Pictures don’t always tell the whole story. I’m pretty thrilled with the Ottolenghi-inspired Herb Fritters you see here. Brown and misshapen, I admit they’re not much to look at. That’s one of the problems facing food bloggers these days. If you want to reach a wide audience your food has to look extra-special scrumptious. Wrapping it in bacon works. So do colorful sprinkles and peanut butter swirls.
It’s true that peanut butter swirls look pretty and get loads of shares (especially when they are tied up in a bow), but they don’t always ignite the imaginations of the more mature palates among us. It’s kind of a Catch 22 because sites like Pinterest and Instagram have brought food bloggers together as a powerful community, but it has also played a part in limiting what defines good food on the web. Leaving delicious but less than gorgeous food un-loved and un-clicked.
Herb Fritters
That’s why I feel so sad for these delicious little fritters. Sure they look like hard brown hockey pucks. But they’re not, I promise you. In fact, these Herb Fritters – like all good fritters – are tender and fragile. The sort you have to handle carefully, turning them gently in the pan.
Fortunately, a pretty dip or a drizzle makes a welcome accompaniment for Herb Fritters. Bright green tahini has just the right bit of bling. Its hue is so vibrant it almost make these ugly ducklings, deliciously laced with currants and walnuts, ready for their Instagram closeup. GREG
Print This RecipeTotal timeYield16Source Adapted from Yotam OttolenghiPublished
Ingredients
½ cuptahini
2 ouncechopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
½ clovegarlic(peeled and minced)
2 tablespoonfresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoonkosher salt(plus more for seasoning)
2 slicesoft country loaf style sandwich bread
8 large eggs(lightly beaten)
5 ouncefresh green herbs, soft textured leaves only, roughly chopped(choose a combination such as, dill, basil, and cilantro)
1 ½ teaspoonground cumin
¼ cupcurrants
¼ cupchopped toasted walnuts
canola oil(as needed)
Directions
Place tahini, parsley, garlic, lemon juice, and salt in a blender. Run the machine, covered, for about 30 seconds then pour in up to ½ cup water to adjust the sauce to the desired consistency. Adding the water at the end improves the color. Set the sauce aside or refrigerate, covered, up to five days.
Cut the sandwich bread, soft crusts and all, into small dice then run them through the food processor to make coarse breadcrumbs. Set aside.
In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, fresh herbs, cumin, currants, walnuts, and fresh breadcrumbs. Set aside a few moments so that the flavors meld.
Meanwhile, heat about ¼‑inch canola oil in a medium saute pan set over medium heat. Use a small ladle to spoon the batter into the hot oil. Use the ladle to flatten the batter as needed into 3‑inch discs about ½‑inch thick. Once they’re in the oil let them sit undisturbed for a minute or two to allow them to develop a firm, browned crust on the bottom, once firm tenderly flip each one with a spatula. Brown the other side then carefully move the fragile fritters to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Season each fritter with a little salt while it’s still hot. Continue with the remaining batter. Do not crowd the pan.
I’ll take these fritters over a swirly dessert any day.
YUM!
Fritters are SO good! Never even thought of making them from herbs, though — neat recipe. And when the food doesn’t look that great, just photograph the garnish. 🙂
They are lovely! Embracing Wabi-Sabi here these days, simple, humble and imperfect. Best!
You are preaching to the choir, Greg! It’s so hard to make all the food pretty, especially when you know how good it tastes. Does it really need to be picture perfect? No.
I haven’t made this recipe yet, but I know it’s one we will love!
When I was young, I came to feel that life was a game, and I decided to play it to win. Now I look around me, and see what happens when an entire generation takes that position. It’s probably my only real regret: that I wasted time going down that path.
The internet is a visual medium. Recipes on the internet have to look good. The problem is that, if all one is interested in is “winning,” they can spend all their time exclusively on food photography. Their recipes can be anything from ordinary to fraudulent. Please don’t be apologetic about not being one of those people. I come here because your recipes are delicious (and because you’re genuinely interesting).
Ingredients speak to me, so if I read a recipe that seaks to me (luke this one does) the photo won’t deter me from making it. Can you use something other than bread in the recipe? I need an appi for Tuesday snd one of my guests is gluten free.
I so understand. Today I made a tortas sandwich layered with so much stuff. Great to eat but looks totally crappy in the photos. Try as I might I couldn’t get the thing to look good. Tastes great though! And I do have to tell you that these look mighty fine. Way better than my tortas! And besides, it’s an Ottolenghi recipe. That always works!
They don’t look like hockey pucks! Of course, I’ve never met a hockey puck.. But they look beautiful to me. And whenever I have something out of the skillet that I can dip? It’s a win win!!!
Picture don’t tell the stories, especially in food blogging. Some food blogs are absolutely gorgeous but the recipes make me wonder. Your herb critters are something I am interested in and I think the photos are fine, you could have put a ribbon around them. Gerlinde