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Cauliflower and manchego fritters with romesco relish

Name: Cauliflower and manchego fritters with romesco relish
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Ingredients: cauliflower 350g, stalks removed; plain flour 100g; eggs 4, beaten; manchego 200g, half finely grated, half diced into 1cm cubes; spring onions 3, finely sliced; parsley roughly chopped to make 4 tbsp; lemons 2 zested, then cut into wedges to serve; oil; olive oil 1 tbsp; garlic 2 cloves, crushed; whole blanched almonds 50g, finely chopped; red chilli 1, seeded and finely chopped; tomatoes 250g, diced; light or soft brown sugar 50g; red wine vinegar 50g; whole roasted peppers 3, from a jar

1 hour 10 minutes
Serves 4 as a light lunch
Easy

Inspired by a dish from Lunya in Liverpool. Spiced cauliflower and manchego frituras with romesco sauce are a year-round fixture of this Catalan restaurant and deli in Liverpool’s city centre

Published: March 25, 2015 at 3:08 pm

Ingredients

cauliflower 350g, stalks removed
plain flour 100g
eggs 4, beaten
manchego 200g, half finely grated, half diced into 1cm cubes
spring onions 3, finely sliced
parsley roughly chopped to make 4 tbsp
lemons 2 zested, then cut into wedges to serve
oil

FOR THE RELISH

olive oil 1 tbsp
garlic 2 cloves, crushed
whole blanched almonds 50g, finely chopped
red chilli 1, seeded and finely chopped
tomatoes 250g, diced
light or soft brown sugar 50g
red wine vinegar 50g
whole roasted peppers 3, from a jar

Method

Step 1

For the relish, heat the oil in a medium frying pan, then add the garlic and almonds and gently fry until they start to turn golden. Stir in the chilli for a minute, followed by the tomatoes, sugar and vinegar. Simmer for 15 minutes until the tomatoes are softened and sticky. Wipe the peppers of any seeds, dice, then stir into the tomatoes with some seasoning and leave at room temperature.
Step 2

Boil a big saucepan of water. Chop the cauliflower so you end up with a mix of very small florets and some finer stuff. Add to the water, and boil for 3 minutes then drain immediately. Tip back into the pan over a low heat and dry out for a few minutes.
Step 3

Put the flour and a good amount of salt in a mixing bowl. Gradually mix in the eggs to make a smooth batter. Stir in the grated and diced cheese, spring onions, parsley and lemon zest, then very gently fold through the cooked cauliflower.
Step 4

Put the oven on low so you can keep the fritters warm as you fry in batches. Heat a drizzle of oil in a non-stick frying pan, then add spoonfuls of the mixture to make roughly 5cm round fritters. Fry for 3-5 minutes until golden underneath and the batter looks just set on the top, then flip over and press down with a fish slice to squash any big cauliflower bits. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until golden, then keep warm on an oven tray while you fry the rest. Scatter with a little more salt, and serve with lemon wedges and the relish.