Leek Fritters Recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi's Plenty

There’s something about the simplicity and ease of eating fritters that appeals to me. They’re essentially very flavorful pancakes that can offer a very nice amount of diversity when it comes to the potential ingredients one can take advantage of. I’ve seen all different types of fritters, but I have to tell you that today’s recipe that calls for a vidalia onion, leeks, parsley and an intense combination of spices tops the cake. These fritters are delicious.

In This Post

The Recipe

This recipe includes leeks. If you aren’t aware, leeks are wonderful vegetables that can offer a unique flavor and an even better texture. Taking advantage of leeks in a food such as fritters is a good idea because after softening them and browning them lightly, they become quite agreeable in the batter used to hold everything together. The combination of leeks and onion in this recipe are perfect. On top of that, you can add the outstanding dip to round the dish out. Coriander, cumin, turmeric and cinnamon fritters dipped into a parsley, cilantro, Greek yogurt and sour cream sauce it just the best.

Ingredients

Serves: 4

For the Sauce

1/2 Cup Greek Yorgurt
1/2 Cup Sour Cream
2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
3 Tablespoons Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Parsley
1 Cup Cilantro

For the Fritters

3 Leeks, Trimmed, Sliced Lengthwise, Cut into 1/2 Inch Pieces and Cleaned Thoroughly
1 Vidalia Onion, Chopped
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Parsley, Chopped
3/4 Teaspoon Coriander
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Turmeric
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Sugar
Salt
1 Egg White
3/4 Cup Plus 1 Tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 Egg
2/3 Cup Milk
4 1/2 Tablespoons Butter, Melted

Step-by-Step Instructions

As the title suggests, I pulled this incredible recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi‘s cookbook that’s titled Plenty. If you search through this blog, you’ll find that I’ve already shared some other recipes offered by this talented chef. They’re all good and I’m proud to give you exposure to him, if you haven’t already had any.

Make the Sauce

This part is super easy. Add all the sauce ingredients to a food processor with the lower blade attached.

Run the processor for about 15 second or until the sauce is smooth.

Finally, using a rubber spatula, transfer the sauce from the food processor into a small bowl and place in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use it later.

Prepare the Vegetables & Spices

Warm a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Then, when the pan is to temperature, add 4 tablespoons of olive oil to it. Also add the cut leeks and the chopped onion and cook for 15 minutes, while stirring occasionally. The goal here is to soften and lightly brown these ingredients.

Softened Leeks and Vidalia Onion in Cast Iron Skillet

When the leeks and onion have softened sufficiently, transfer them to a medium sized bowl. Add the parsley, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix everything thoroughly.

Leeks, Onion, Parsley, and Spices in Bowl

Whisk the Egg White

Add the egg white to a small bowl and whisk until it forms peaks.

After the egg white has a firm consistency, transfer it to the bowl with the softened leek in it. Fold the egg whites into the vegetables.

Egg Whites Folded into Vegetable Mixture

Prepare the Batter

In another medium sized bowl, add the flour, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, whole egg, milk and butter. Mix these ingredients well until they are smooth. Then, add the batter to the bowl with the vegetables in it and mix well.

Cook the Fritters

Warm a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is to temperature, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to it and then add a few ladles of batter as well. Each fritter should consist of approximately 1 ladle-full. Let the fritters cook for about 3 minutes each side. You’ll know when to flip them when you slide a fork under each one and the underside is nicely browned.

Plate & Serve

As you make your way through the fritters, set each one aside on a plate. When they are all finished, divide them among the different plates. You should end up with 8 fritters in all. Serve with a side of sauce and enjoy.

The Final Leek Fritters

I have leftovers of these fritters and I’m quite excited about that. The dipping sauce is awesome. If you decide to give this recipe a try, please let me know your thoughts. Thanks for reading!