Margaret's bountiful vegetable harvests, still lifes of suggestively-sized zucchini and huge, red-skinned potatoes, were carefully arranged on her gleaming kitchen sink at each inspection. They spoke of generosity and simplicity. None of the vegetables Margaret chose to grow were exotic, but what she did grow was wonderful. The promise of a 'large vegetable garden, big enough to supply a family of four' pretty much sold me on what was a far smaller block than we'd daydreamed of, but it was established and well-tended, things that, in the end, mattered more.
By the end of September we were technically settled. The wettest winter/spring for a good 20 years meant that the only gardening we could really attend to was the weeds - oy, the weeds - which, quite often, were waist-high. We worked diligently, got the right equipment, and rested our weary limbs whenever we could, flopped on the couch at the ridiculously early hour of 6pm watching Gardening Australia and Annabel Langbein's Free-Range Cook.
We finally got on top of things on Christmas Eve.
Then the rains came.
And they kept coming.
It's been The Summer That Wasn't.
Likewise, my summer vegetable patch wasn't, even though I corralled the wayward seed packets into some sort of order and thought, a lot, about what we should have been planting. Instead, we were kept inside, building fires to warm ourselves, or running out in gumboots to save the studio and garage from flooding.
And so, I've been watching the bounty of other gardeners efforts as they unfold this season with a keen, dreamy eye. Last week, a familiar, rambling plant was stretching itself brazenly across one of the compost heaps. I actually did a little dance right there, in front of the dog, for never have I been happier to see zucchini.
At the market last week, we talked zucchini fritters, and my friend reminded me of the Annabel Langbein ones I drooled about on one of those flopped-on-the-couch Saturday nights. They were excellent late last year - we made them often - and they were excellent again this weekend. The quantity of grated zucchini below is large for good reason; the zucchini melds with the batter, lightens the whole. Rather than eating a few vegetables suspended in a lot of batter, you get the sense of eating a lot of vegetable in a little batter, and that, as you've probably worked out by now, makes me a happy girl. And just in case you're thinking, hmm, corn stirred through this batter might be good, stop yourself right now. The kernels sink to the bottom and are far too chewy here - even if your corn is as beautiful as Mariana's.
Annabel Langbein's fritter batter
This batter is beautifully light because of the soda water, but it's also forgiving. Having only one egg, I chucked in a couple of tablespoons of buttermilk last night and by god, it worked. They were even lighter. On the telly, Langbein said the key to their success was squeezing as much liquid as possible from a large mound of grated zucchini. Squeeze with all your might. Make a face if need be; you want to get it really quite dry. Feeds 4 with other salads and such.
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder (make yer own)
1/2 - 1 tsp of salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup cold soda water (open a fresh bottle if you can)
Sift the dry ingredients into a roomy bowl. Whisk the eggs and soda water together, then pour into the dry ingredients and mix well.
To make zucchini fritters:
Grate 4 medium zucchinis into the centre of a clean, dry teatowel. Roll tightly and squeeze as much liquid as you can from them over the sink. Don't wuss out - really go for it. Mix into the above batter, adding lots of chopped mint and half a block or so of roughly crumbled feta.
Fry in a generous slick of peanut/rice bran oil in a hot pan, adjusting the heat as required. Flip when golden, cook the other side and drain on paper towels (or, better still, brown paper bags). Good with lemon and sour cream or plain yoghurt.
Other possibilities:
Cauliflower, mustard seeds and some well-chopped sundried toms in winter would be great.
Grated pumpkin when the zucchinis run out...you get the picture. Play.
Oh my these look good. I've always made Claudia's zucchini fritters and have never been tempted to stray from that recipe. Until now. Mainly because I'm intrigued by that batter. I watched a bit of Annabel Langbein one day, but couldn't quite get into it. Maybe I should give her a second chance?
And yes, that rain. But you know, of course, there will be years like this. And years where it doesn't rain at all. It's all part of the farming / gardening thing. But you must be impatient to get cracking. I know I would be.
Posted by: kathryn | February 21, 2011 at 01:30 PM
Claudia as in Roden? I liked yours in Wellbeing, darls, the ones I photographed waaay back. This batter's dairy-free, which means it's even more 'store cupboard', esp. if your store cupboard contains soda water.
AOF and I have an ongoing joke about Langbein's plumby (sp?) NZ accent - "soooooo de-lushes". I'd never have picked it, but she's a Kiwi, you see, and hears the subtleties more than I...but yes. She's worth another go. I found it to be garden-porn! And water-porn. Otago just looks amazing. Peter's mum and I have been talking about Annabel's show with such lust on the phone of late...once you can get past the loads of sugar and flesh, she's got some seriously good ideas. Makes her own verjuice in one episode which I was intrigued by.
Yeah...impatient, but also patient. Happy to let things just be for 12 months, see what works where, what's missing, that sort of thing. But, for example, I found myself bringing home a little fig tree while at Diggers a couple of weeks ago...already itching to plant quinces and persimmons, too!
Posted by: Lucy | February 21, 2011 at 02:59 PM
I too love vegetable rich fritters! This winter I found even shredded cabbage, onion and parsley makes a delicious combo, especially with a ginger and tamari drizzle. Having enjoyed them plenty of times with winter squash I recently tried grated garnet yams with a touch of onion and nutmeg. These made a bit drier to make a patty which could be coated in sesame seeds made a heavenly dinner with a pile of steamed greens.
Of course our seasons are different in this part of the world (Pacific Northwest of US) but we had hardly a summer last year also. It was my first season with a new garden too so I have much sympathy for your experience. It is mud season here now but I found my first blooming violets yesterday and I'm filled with hope for what this year of gardening will bring.
Posted by: Shari Trnka | February 21, 2011 at 06:20 PM
yum! We make similar sorts of fritters with zucchini, or carrot, or potato and onion, cabbage and chives. Basically anything that one could grate. Except we tend to use cold beer instead of soda water (because G likes a beer and we don't tend to have soda around).
The rain this year has been amazing and somewhat of a garden challenge - we have lost plants due to them getting wet feet. I'm just trying to think of the subsoils and aquifers being replenished and hopefully years of good garden weather to follow.
Posted by: Janet | February 21, 2011 at 06:51 PM
Annabel is "soooooooooooooooo gooooooooooooood" :) I secretly wanted to play drinking games with "delicious" and "so good" as trigger words whenever I watched the show! Just as well we never watched her together.
I made pumpkin fritters last night for dinner, stirring a little batter into the grated veg. The pumpkin got nice and melty. With the leftover batter I used some leftover fresh pineapple, made a great dessert fritter with a dollop of maple syrup.
Posted by: another outspoken female | February 21, 2011 at 07:33 PM
yes! I haven't been in Melbourne much, so escaped the rainy weather. Your photo of the rain is so beautiful!
Posted by: Anh | February 21, 2011 at 09:18 PM
can't believe that summer is ending this week before it has truly begun! love your picture of the raindrops - sorry to hear there has been more mud and weeds than vegies but am glad the zukes have come through and made some wonderful fritters
Posted by: Johanna GGG | February 21, 2011 at 09:48 PM
The addition of soda water even makes the batter "sound" lighter. I like the simplicity of your zucchini fritters. Great tip about the squeezing. I can only imagine the splattering otherwise.
Your "raining" photo really tells a story. Do you happen to have a tin or sheeting roof? We do and it's wonderful - we feel really connected with the elements. Unfortunately the sounds of running possums at night are a little too loud, but I still wouldn't change it for anything.
I laughed at you dancing in front of the dog. I can well relate. I've done the exact thing with our kangaroo. What on earth must they think? So funny.
Thanks for the mention.
Posted by: Mariana | February 22, 2011 at 09:04 AM
Ahh yes, the season of Zucchini is upon us. I always look forwards to it thinking how wonderful it is to have an over abundance of something. But then when it is upon us I get stressed trying not to waste an inch, racing to think of anything and everything to put them in before they turn into whales on the ground and all the neighbours lock their doors for fear they will be offered more.
So, thank you for another idea, it looks scrumptious!! And thank you as well for another beautiful and lyrical post. Inspiring!
Posted by: Sophie | February 22, 2011 at 10:34 AM
I simply adore cooking that requires face pulling. There is someone who still does a rather unflattering impression of me beating butter for puff pastry in culinary school. But I don't give a damn, really I don't.
That photo of the rain lashing down is heavenly - I'm sorry it's been so rotten in person though. I plan on trying these fritters as soon as spring has sprung here. They sound like light-and-melt-in-your-mouth perfection, and I wish I could be there to dance about it all for your dog too.
Posted by: Amanda | February 22, 2011 at 12:34 PM
Love, love, love the second photo. And I loved this fritters on sight - I think they're from the one Langbein episode I've watched. :-)
Posted by: Cindy | February 22, 2011 at 01:46 PM
I know exactly what you mean about the ratio of vegetables to batter - more vegies, less batter is definately the way to go.
Posted by: Caz | February 23, 2011 at 02:07 PM
With snow on the mountains and frost every night, it is hard to imagine zucchini, but I know they will come. The soda water addition is inspired. I'm looking forward to making this come summer.
Oh rain! You and I are both so frequently gasping for it, and now you must just want it to go, go, go far away. Argh! I love the shot of the rain on the pear tree, though.
Posted by: Christina | February 24, 2011 at 04:02 PM
Lucinda, I made these on the weekend. They are fabulous, and have replaced my old recipe. I need to come here more often! Love from your old teacher, Jane Dennett
Posted by: Jane Dennett | March 08, 2011 at 09:18 PM
Mrs D, I am so pleased! They've replaced my oldie, too. Do you know, I've been dipping into Suetonius' Twelve Caesars (picked up a copy second hand) and each time I think of you...'tis lovely this interweb, really. x
Posted by: Lucy | March 11, 2011 at 01:58 PM
Oh, yum. I grew up eating zucchini fritters like these, but I love the addition of soda water. In my family, my aunt was the master in the kitchen. The only way she would make these fritters — and fried zucchini blossoms as well — was by dipping them in a beer batter and frying them up in a heaping pan of olive oil. They were heaven. And so, I'm guessing, are these.
Posted by: Lisa | March 24, 2011 at 04:18 AM
hi Lisa: zucchini blossoms in beer batter is EXACTLY what i want to eat right now!
Posted by: Lucy | March 24, 2011 at 02:31 PM