Cooking with Kids: Fritters are perfect for freeing up the fridge
Carrot and courgette fritters - perfect for little hands and full fridges
This month in the Irish Examiner, there is a focus on sustainability, and doing things that help the environment.
Using leftovers is a good way to cut down on food waste. Leftover mashed potatoes for example can be made into potato cakes or even into fishcakes.
There are two recipes here for fritters that use some mashed potato. Leftover carrots can also be used for the first recipe instead of freshly grated ones if you like.
If you are using the leftover carrots, roasted, boiled, or steamed ones all work well, just mash them before adding them to the other ingredients.
CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB
There is a lot of water inside courgettes. For this recipe, it is good to take some of this water out, so that your batter is not too soggy. You can do this by spreading the grated courgette onto a clean tea towel while you get the rest of your ingredients ready.
A dip for either of the fritters can be made with some natural yogurt and chopped herbs. Mint is a nice option, or coriander. Remember to season the dip as well.
A good way to get use out of carrots. Servings Preparation Time Cooking Time Total Time Course Ingredients 2 medium sized carrots, well washed or else peeled 2 eggs 1 tbsp of plain flour 1 tbsp of mashed potatoes ½ tsp of powdered nutmeg ¼ tsp of smoked paprika - optional 1 spring onion – optional a dash of olive or sunflower oil Method Start off by carefully grating the carrots into very small pieces with a grater. If you have a box grater this is the side with the smallest holes. You will not be able to grate all of the carrots as they become difficult to hold if they are too small. Just grate enough so you can still comfortably and safely hold them. The rest of the carrot can go into the pot for dinner, or you can make carrot sticks. Crack your eggs into a bowl and add the plain flour, the tablespoon of mashed potatoes, the nutmeg and smoked paprika if you are using it. It is also good to season the ingredients by adding a pinch of black pepper and salt. If you are using a spring onion (some people call them scallions) wash it well and cut off the tip with the little roots. You can cut off the ends of the green side as well. Now ask an adult to help you slice it up. Add this to the other ingredients with the carrot. Stir everything together. Ask an adult to heat a pan to medium with some oil, and to help you spoon a big spoonful of the batter into the pan. Allow it to cook until golden then carefully turn it over and cook until that side is golden too. Do this with the rest of the batter.Carrot Fritters
A surprising way to get the best of a fridge staple! Servings Preparation Time Cooking Time Total Time Course Ingredients 1 big courgette 1 tbsp of mashed potato 2 eggs 35g of plain flour a handful of mint leaves 75g of feta cheese a dash of olive or sunflower oil Method Carefully grate the courgette. You can use the side of the grater which has the big holes, so that you have little strips of courgette. Once it gets difficult to hold the courgette you can stop grating. Spread a clean tea towel onto a breadboard and then spread the courgette pieces over this and leave it there while you get everything else ready. Crumble up the feta into small pieces and put it into a large bowl. Ask a grown up to help you chop the mint leaves into very small pieces. Add these to the bowl. Put the tablespoon of mashed potato into the bowl. Crack the two eggs in on top of it. Scoop the courgette off the tea towel and into the bowl. You will notice that the towel is wet. It has taken some of the liquid out of the courgette for you. Stir everything together. Ask an adult to heat a pan to medium with some oil, and to help you spoon a big spoonful of the batter into the pan. Allow it to cook until golden then carefully turn it over and cook until that side is golden too. Do this with the rest of the batter.Courgette Fritters
Children can build up skills in the kitchen that will boost their confidence and also allow them to cook more interesting food. Learning to safely use a box grater can be very helpful.
Putting a damp tea towel under a plate or chopping board will stop the grater from slipping. Place the plate or chopping board onto the towel, place the grater on top and then show the child how to firmly hold the top of the grater with one hand (the one they do not write with).
They can start to grate a softer vegetable such as a courgette or some cheese. Show them how to press the food item firmly at the top of the grater then slowly drag it downwards. Always insist they stop before the piece in their hand gets too small and there is a possibility of their fingers touching the grater.
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