½, thinly sliced
2 tbsp finely grated ginger
2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for deep-frying
10 curry leaves, torn
1 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
1½ cups (loosely packed) coriander, coarsely chopped
1 spring onion, finely chopped
Juice of 1½ limes, plus extra wedges to serve
½ cup (loosely packed) mint
12 roti
Tamarind chutney
6 medjool dates, stone removed, chopped
80 ml tamarind concentrate (see note)
80 gm light palm sugar, crushed
1 tsp cumin seeds, dry-roasted, crushed
1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
½ tsp ground chilli
1 tsp lime juice
Chickpea batter
150 gm (1 cup) chickpea flour (also called besan flour)
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 For chutney, soak dates in 200ml boiling water in a small bowl until soft (10-15 minutes). Drain, reserving liquid, and process with remaining ingredients except lime juice in a food processor until smooth, adding a little reserved liquid until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thick and darker in colour (10-12 minutes). Set aside to cool, then add lime juice and season to taste. Chutney will keep refrigerated for 2 weeks.
2 Cook potatoes in a saucepan of boiling salted water until tender (25-30 minutes). Drain, set aside to steam for 5 minutes, then transfer to a large bowl and mash until smooth. Set aside to cool. Blanch peas in boiling salted water until bright green (30 seconds), then refresh in iced water, drain, crush with a fork and add to potato.
3 Process garlic cloves, chopped chilli and
1½ tbsp ginger in a small food processor or pound with a mortar and pestle to a paste. Mix with mashed potato and peas.
4 Heat oil in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add curry leaves and mustard seeds and fry until seeds pop (30 seconds to 1 minute). Remove from heat, add turmeric, stir to combine and add to potato mixture. Season to taste, add 1 cup coriander, spring onion and juice of 1 lime, and stir to combine. Divide into 12 patties and set aside on a tray lined with baking paper.
5 Preheat oil to 180C in a deep-fryer or deep saucepan. For batter, combine chickpea flour and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl, add 225ml water and whisk until smooth. Dip patties in batter, shake off excess, and deep-fry in batches (be careful, hot oil will spit) until golden and crisp (6-7 minutes). Keep warm while repeating with remaining fritters. Combine mint and finely chopped garlic, thinly sliced green chilli and remaining ginger, coriander and lime juice in a bowl. Scatter herb mixture over fritters and serve with roti, lime wedges and tamarind chutney.
Note Tamarind concentrate is available from Asian grocers and select supermarkets.
Wine suggestion Skin-contact sauvignon blanc.>
Pork, prawn and tofu fritters with salted chilli sauce
The salted chilli sauce is a great addition to almost any dish and handy to have in the fridge at all times. Minced chicken also works well in place of the pork for these fritters. Begin this recipe two days ahead to ferment the sauce.
Prep time 20 mins, cook 15 mins (plus fermenting)
Makes about 26
250 gm coarsely minced pork
250 gm uncooked prawns, coarsely chopped 100 gm firm tofu, cut into 2cm dice
4 garlic cloves, finely grated
2 cm piece ginger, peeled, finely grated
1 spring onion, finely chopped, plus extra thinly sliced to serve
½ cup (loosely packed) coriander, finely chopped
¼ cup (loosely packed) garlic chives, finely chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce
1½ tsp Sichuan pepper, roasted, crushed
120 ml vegetable oil
Salted chilli sauce
300 gm long red chillies, coarsely chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cm piece of ginger, finely chopped
2 tsp caster sugar
1½ tbsp sea salt flakes
1½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 For salted chilli sauce, pulse ingredients in a food processor to just combine. Transfer to a sterile container or jar, cover and leave at room temperature to ferment, stirring occasionally with a sterile spoon, until small bubbles appear (24-48 hours; this will depend on room temperature). Sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
2 Combine pork, prawn, tofu, garlic, ginger, spring onion, coriander, garlic chives, soy sauce and Sichuan pepper in a bowl and season to taste. Refrigerate for 30 minutes for flavours to develop.
3 Heat 30ml oil in a frying pan over medium heat and fry tablespoonfuls of mixture, turning once, until golden and cooked through (2-3 minutes; be careful, hot oil will spit). Cover and keep warm, and repeat in batches with remaining mixture and oil. Scatter with spring onion and serve with salted chilli sauce. Wine suggestion Fresh young riesling.
Quince and apple fritters
These fritters are the very definition of comfort eating and a great treat to share with friends over a cup of tea. They’re best eaten the day they’re made.
Prep time 45 mins, cook 1 hr 40 mins (plus cooling and proving)
Makes 32 (pictured p98)
7 gm (1 sachet) dried yeast
200 ml warm milk
90 gm caster sugar
2 eggs
60 gm butter at room temperature, chopped 530 gm plain flour, plus extra for dusting
½ tsp vanilla extract
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
220 gm (1 1/4 cups) pure icing sugar, sieved
3 tbsp lemon juice
Quince and apple filling
350 ml apple cider
200 gm caster sugar
1 cinnamon quill
Juice and thinly peeled rind of ½ lemon
2 quince (about 370gm), peeled, cored and cut into 2cm dice
30 gm butter, chopped, plus extra for buttering bowl
3 Granny Smith apples (about 400gm), peeled, cored and diced
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 Stir yeast and warm milk in a bowl until yeast dissolves and stand until foamy (5-7 minutes).
2 Place sugar, eggs, butter, half the flour, vanilla, yeast mixture and 1 tsp fine sea salt in an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook and knead on low speed to combine, then add remaining flour and knead until a sticky dough forms (4-5 minutes; dough will be quite wet). Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, dust top with a little extra flour, form into a ball, transfer to a lightly buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until doubled in size (1-1½ hours).
3 Meanwhile, for apple and quince filling, combine cider, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice and rind and 250ml water in a saucepan, add quince, reduce heat to low and simmer until quince is tender (50-55 minutes). Strain and cool. Heat butter in a frying pan, add apple and brown sugar, and cook, stirring, until caramelised (12-15 minutes). Add quince, toss to combine and cool.
4 Roll out dough on a floured surface to 24cm x 40cm. Scatter with half the filling, fold in thirds to enclose, turn so shortest side faces you and roll again to about a 24cm x 40cm rectangle. Scatter with remaining filling, fold in thirds again and roll to a 24cm x 40cm rectangle. Cut into 4cm squares, gather corners and pinch to enclose (if a little filling comes out just press back into dough).
5 Heat oil to 170C in a large saucepan. Deep-fry fritters in batches (be careful, hot oil will spit), turning once, until golden and cooked through (3-4 minutes). Drain on paper towels and repeat with remaining fritters.
6 Combine icing sugar and lemon juice in a bowl, then dip fritters in icing, shake off excess, set aside until set (12-15 minutes), then serve.
Drink suggestion Medium-sweet French cider.
Corned beef and cabbage fritters with Russian-style sauce
These fritters combine all the flavours of a Reuben sandwich. They’d also be great tucked in a soft white bun, with all the trimmings and a few extra pickles.
Prep time 45 mins, cook 25 mins
Makes 16 (pictured p99)
120 gm cabbage, shaved
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
½ cup flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
120 gm Gruyère, coarsely grated
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 eggs, lightly beaten
30 gm plain flour
½ tsp baking powder
120 ml vegetable oil
Corned beef
750 gm corned beef
1 small carrot, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
3 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 tsp black peppercorns
Russian-style sauce
150 gm (½ cup) mayonnaise
150 gm (½ cup) sour cream 60 gm celeriac, finely chopped
2 tbsp white onion, finely chopped
1½ tbsp sriracha sauce
2 tsp Tabasco
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp lemon juice
Pickled cabbage
1½ tsp caraway seeds
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar
150 gm white cabbage, very thinly sliced>
1 For corned beef, combine ingredients in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water, bring to a simmer and cook over low-medium heat until cooked through (1½-1¾ hours). Set aside to cool in liquid, then strain, discard solids and shred beef.
2 For sauce, combine ingredients in a small bowl, season to taste and refrigerate until required.
3 For pickled cabbage, dry-roast caraway seeds in a small frying pan over low heat until fragrant (30 seconds to 1 minute). Crush and combine in a bowl with vinegar and sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar, then add cabbage, toss to combine and stand until slightly softened (10-15 minutes).
4 Mix 400gm corned beef, the shaved cabbage, spring onion, parsley, Gruyère and mustard in a bowl, season to taste, then mix in eggs. Combine flour and baking powder, then add to corned beef mixture along with 1 tsp sea salt flakes and season with black pepper.
5 Preheat oven to 160C. Heat 30ml oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry quarter-cupfuls of mixture, turning once, until golden and cooked through (3-4 minutes each side). Keep warm on a baking tray lined with baking paper in oven and repeat in batches with remaining mixture and oil, wiping pan with paper towels between batches. Serve with sauce and pickled cabbage.
Drink suggestion Russian imperial stout.
Cauliflower, bacon and cheese fritters
A new take on cauliflower cheese, souped up with bacon and turned into tasty fritters. They’re a great way to kick off a dinner party or drinks.
Prep time 35 mins, cook 1 hr 10mins
Makes about 24
400 gm cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp thyme
3 rashers streaky bacon, rind removed,
finely chopped
200 ml milk
60 gm butter, diced
90 gm plain flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
120 gm vintage cheddar, coarsely grated, plus
extra, finely grated, to serve
2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
1 tsp smoked paprika, plus extra to serve Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Finely grated rind of 1 lemon, plus lemon wedges to serve
1 Preheat oven to 200C. Toss cauliflower with oil and thyme, season to taste and roast, turning occasionally, until golden (35-45 minutes). Cool. 2 Fry bacon in a frying pan over medium heat until crisp (4-5 minutes). Drain on paper towels. 3 Combine milk, butter and a pinch of salt in a saucepan over low heat and bring to a simmer. Whisk in flour and stir until mixture pulls away from the sides of the pan (1-2 minutes). Cool for 5 minutes, then add eggs one at a time, beating well to combine between additions. Cover directly with plastic wrap and cool completely, then stir in cauliflower, bacon, cheese, chives and paprika.
4 Heat vegetable oil in a deep-fryer or deep saucepan to 170C, then deep-fry heaped tablespoonfuls of mixture, turning occasionally, until golden and cooked through (4-5 minutes; be careful, hot oil will spit). Drain on paper towels, then transfer to a serving platter. Scatter with extra cheese, lemon rind, paprika and sea salt and serve with lemon wedges.
Wine suggestion Yeasty dry sparkling chardonnay.
Banana and coconut caramel fritters
Nutmeg and coconut are great pals with banana, jazzing up the classic milk-bar fritter. The best bananas to use are lovely ripe sugar bananas.
Prep time 20 mins, cook 30 mins (plus resting)
Serves 6
Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
75 gm (½ cup) self-raising flour
35 gm (¼ cup) cornflour
1 tbsp rice flour
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg, plus extra to serve
140 ml sparkling water, chilled
6 ripe sugar bananas, halved lengthways
Coconut ice-cream and toasted sesame seeds, to serve
Coconut caramel
250 ml (1 cup) coconut milk
50 gm unsalted butter
330 gm (1½ cups) caster sugar
1 For coconut caramel, bring coconut milk and butter to the boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, then remove from heat and set aside. Place sugar and 125ml water in a medium saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Place a sugar thermometer in the pan, bring to the boil and cook without stirring until mixture reaches 140C and is a caramel colour (12-15 minutes). Remove from the heat, add milk mixture (be careful, hot caramel will spit) and 1 tsp salt and whisk to combine. Return to the heat and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly thickened (1-2 minutes). Set aside to cool.
2 Heat oil to 180C in a deep-fryer or deep frying pan. Combine self-raising flour, cornflour, rice flour, baking powder, nutmeg and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Slowly whisk in sparkling water until smooth, then refrigerate for 30 minutes to rest. Dip bananas in batter, shaking off excess, then fry, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp (2-3 minutes; be careful, hot oil will spit). Serve hot with coconut ice-cream and top with caramel and sesame seeds.
Wine suggestion Sweet, rich botrytis sémillon.