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(upbeat music) – Vegetable fritters are a great way to get vegetable averse people excited about eating their vegetables. They’re crisp, they’re tasty, and they’re fun to make. The only problem is vegetables contain a lot of water, and that water can make even the best fritters soggy. But let me show you how we fix this issue. Starting with a red bell pepper, I’m gonna slice it thin, 1/4 inch.
I’m looking for about a cup. Next, I’m gonna slice half the onion. That’s about 1/2 a cup of thinly sliced onion. The way that you prep the vegetables is just as important as the vegetables themselves. And now I’m gonna cut my scallions, cutting them into half inch pieces and that’s two scallions.
And now I’m gonna shred my zucchini. I’m looking for about a cup. I’m shredding it on the large holes of the box grater.
You can also use the shredding disc of the food processor. That’s one cup of shredded zucchini, and now I’m gonna shred the carrot just like I shred the zucchini on the box grater, but first I’m gonna peel it.
I’m looking for about 1/2 a cup. That’s it for the veg prep. Now I’m gonna make the batter. I’m using 1/2 a cup plus one tablespoon of flour, and I’m gonna add 1/2 a cup plus one tablespoon of cornstarch. The flour is gonna help with browning and create a tender batter, while the cornstarch is gonna give you an extra crispy fritter.
I’m also adding 1/2 a teaspoon of baking powder. The baking powder adds lift and lightens the batter. You’re gonna notice that I’m not adding a lot of water to this batter. When the vegetables cook, they’re gonna release the moisture and they’re gonna thin out this thick batter, but I am adding some seltzer, 3/4 cups of seltzer. When the batter cooks, the seltzer bubbles are gonna release and lighten the batter.
The carbonation in the seltzer creates acidity. That acidity is gonna mix with the flour and gonna hinder the gluten development. What does this mean? Tender batter. Now I’m gonna add the vegetables to the batter, along with 1/2 a cup of cilantro and one minced garlic clove, using a spatula to thoroughly mix the vegetables into the batter.
Remember the batter is thick right now, but once the vegetables cook, they’re gonna release their moisture. It’s gonna thin out. But now we can get to cooking. I have 1 1/2 cups of vegetable oil and a 12 inch nonstick skillet, heating over a medium-high heat to 350 degrees.
It’s 350 degrees, and before we get frying, I’m adding 1/2 a teaspoon of salt and 1/2 a teaspoon of pepper.
Now, I’m seasoning the batter at the last possible second because that salt is gonna draw out moisture in the vegetables and thin our batter out too much. I’m using a 1/4 cup dry measuring scoop to scoop out some of the batter to make my fritters. I’m using the back end of a spoon to spread the fritter out to about four inches. Now I’m doing that because I want lots of surface area for browning. And when you spread the fritter out, it’s gonna be right below the oil line.
You’re gonna get even cooking. Now I’m gonna do that three more times for a total of four fritters. Now, we’re gonna cook the fritters until they’re golden brown, about two to four minutes per side. If the temperature gets too high or too low, you wanna adjust the temperature accordingly ’cause I want it to be between 300 and 325. It’s been about three minutes.
I’m gonna check on the fritters. The color is more important than the time. The fritters look like they’re nice and golden brown on the other side. I’m gonna flip them. I’m using two spatulas because right now the fritters are very delicate.
This is gonna keep them from breaking and keep it from creating a splash. Now, I’m gonna cook them for about two to four more minutes until they’re golden brown on the other side.
I’m taking the fritters out, and I’m putting them on a paper towel lined sheet tray. I’m also turning the burner off, and I’m dabbing the fritters on a paper towel for about 15 seconds on each side, and then I’m gonna move them to the unlined side of the sheet pan, and then add a little salt, and now I’m gonna turn the burner back on. Because we’re shallow frying, it’s gonna reach that 350 degree temperature in no time at all.
We’re gonna keep going until we’ve cooked a total of three batches, but first you might need to give the batter a quick stir.
(upbeat music) The fritters are finished cooking. I’ve added them to this gorgeous platter, and now I’m gonna whip up a quick sauce. I have 1/3 of a cup of mayonnaise. I’m gonna add a tablespoon of prepared horseradish that’s been drained, a tablespoon of lemon juice.
The horseradish is gonna add a little heat but not overpower the sauce. I’m adding a little salt and pepper to taste. Now, what I’ve been waiting for, I can eat one of these fritters. This makes a great appetizer. Because I’m in the kitchen by myself, I’m gonna use my hands.
Mm, it’s crisp on the outside, tender inside.
It’s delicious. To make these great fritters, remember to prep the vegetables correctly and create a light batter. From “Cook’s Country,” crispy vegetable fritters. They’re so good.
– Thanks for watching “Cook’s Country” from America’s Test Kitchen. So what’d you think? – Leave a comment and let us know which recipes you’re excited to make or just say hi. – Now you can find links to today’s recipes and reviews in the video description. – And don’t forget to subscribe to our channel.
– See you later. – Alligator..
