Fritter Schmitter
Crispy Layered Vegetable and Lentil Fritters with Herbed Rice
1 hour 5 minutes
Serves 4
DinnerDairy-freeNut-freeShellfish-freeSoy-freeLow Sodium
Herb's take
Inspired by Eastern European comfort food, these fritters blend hearty lentils, sweet vegetables, and a crisp flour crust for a dinner that’s both rustic and clever. Get ready to learn why pre-cooking your legumes makes all the difference for that perfect, tender bite.
Ingredients
Yield
4
Instructions
- 01Add the red lentils and split peas to a medium pot, cover with 3 cups water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes, skimming foam as needed, until tender but not mushy. Drain well and set aside.
- 02While the legumes cook, place the sweet potato and carrot in another pot with salted water. Boil for 8 minutes until just soft. Drain and cool.
- 03Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes until softened.
- 04Add the eggplant, zucchini, and garlic. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook, stirring, for 7 minutes, until the vegetables are golden and much of their moisture has evaporated. Remove from heat.
- 05In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained lentils and split peas, sweet potato, carrot, cooked vegetables, parsley, smoked paprika, cumin, black pepper, and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt.
- 06Lightly mash with a potato masher or fork, just enough to break up larger pieces, but keep plenty of texture.
- 07In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and baking powder. Stir into the vegetable mixture.
- 08Sprinkle in the flour and fold gently until a thick, sticky batter forms. If it seems runny, add up to 2 more tablespoons flour.
- 09Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drop 1/3-cupfuls of batter into the pan, flattening each to about 1/2 inch thick. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, working in batches, until deeply crisp and golden. Transfer to a rack set over a baking sheet.
- 10Meanwhile, cook the rice: In a saucepan, combine the rice with 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
- 11Serve fritters stacked over a bed of rice, garnished with extra parsley if you're feeling fancy.
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