My family and I are lucky enough to have an every-other-week CSA vegetable share. That means that between early May and late December, a box of picked-fresh-from-the-farm vegetables graces our kitchen. Sometimes that means we're canning tomato sauce and sometimes that means cucumber salads and roasted beets and potatoes. During some parts of the year, it also means vegetable fritters. Some of my favorites are these kohlrabi-carrot fritters:
Sweet and spicy, they blend the natural crunch of both kohlrabi and carrots with the guilty crunch of all things fried. However, these babies have no gluten, dairy, or soy in them. What's left? Lots of flavor! I like to season mine with spicy cayenne pepper, but you can tweak the seasonings to suit your tastes and tolerances. I have a couple of suggestions in the recipe below, but they are merely that … suggestions. So feel free to make these your own.
What's really charming about these fritters is that they tend to go over well with anyone I serve them to. Even the friend who will only ever order the meat-lover's pizza will be impressed with these tasty gems. What's more, I like to showcase even more great produce when it comes to topping them. My favorite consists of chopping fresh garden tomatoes and tossing them with minced herbs … also from the garden. That said, a little mayonnaise mixed with sriracha can also make for a lovely dollop atop these fritters. You could even make a large batch and have a variety of toppings available for enjoying. Make it a simple summer tapas party … before summer gets away from us!
Kohlrabi-Carrot Fritters
- 2 kohlrabi
- 1 carrot
- 1 egg
- ¼ tsp. coarse salt
- ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper (you can also use chipotle pepper or, if you prefer less heat, smoked paprika)
- ½ c. canola oil (enough for ¼-inch depth in your skillet)
Prepare the vegetables by cutting the leaves off the kohlrabi and peeling the bulbs. Peel the carrot. Shred the vegetables using a food processor or a box grater. Squeeze the shredded vegetables between 2 sheets of paper towels to remove the moisture, then add them to a mixing bowl with the egg, salt, and cayenne pepper. Mix to combine.
Place the oil in a large skillet (enough for ¼-inch depth). Heat it over medium high heat, then place small patties of the fritter mixture into the oil. Fry the patties on one side until they are browned, then carefully turn them and fry them lightly on the other side. Remove the patties and place on a plate lined with a paper towel to drain away the excess oil.
Serve the fritters hot. They are wonderful when topped with fresh chopped tomatoes & herbs or spicy mayonnaise.
- Yields: 2-3 servings
- Preparation Time: 30 minutes