Cauliflower and Le Gruyère AOP fritters with bacon
Crispy yet creamy with a great cheesy hit, this cauliflower cheese fritter recipe makes a fantastic casual dinner party starter for sharing. The fritters are flavoured with paprika for a lightly smoky flavour, which works beautifully with the sweetly nutty Le Gruyère AOP.
Ingredients
Cauliflower and Le Gruyère AOP Gruyère fritters with bacon
- 400g of cauliflower , trimmed, cut into little florets
- olive oil, 2 to 3 tablespoons
- 1 tbsp of thyme leaves , fresh
- 200ml of whole milk
- 60g of butter
- 90g of plain flour
- 2 eggs , lightly beaten
- 3 rashers of streaky bacon , rind removed and finely chopped
- 150g of Gruyère , coarsely grated
- 2 tbsp of chopped chives
- 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 1l sunflower oil, for deep-frying
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
To serve
- 20g of Gruyère , finely grated
- 1 pinch of smoked paprika
- lemon wedges
Method
1
Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6
2
Place the cauliflower on a large baking tray, drizzle with olive oil, and add the thyme. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Roast for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the cauliflower is golden
3
Meanwhile, put the milk and butter in a saucepan over a low heat. Bring to a gentle simmer and when the butter has melted, add the flour. Whisk for 1–2 minutes until the mixtures pulls away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the heat
4
Cool for 5 minutes then add the eggs, a little at a time, beating well between each addition until combined. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, cover with cling film and leave to cool completely
5
Heat a small frying pan over a medium heat, add a little oil and fry the bacon until crisp. Set aside to drain on kitchen paper
6
Add the cauliflower, bacon, chives, Gruyère and paprika to the mixture in the bowl and stir gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper
7
Pour the oil into a deep-fryer or deep saucepan and heat to 180°C
8
Take a heaped tablespoon of the mixture and roll it in your hands to form a ball. Place on a plate and repeat with the rest of the mixture
9
When the oil is hot, fry the fritters a few at a time in batches, for about 4–5 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towels and add to a bowl
10
Serve immediately sprinkled with extra Gruyère, a little paprika, sea salt flakes and lemon wedges
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Cauliflower and Le Gruyère AOP fritters with bacon
