Is there any doubt that Christmas is a-coming?
The carols are playing on the radio and stores have started splashing their Christmas decorations and gift items.
Chances are you've also been getting party invitations. Well, if you plan to throw a little do of your own, here are two
show-stealing recipes to make your party the talk of the town. Tantalise their taste buds with savoury cheese fritters then watch them mouth ooh la la as they dive into these divine chocolate-covered bonbons.
Tantalising Fritters
FOR A 'show-stealing' appetiser or hors d'oeuvre, cook up a batch of savoury cheese fritters and serve them piping hot. Unlike sweetened fruit fritters, savoury varieties are boldly flavoured like the two below, both of which are zesty with full-bodied cheeses, fresh herbs and other assertive seasonings.
Savoury or sweet, unfilled or stuffed with meat, cheese, vegetables or other fillings, fritters take many different forms. But all of them begin with a thick batter based on flour and eggs. When cooked in hot oil at the right temperature, the batter crisps beautifully and turns golden-brown. Much of the other preparation for fritters is done ahead of time, but to be at their mouth-watering best, they should be fried immediately before serving and presented hot and very fresh.
Making the batter several hours ahead allows the flour to fully absorb the liquid ingredients and permits the gluten in the flour to relax, both of which contribute to a light, delicate fritter.
As with any fried food, the oil for cooking and the temperature of the oil are critical. Grapeseed oil and peanut oil are the most desirable for frying because they have high smoke points.
For fritters, the temperature of the oil should remain in the range of 360 to 365ºF. Any lower than that and the fritter will absorb fat and turn soggy; any higher, and the crust will burn before the interior cooks through.
A thermostatically controlled fryer automatically takes the guesswork out of deep-frying, but a flat, deep pot, an accurate deep-fat thermometer, and a watchful eye work quite well.
SUCCESS TIP:
To keep freshly cooked fritters warm while the rest of the batch cooks, hold them on a wire rack set over a baking pan in a 225ºF oven.
Fontina Fritter
In this Roman version of 'cheese poppers', cubes of nutty-tasting fontina cheese (substitute Gruyére or Gouda) are encased in batter; when fried, the cheese melts inside the crisp crust. Tangy olives and a chilled dry white wine are excellent accompaniments for the richness of these fritters.
3/4 lb. chilled fontina
(substitute Gouda or Gruyére)
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups flour
Salt
2 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water
Oil, for deep-frying
2 egg whites
1/2 cup minced fresh basil
Leaves of radicchio or argula,
or other leafy lettuce variety
METHOD
1. Cut cheese into 1-inch cubes. In a bowl, whisk together wine, egg yolks and garlic. Whisk in baking powder, flour and 1 teaspoon salt. Whisk in olive oil, then add enough ice water to make a thick but pourable batter slightly heavier than pancake batter. Let rest, covered, in a cool room for 2 hours or in the refrigerator overnight. If chilling batter overnight, the next day let it warm to room temperature before using.
2. When nearly ready to serve, pour 2 inches of oil into large, heavy, flat-bottomed pot or fryer. Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff but not dry; fold into batter along with basil.
3. Begin heating oil in frying pan. Dip chilled cheese cubes into batter, placing battered cubes on rack over a baking sheet to allow excess batter to drip off. When oil reaches 360 degrees, fry cubes in oil until uniformly golden; do not crowd while frying. Drain on paper towels; salt lightly.
Serve immediately, garnished with radicchio or arugula.
Serves 8 to 12.
Herbed Gruyére Fritters
The batter for these unfilled fritters is chunky with herbs and grated vegetables and Gruyére (substitute Gouda) cheese. Instead of deep-frying, these fritters pan-fry in a little oil. As an appetiser, serve them plain or with sour cream or ranch-style dressing. As a first course, follow them up with a crisp salad or steamed green vegetable and broiled or grilled fish. The exact yield will vary depending on the consistency of the batter and the size of the fritters.
8 medium zucchini, grated
1 carrot, peeled and grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 whole eggs plus 2 egg yolks 5 green onions, minced
(escallion)
2 tbsp. minced fresh dill
or 1 tbsp. dried
3/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tbsp. fresh tarragon
or 1 tsp. dried
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese
2 tbsp. lemon juice
(or 1 tbsp. lime juice)
Salt and black pepper
to taste
Pinch cayenne pepper
3/4 to 1 cup flour
1 to 1 1/2 cups oil for
pan-frying
METHOD
1. In blender or food processor, place all ingredients except flour and cooking oil. Process to blend well; transfer to a large bowl. Stir in flour, starting with the lesser amount and adding more as needed until mixture just holds together but is not "gluey."
2. Pour oil into a medium frying pan to a depth of 1/4 inch; heat to 365 degrees. Drop large spoonfuls (a couple of tablespoons each) of the batter into hot oil; do not crowd fritters. Flatten each round slightly, then fry quickly, about 30 to 45 seconds on each side, or until fully cooked through and crisp on the outside. Drain on paper towels and keep warm while the remainder cooks. Serve at once.
Makes approximately 4 dozen fritters.
