This Courgette Parmesan and Mint Fritters recipe is a delicious way of eating courgettes, and of using up a glut!

Serve as an accompaniment to almost anything – they’re particularly good with lamb, fish and chicken or just with a salad for lunch. We sometimes substitute them for potatoes. They’e also very good as a starter,with a topping or a salsa (see ideas below). Make them smaller and they morph into lovely summery canapés.

Courgette Parmesan and Mint Fritters recipe

Makes approximately 16 thin fritters

Ingredients
2 medium courgettes
2tbsp self-raising flour
2tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 sprigs of mint, leaves chopped
2 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
Sea salt
See below for topping suggestions

Method
1. Grate the courgettes as coarsely as you like (it is easiest to do this in a food processor). Put into a sieve, sprinkle with a little salt and leave to drain for 30 minutes. Squeeze out the excess liquid and put the courgettes in a mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients, except the olive oil and sea salt. Mix together well.

2. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and dollop in dessertspoons of the mixture, spreading and flattening with the back of the spoon. Cook in batches, and do not overcrowd the pan or they will stew rather than fry. After a minute or two, when the underside is golden, flip over and cook for another minute or so.

3. Remove, drain on kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little sea salt. Keep the batches warm while cooking the rest. Serve as is, or with any of the suggested toppings below.

Topping Suggestions

•Minty yoghurt

•Garlicky mayonnaise

•Gravadlax or Beetroot & Fennel Cured Salmon with Horseradish Sauce or Cucumber & Dill Sauce and Cucumber Ribbons with Fennel Shavings

•Smoked salmon or hot smoked salmon with crème fraîche, chives or chopped onion and optional Avruga caviar

•Feta cheese and black olives or tapenade

•Salsas of any description, such as tomato, red pepper, onion, chilli, herbs and vinegar

•Guacamole

•Soft goat’s cheese with chives, sumac or pink peppercorns

•White crab meat with finely chopped red chilli and possibly a little mayonnaise

•Greek yoghurt or labneh with dukkah or ras el hanout for a Moroccan flavour