For the season that often screams indulgence, I like to search out the light, and these fluffy fritters are a delight that even my toddler will devour. They pair perfectly with the citrus of the moment, but you can easily substitute for other orange varieties, and still get that delicious sweet tang.
Serves 4 as starters, or 6-8 as canapés
jerusalem artichokes 250g, scrubbed and grated
carrot 1 medium, peeled and grated
brown onion 1 small, thinly sliced
cornmeal 30g
plain flour 70g
salt ½ tsp
white pepper ¼ tsp
allspice ¼ tsp
all-purpose seasoning ¼ tsp
garlic 2 cloves, peeled
eggs 2
sunflower oil for frying
seedless clementines 250g, peeled weight
ghee or unsalted butter 10g
lemon juice 1 tsp
ground ginger 1 tsp
salt a pinch
cornflour 1 tsp
Place the grated jerusalem artichokes and carrot, and sliced onion in a mixing bowl.
Add the cornmeal, flour, salt and spices, before grating in the garlic and mixing through with a spoon.
Whisk your eggs and fold into your bowl with the artichoke mix. Set aside and heat some oil in a small frying pan.
While your oil is heating blitz the clementines in a food processor, then strain them into a separate mixing bowl.
Add ¾ of the juice to a small saucepan, along with the ghee or butter, lemon juice, ginger and salt, and heat slowly over a medium heat until you can see it steaming.
Whisk the cornflour into the bowl with the remaining clementine juice, then whisk this in with the heated sauce. Keep whisking until the sauce thickens, then take it off the heat to cool and continue thickening.
Once the oil is hot, add a tablespoon of the fritter mix at a time. Cook each fritter for a minute or 2 until lightly browned, then turn over and cook for another minute or so.
Marie Mitchell’s latest book is Kin (Penguin, £30)
