All things grated
And a new friend
These last few weeks I did everything in order to procrastinate filing my tax return: I completed some well overdue online training for my job at the Gardens, I updated my CV, I made sure all emails were answered in time, I read 5 books, I frantically cleaned the house, and finally, I started 2 unnecessary projects. Anything not to do what I was supposed to do.
So I thought: maybe this is the kind of nudge I need to go back to writing my Substack. I have at least 3 unfinished writing projects, they are sitting there in my drafts, looking rather pitiful. But as the deadline approached, I eventually completed my tax return and the gust of energy brought by the procrastination frenzy ended.
The other day I went out for a quick lunch with John. This is the second time we met in a few weeks and I think he’s starting to accept the fact that we’ve become friends. As we ate our bagels, I told John about what I made for dinner the day before and how it was all made with grated vegetables. He didn’t seem very impressed but he kept listening and then asked: “are you going to become one of those people that have a show about what they eat everyday?”. “No. I’m just telling you, John”.
Maybe.
Ingredients for 2 hungry people
2 parsnips
2 medium sized potatoes
½ onion
2 spring onions
100g chard
100g feta cheese
1 egg
2 ½ tbsp gluten free flour
2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
A good pinch of salt
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus for drizzling
Method
Heat the oven at 200°C/180°C fan and line a baking tray (mine is roughly 30cm x 30cm) with some parchment paper.
Peel and coarsely grate parsnips and potatoes as well as the onion, add a pinch of salt and scrunch a little the vegetables as if you were making sauerkraut (we are not), set aside in a large bowl.
A note on the grating: I used the side of the box grater with the largest holes, not the vicious one — and we all know which one that is. If you don’t live somewhere where the curse of parsnips follows you throughout the winter, I suggest you use some carrots or maybe courgettes, depending on the season. I mean, we’re making veggie fritters, nothing revolutionary here.
Thinly slice the spring onions and the chard leaves and add to the mix. Now crumble the feta cheese into the bowl and mix well together with a whole egg.
Season with smoked paprika, chilli, freshly ground black pepper, salt and olive oil. You can play around with spices and fresh herbs; I think it would be tasty with turmeric and nigella seeds or with coriander seeds and lemon zest, endless possibilities.
Now add the flour. I used gluten free because I had an open packet at home but you can use plain or chickpea flour too. Add enough to obtain a thick texture, kind of gloopy.
Drizzle with olive oil the baking tray, previously lined with parchment paper. Spread the mixture with your hands or with a spatula if you don’t like the texture. Make sure it’s nicely flattened like a big pancake.
Drizzle a little more olive oil, sprinkle a little salt on top and bake until crispy and golden, it should take 20 to 25 minutes and you can turn on the grill for extra crispness.
Cut into squares, or whatever shape you like, and enjoy! I had it with a salad made with 3 carrots (purple, orange and yellow) also coarsely grated and seasoned with toasted almonds, mead vinegar, salt, pepper and extra virgin olive oil.
Anyway, it’s a nice dinner and all the vegetables were from Windmill and it inspired me to write some more recipes for our veg bag scheme customers.
And about John, maybe it’s finally time I dusted the piece about our intergenerational friendship. Enough recipe writing!