Zucchini Fritters with Quick Pineapple Chutney

When zucchinis are abundant in late summer I am always looking for dishes to make with them. Fritters are a perennial winner. They work for light lunches, easy dinners built up with salad and can be shoved between bread for easy veg burgers and take-to-work sandwiches. Think of this recipe as a template and add other herbs and, perhaps, grated carrot, frozen peas, chopped mint or parsley, even some finely chopped cauliflower or kale. If you don’t have stale bread, use crackers or add a little extra flour. You can even use cooked, leftover rice.

You can serve the fritters plain but I love them with this pineapple chutney, invented when we ended up with half a pineapple that just didn’t have that much flavour. As so often happens, a dish that starts as an improvisation ends up becoming a firm family favourite. Again, mix up the spices – coriander, fennel and cinnamon are all lovely!

Pineapple Chutney Makes: 500 grams (17.5 oz)
Time: 40 minutes

Zucchini Fritters Makes: 16 fritters, depending on size
Time: 30 minutes

Thermomix Method

Quick pineapple chutney

1. Place ginger, garlic, onion, pineapple and chilli in mixing bowl. Chop 8 sec/speed 4.

2. Add oil, curry powder, salt and curry leaves. Stir 10 sec/speed 2.

3. Add sugar. Cook 30 minutes/100°C (212°F)/speed 1.

4. Transfer into a sterilised jar and allow to cool. Store in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate once opened.

Zucchini fritters

5. Place zucchini in mixing bowl and grate 5 sec/speed 5, ensuring there are no big chunks remaining. If so, continue 1-2 sec/speed 5. Scrape out of mixing bowl and place in Varoma dish. Sprinkle with 1 tsp fine salt and leave to drain for 30 minutes (see Tips). There’s no need to clean mixing bowl.

6. Place bread, lemon zest and garlic in mixing bowl and chop 6 sec/speed 8.

7. Add feta and cheddar. Mix 5 sec/speed 5.

8. Add eggs, drained zucchini, flour, and salt and pepper. Mix 10 sec/speed 4.5.

9. Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Spoon mixture into pan and cook for a few minutes on each side. Fritters can be made whatever size you like! When golden brown on both sides, remove from pan and briefly drain on paper towel. 

10. Serve with chutney.

Traditional Method

Quick pineapple chutney

1. Roughly chop ginger, garlic, onion, pineapple and chilli.

2. Mix with oil, curry powder, salt and curry leaves. 

3. Transfer to a saucepan, add sugar and cook over medium-high heat for 30 minutes, stirring often, until glossy and thick.

4. Transfer into a sterilised jar and allow to cool. Store in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate once opened.

Zucchini fritters

5. Coarsely grate zucchini. Place in a sieve or colander and sprinkle with 1 tsp fine salt and leave to drain for 30 minutes (see Tips).

6. Whiz bread, lemon zest and garlic in a food processor. 

7. Mix with crumbled feta and grated cheddar.

8. Add eggs, drained zucchini, flour, and salt and pepper. Mix  to combine.

9. Heat oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Spoon mixture into pan and cook for a few minutes on each side. Fritters can be made whatever size you like! When golden brown on both sides, remove from pan and briefly drain on paper towel. 

10. Serve with chutney.

Tips

• If you can’t wait for zucchini to drain, simply squeeze out extra moisture.
• The pineapple chutney is great with grilled meats, mushrooms, cold meats and ham and cheese toasties.

Variations

• Think of this recipe as a template and add other herbs and, perhaps, grated carrot, frozen peas, chopped mint or parsley, even some finely chopped cauliflower or kale. 
• If you don’t have stale bread, use crackers or add a little extra flour. You can even add a handful of cooked, leftover rice.

More about this recipe

• Need some more zucchini idea? Try Zucchini Flowers, Double Trouble Dumplings with Tomato Passata, Silky Pumpkin Tagine with Couscous and Harissa
• Want more family-friendly fritters? Try these Okonomiyaki!
• Try these family recipes too.