These super easy fritters are crispy on the outside and soft in the middle, and are also gluten-free.

These morsels of deliciousness are extremely versatile, and you can really start to get creative with what sides you choose to serve them with. They make a lovely brunch by simply adding a poached egg on top and for a healthy light lunch just add some avocado, cherry tomato, cucumber and crumbled feta.

You can make fritters from just about anything. They can be sweet and made from apple, banana, peach, berries or mango or they can be savoury with cauliflower, corn, broccoli, zucchini, sweet potato, pumpkin you can even add protein like tuna, salmon, chicken, beef and pork if you so wish.

Did you know? The word ‘fritter’ has its roots in the Late Latin word frictura, meaning ‘a fry’. Frictura, comes from the Latin verb frigere which meant ‘to fry’ or ‘to roast’. Our word fry also derives from this word. Words such as frittata and fricassee also owe part of their origin to these Latin roots. The first mention of a fritter in England was in the Diary of Samuel Pepys, a Londoner who served as a Member of Parliament during the English Restoration period in 1665. He noted in his Diary that he would be enjoying some fritters before Lent.

Chef Dylan tips: Be sure to fry these on a medium heat, as they can burn easily. These fritters freeze marvellously well: just wrap them in cling wrap individually and freeze. They will stay fresh for months and when you want to use them, just defrost in the microwave for a couple of seconds and boom: you have a delicious fritter ready to go.

Memory Lane, Cronulla Sydney 2004
I hear the iconic laughter of the kookaburra song suddenly pierce through the pre-dawn mist as I head down the beachfront. I’m on my way to the morning shift at a small seaside Café named ‘Surfeit’. The long rays of the sun have just started to creep up over the vast Pacific Ocean turning the cloudless sky a deep crimson red. Large flocks of screeching rainbow lorikeets fly overhead from the towering Norfolk Island pine trees disturbed by playful swooping magpies. In the sea are keen surfers and bodyboarders in ‘springies’ and board shorts who take turns in expertly riding the world class waves that this morning have been sent courtesy of a tropical cyclone named Kerry. I breathe in a big gulp of the salt laden heavy summer air and realise ‘Today is going to be a sticky day in the kitchen’.

Arriving, I slip through the slightly-ajar large glass sliding French doors and as I enter, I close my eyes and savour the delightful aroma of freshly ground coffee beans that fill my nostrils. Breathing it in deeply and smiling with pleasure “You are such a freak”, jokes Jenny the Kiwi front-of-house manager from behind the coffee machine. “Takes one to know one" I fire back in jest. “You want one then I gather?” she asks pointing to the fresh cup of coffee she now sniffs over- dramatically to tease me again. “That would be awesome, thanks but stop distracting me! I’ve got a super hectic morning. I’ve got to prep 150 corn and zucchini fritters for the function” I say as I flick on the kitchen lights.

I head to the storeroom and change into my chef’s jacket. I’m feeling excited and anxious at the same time, because this is the first week I will be in charge of the kitchen. I’ve been given a shot at the head chef role because the previous one had one too many meltdowns. She was an excellent cook, but her management skills sadly needed a little work. Last Friday was the last straw after returning back from a 2-day bender. It all started when she asked Jack, our kitchen hand, to get a tomato from the cool room. When he then handed her a green tomato, she snapped; scowling back, she looked at him with daggers in her eyes. You could cut the air with a knife. She lashed out like a cobra, grabbing the back of his head as she rammed the tomato under his nose. “Does this look ripe to you?!! Take a bite then!” she says, screaming like a banshee from the pits of hell before proceeding to squish it all over his face. Totally enraged, next comes “Nah, I can’t do this!”, while taking off her apron, she shouts “You guys have pushed me over the edge! I’m done!” She slams down her apron and storms off.

In a complete state of shock, I look over to Jack, still holding the half-smashed tomato. “That was gnarly man!" He responds with a big grin. wiping the chunks of tomato from his face. Turning I hear the door fling open and Megan the owner barges on in “What the hell’s happened now guys? Why has Angela run out of the kitchen again?” She demands. “Wasn’t me this time”, I say with my hands in the air. “Jack got a green tomato rammed in his mouth because Angela wanted a ripe one”. “For the love of God” says Megan with her hands now rubbing her face. “This business is going to send me to the loony bin! Looks like I’ll have to jump in with you guys again for the rest of the shift” she says whilst tying the apron around her waist. She has a defiant sparkle in her eye and jokes “Hey Jack, listen up – vgrab me a tomato from the cool room will ya?”. 

Prep 10 mins Cook 15 mins Serves 4

Ingredients
- 200g broccoli, chopped into florets
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- 3 green shallots, chopped
- 3 tbs Gaucho*
- 150g (1 cup) frozen peas, thawed
- 400g can chickpeas, rinsed, drained
- 2 tbsp gluten-free cornflour
- 2 eggs mixed in a small bowl
- 6-8 tbs oil to fry

*Chef Dylan’s Gourmet Food Co. Gaucho marinade

Method
1. Place the broccoli, Gaucho seasoning, garlic, and shallot in a food processor.
2. Process until it is all nice and finely chopped. Add peas and chickpeas. Pulse until coarsely mashed. Don’t over blend you still want a few peas and chickpeas almost whole.
3. Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Pour in the cornflour and eggs. Use a spoon to stir until just combined.
4. Heat 2 tsp oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat.
5. Add 1/4 cupful of batter and cook for 2-3 minutes each side or until golden and just cooked through.
6. Transfer them to a plate lined with paper towel.
7. Repeat with the remaining oil and batter.
8. Serve warm with any dipping sauce of sides of your liking.