RECIPE: Clean The Fridge Veggie Fritters with Herby Green Sauce
The perfect recipe for when you're trying to get rid of those veggies that have been sitting at the bottom of your fridge for 2 weeks.
Okay, I’ll admit it… this is more of a road map than a recipe. There aren’t really measurements in this post because it’s all fairly intuitive. That’s how I think cooking really should be in general, intuitive.
We all have different tastes and preferences and it’s important to honor those. We all want cooking to be fun, easy, and TASTY!
If you aren’t an intuitive cook yet then just wait until I’m done with ya. Cooking is an exploration of food, flavor, and texture. If you look at it as such you’ll be a lot happier.
This recipe was created for two reasons:
to use up excess veggies in my fridge;
to consume a butt load of various veggies in one sitting.
Simple as that!
The Recipe Base
Let’s talk veggies…
You can use literally whatever veggies you have on hand in whatever proportions you want. The veggies I typically use are potatoes, kohlrabi, cabbage, mushrooms, onions, carrots, and asparagus.
Let’s talk herbs…
If you haven’t made an herby green sauce in the past the recipe might shock you a little. Basically, you just take a ton of different herbs and toss them in a blender together. The only caveat is that I wouldn’t use many herbs with a “woody” stem as their flavors can clash some. I typically use a combo of mint, cilantro, tarragon, dill, and parsley.
Let’s talk batter…
I use Korean pancake mix. After all, they literally make it to create scallion pancakes along with many other varieties of pancakes. We aren’t talking pancakes in the traditional breakfast sense. These pancakes are crispy and more align with a tempura/fritter style mix.
If you can’t find Korean pancake mix, try using a 2:1 ratio of all purpose flour to cornstarch or potato starch.
Another key note here is to use ice cold water when mixing your batter. You want the batter to be fairly thin, to coat the veggies evenly, and to have minimal (if any) gluten development.
Let’s Get Cookin’!
The Fritter
Step 1: Julienne your veggies. You want them fairly thin so they cook well. We don’t cook the fritter for long on either side so if you leave your veggies chunky you run the risk of biting into raw veg and no one wants that.
Step 2: Add some seasoning. I use Adobo or another basic all purpose seasoning mix. We don’t need much here as the herby green sauce packs a huge punch of flavor.
Step 3: Mix it all up. This incorporates the seasoning and ensures you get a mix of veggies in each fritter.
Step 4: Mix a 1:1 ratio of crispy pancake mix with water and stir until incorporated.
Step 5: Pour said mix over veggies and toss.
Step 6: Heat up a shallow pan with enough oil to pan fry them bad boys.
Step 7: Fry over medium heat until golden brown on each side. This usually takes 3-5 minutes per side but will vary based on thickness and your stove.
Tips and Tricks
I portion out what I want to use and save any additional mix in the fridge for later.
When placing your batter in the pan you want the fritter to be fairly thin. I put a heaping scoop in the oil then flatten with a spatula.
The Green Sauce
Step 1: Take a handful or two of each herb, separating the herb from any woody stems, and toss into a bowl or blender. (Bowl if you’re using an immersion blender.)
Step 2: Juice 1-2 lemons and pour juice into said blender. (Opt for 2 if you want it more acidic.)
Step 3: Add 1-2 raw garlic cloves to the blender.
Step 4: Add a pinch of salt to the blender.
Step 5: Pour a generous helping of olive oil into the blender and begin to blend while maintaining a steady stream of oil until it comes together. You may need to scrape the sides down multiple times to get everything mixed and incorporated. You want the end result to be a slightly runny dressing.
Get Eatin’!
All you have to do after making both components is plate it! I’ve served them over a bed of greens and had them as is. I’ve drizzled herb sauce over the entire thing and also gone for a rip and dunk approach. Whatever tickles your fancy works!
Each time you make this recipe you’ll find new combos you enjoy. Now you have the tools to eat well, reduce food waste, and get your veggies in!
Until next time!
Xoxo, Roo