Even the kids will eat their leeks with this one.

Recipe: Jenny Garing

Serves: 4-5
Prep time: 25 minutes
Serve time: 20 minutes

This recipe is an adaptation of an Ottolenghi recipe combined with a recipe a lady in the south of Turkey taught me. The result is the softest, lightest fritters I have ever made. I serve them with my favourite Turkish yoghurt sauce.

INGREDIENTS

For the fritter:
2 large leeks
4 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1 cup olive oil
½ cup parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup self-raising flour
⅔ cup milk
50g unsalted butter, melted

For the Turkish yoghurt sauce:
1 cup of thick natural yoghurt
1 garlic clove
½ tsp of salt
½ tsp dried mint
½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)

METHOD

To make the yoghurt sauce, use a mortar and pestle to crush the garlic with the salt into a paste. Alternatively, you can use the flat blade of a kitchen knife on a board. Pour the paste into a bowl. Add the yoghurt to the paste and stir until combined. Stir in the dried mint and the chilli flakes (if you are using them). Leave to sit while you make the fritters.

Cut the leeks into thick rounds, then rinse and dry. Heat five tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and sauté the leeks and shallots until soft. This takes about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add the parsley, spices and salt. Leave to cool.

Separate the egg whites from the yolks into two bowls. Whisk the egg whites into soft peaks. In the other bowl, mix the egg yolks, flour, milk and melted butter to form a batter. Gently mix this into the leek mixture. Finally, carefully fold the whites into the leek mixture.

Heat three tablespoons of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Spoon the mixture into the pan to make four large fritters, and fry for two to three minutes a side, until golden and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel and repeat, adding oil as needed, until the mixture is used up. Serve with Turkish yoghurt sauce.

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