Cheese and Herb Fritters with Tomato and Balsamic Jam

The Spiced Chickpea Cakes that I made a short while back based on a recipe from Delia's Vegetarian Collection turned out so well that I decided to try another recipe from her book. This recipe that I have had bookmarked for quite some time is from the chapter devoted to Cheese, but could just as easily been included in the one entitled Food for Friends. My friends were certainly impressed, so much so, that next time I make these, I'll double the recipe. Honestly, if you love cheese, I can't recommend these highly enough.

I used feta, Gruyere and extra old Cheddar for these patties, but any number of cheeses would combine well here and I look forward to trying these again with some different varieties. I didn't alter Delia's recipe too much, except to replace the breadcrumb coating with cornmeal and of course, I added more spice.

On the menu with:

Mixed Greens with Blueberry Balsamic Vinaigrette
Gluten-Free Honey, Lemon, Poppy Seed Cake

Cheese and Herb Patties with Tomato and Balsamic Jam

For the Fritters:

4 ounces of feta cheese, finely grated
4 ounces of Gruyere cheese, finely grated
4 ounces of extra old Cheddar Cheese, finely grated
3 generous tablespoons of chopped mixed herbs, such as parsley, basil, thyme, or oregano
generous 1/3 of flour
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons of milk or yogurt
cornmeal for dusting
3 tablespoons of olive oil
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

For the Tomato and Balsamic Jam:

1 pound of ripe tomatoes (roughly two medium-large tomatoes)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 large clove of garlic, finely minced or crushed
1 generous tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of brown sugar
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Combine the flour, cayenne and paprika in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Make a well in the center and add the eggs. Whisk in the eggs until the mixture is well combined. Now whisk in the milk until you have a smooth batter and then stir in the grated cheese and herbs. Cover, and leave to sit in the fridge for roughly an hour.

While the batter is sitting, prepare the Tomato and Balsamic Jam. Place the tomatoes in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for about a minute, drain and gently remove the skin and chop. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan until hot and gently cook the onion and garlic until softened - about 5 minutes. Now add the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and salt and pepper. Simmer uncovered over low heat until the liquid has evaporated - about 30 - 40 minutes.

To cook the fritters, shape roughly 1 tablespoon portions into round 4 - 6 inch patties and dust with cornmeal.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add a few fritters at a time, cooking for roughly 45 - 60 seconds per side, or until golden brown and crispy. Remove from the pan and drain. Repeat until all of the fritters are cooked.

Serve with the Tomato and Balsamic Jam.

Serves 4.