One thing about Thanksgiving meals is the abundance of leftovers, and the plethora of recipes that surface to take care of any of that surplus, but then there is a point where I think everyone has had enough. This year we had a different menu plan for the holiday, a nice Asian marinated salmon, ham roasted in the oven, some steaks on the barbecue, and sides like roasted yams, mashed potatoes, peas, and a fresh garden salad, and bread of course. Actually this year was pretty good, leftovers were minimal .
Foil plates are a rumbling as the line up for take home leftovers begins. I eye the mashed potatoes and the peas, because my creativity is brewing and I have a plan for those things. I say to Nicoletta those mashed potatoes and peas would make a nice croquette, and who can say no to an appetizer that is fried to a nice golden brown, and is so soft and flavorful inside, I know we can't, and I wanted to do my take on these potato patties taking them from a long oblong shape of a croquette to a nice plump round rustic shape. Looking at these we decided to call them fritters and to bring a bit of health and vitality a nice mixed green salad with some edible flowers and goji berries. So here we go from leftover potatoes and peas, to Pea and Potato Fritters with a side of Goji, Edible Flowers, and mixed Greens.
It's Holiday Monday here in Canada and we are ready for some lunch. I grab the leftover mash and peas and go to the pantry to get some ingredients to assemble the fritters. Bread crumbs, parmigiano cheese, some herbs, organic eggs from the fridge, flour, salt and pepper and into a bowl they go to form a nice starchy soft patty. I love the patty forming part, anything hand rolled was one of my many things I loved doing as a child in the kitchen. I remember rolling these ultra small meatballs cooked in a soup that we made on special occasions similar to an Italian wedding soup, and I would be so concentrated on getting those perfectly round and consistent in size. Getting these fritters ready I wasn't as precise but still put a loving effort into these babies, making them various sizes and rustic in look. The thing with making these fritters after you blend all the ingredients and form the patty they have to go into the fridge, this allows them to firm up, so that when you dip them in the eggs and then bread them they don't fall apart. The next step was another childhood favorite the eggs dipping and bread crumbing getting them nice and evenly coated.
The first fritter is always a trial, to get the temperature right and cook time down, so Nicoletta and I sacrificed ourselves to try this beginning fritter. The crunch on the outside tasty crispy, then like heaven soft gooey mashed potato inside with those little sweet peas that were fried with some yellow onion, the melted parmigiano with that bite it has added another level of flavor, yummy, these are addictive, bite after bite devouring this fritter. Now have to get the rest of these fritters fried. The salad that accompanied these fritters was a blend of mixed greens and edible flowers bought at the City Market 104 on its final weekend of operating, which Nicoletta and I wanted to take advantage of because it was beautiful outside. Some green onions and Goji berries bought at the Strathcona market, to top it off, now the only thing missing is the dressing.
I tasted some of the greens and edible flower and thought what would highlight the somewhat peppery flavor of the radicchio and subtle aromatics of the flowers, and I got it, a nice vinaigrette consisting of extra virgin olive oil, yellow mustard, some white balsamic vinegar, a dab of mayo and to sweeten the pot some whipped honey. I have to tell you that this dressing was the perfect partnering for this type of salad.
So there you have it some beautiful delectable fritters with a gorgeous mix medley salad, a great lunch for a sunny holiday Monday and the best part is sharing it!
Enjoy!
PrintPea and Potato Fritters with a side of Goji, edible Flowers and mixed Greens
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 9 fritters 1x
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups leftover mashed potatoes
- ½ cup of leftover fried peas and onions
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup grated parmigiano reggiano
- 1 tablespoon chives choped
- 1 tablespoon of parsley chopped
- Dash of paprika
- 1 ½ tablespoons of all purpose flour
- 2 cups Italian style bread crumbs
- Salt and pepper to taste
Salad:
- 3 cups mixed greens and edible flowers of your choice
- 1 stalk green onion chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh Goji berries
Dressing:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon mayo
- 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
- Pinch of wasabi paste
- Dash of Salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a bowl mix mashed potatoes, peas, chives, parsley,flour, and 1 egg.
- Add salt, pepper, and paprika, mix well.
- Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet and dust with flour.
- Flour hands slightly and scoop a heaping tablespoon of mixture into your hands and form into a round patty.
- Place patties on flour dusted parchment paper and place in fridge for 1 hour.
- Take patties out of fridge.
- In a bowl crack 2 remaining eggs salt and pepper till whites and yolks are well blended.
- In another bowl pour in the 2 cups of bread crumbs.
- Take the patty, coat well with egg mixture then place in bread crumbs and bread well.
- Place breaded fritters into the fridge again for 1 hour.
- In a deep frying pan heat up 3 cups of canola oil to around 350° F.
- Place fritters carefully into the oil and cook for about 4 minutes turning them over to cook for another 4 minutes or until golden brown.
- Take out of oil letting any excess oil drip off and place on a plate with some paper towel.
- For the Salad: In a nice sized salad bowl toss in mixed greens and edible flowers.
- Sprinkle in green onion and Goji berries.
- For the Dressing: In a small bowl blend with a whisk olive oil, mustard, mayo, wasabi, balsamic vinegar and whipped honey.
- Add in some crushed sea salt and crushed black pepper.
- Mix again with a whisk.
- Pour over salad and toss.
- Plate fritters and salad.
- Ready to serve.
Notes
Do not put too many fritters in the pan for frying. They are very delicate and you have to turn them very carefully.
- Prep Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 servings
When I am not cooking, I enjoy playing musical instruments, singing, writing. I have learned over the years to live in gratitude and enjoy the moment.
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