It should be pretty clear by now that I love a fritter. They’re such a great way to use leftover veg plus as a replacement for toast at breakfast fritters mean squeezing another couple of serves of veg into your day. I’ve been playing around with these for a while now to get the texture and flavour right (and the all important structural integrity). And I clocked it last weekend. These broccoli fritters are quickly becoming a new favourite.

They have great broccoli flavour that’s enhanced by the chilli, parmesan and lemon zest. You could throw some more herbs in there but I think they’re really lovely just as it. I made them gluten free using buckwheat flour but whole wheat, or spelt flour would also be delicious as would your favourite gluten free combination, just don’t use coconut flour, the flavour really doesn’t work here.

I had these as is with a squeeze of lemon and a dollop of thick Greek yoghurt. Simple food at its best. You could have them as part of a bigger breakfast, poached egg, bacon, all the other breakfast trimmings. A little chilli oil with the yoghurt is also perfect. I have an addiction, it’s a problem.

Makes 12 fritters

Ingredients

1 medium head of broccoli

1 egg

1 cup flour (gluten free, buckwheat and besan works well)

1 cup vegetable stock

2 tsp chilli flakes

Optional: ½ tsp Asofeteida powder (can replace with minced garlic)

1/3 cup chives or the green part of spring onion finely chopped

½ cup parmesan, freshly grated

1 tsp lemon zest

Directions

Bring a medium pot of hot water to the boil. Add the stock. Put broccoli stalks in first and cook for 3 minutes. Add broccoli florets and cook for a further 2 minutes. Strain. Reserving the liquid. Place the stalks and half the florets in a food processor and pulse to roughly chop. Put the rest of the florets in and pulse briefly so there are still large chunks.

1 cup of stock (that you used to cook the broccoli), salt, asofitteida and flour together. Allow to cool slightly then beat in the egg. Add chilli flakes, parmesan and lemon zest. Fold through the cooked broccoli and chives.

Put a large heavy based fry pan on medium high heat. Add olive oil.

Use a spring loaded ice cream scoop or two spoons to transfer the mixture from the bowl to the pan. You want about ¼ cup of mix for each fritter. Flatten so they are 1.5-2cm thick.

Cook for 3 minutes each side or until golden.

Serve with lemon wedges on the side and maybe some herbed yoghurt or chipotle mayo to dip in.

HH. x