I know what you’re thinking; you don’t even need to say it: It’s time for a fritter intervention. A frittervention? Here, I’ll go first: My name is Deb Perelman and I have a fritter problem. And I really do. I pretty much want to fritter all the things, all the time — broccoli, zucchini, apples, parsnips, an Indian medley, leeks (here), and potatoes, potatoes, potatoes, I actually have to hold myself back, and try to evenly space my fritter episodes throughout the year, so not to pique your concern about my fritter consumption. It’s not easy because no matter how many times I talk it out in a circle of understanding peers, I fear I will still think that fritters are the answer to most food dilemmas, most of the time.
They’re the ideal toddler vegetable delivery method. Aside a bowl of lightly dressed mixed greens for the lunch I’m supposed to be having (not, cough, leftover pizza), a couple fritters make it all worthwhile. Alone on a plate, dolloped with a creamy yogurt sauce, they’re a happy afternoon snack. And formed intentionally tiny, they belong at a cocktail party. As do you.
In my defense, I hadn’t frittered in nearly six months before I slipped. The last time, it was broccoli and it was angled specifically towards the toddler set. There was parmesan and only a tiny, non-threatening amount of garlic. The goal was not to ruffle any overtaxed young mealtime feathers. So, of course, you know what happened: my sample population, my toddler, refused to eat them. In response, these fritters don’t care. (Sorry, kid.) There’s more garlic, lemon zest, salty, crumbly feta cheese and they’re flecked with kicky Aleppo pepper. That’s a smoky cumin yogurt on top. They’re dotted with tart pomegranate seeds. Once again, you probably already know what happened: “More please!”
Nevertheless, they want to go to a party with you and I think you should let them. In a December that is to the gills with buttery cookies, decadent cheese plates, stiff drinks and rich roasts, they might even be a little island of moderation, as decked out with tiny red bulbs as the nearest windowsill.
One year ago: Dijon-Braised Brussels Sprouts
Two years ago: Sweet Potatoes with Pecans and Goat Cheese, Creamed Onions with Bacon and Chives and Sweet Corn Spoonbread
Three years ago: Raisin-Studded Apple Bread Pudding, Swiss Chard and Sweet Potato Gratin and Sweet Potato Buttermilk Pie
Four years ago: Pepita Brittle, Cottage Cheese Pancakes, How to Max Out Your Tiny Kitchen and Leite’s Connsummate Chocolate Chip Cookies
Five years ago: Black Bean Pumpkin Soup, Apricot and Walnut Vareniki, Chicken with Chanterelles and Pearl Onions and Our Approach To Food Photos
Six years ago: Dreamy Cream Scones and Shrimp Cocktail, Artichoke-Potato Gratin
Cauliflower-Feta Fritters with Smoky Yogurt, Pomegranate
Makes 18 2-inch fritters
I prefer fritters with a lot of vegetable and just the faintest amount of batter, loosely tethering the vegetable chunks to each other. It will seem weird as you put the piles of batter in the pan — “these are going to fall apart!” — but gently nudge any loose pieces back on the pile and I promise, once they’re cooked, they will stay together and their flavor will be crisp and clear, uncluttered by an eggy, soft batter.
1 small head cauliflower (1 pound florets, i.e. stems and leaves removed), cut into generous 1 to 2 inch chunks
1 large egg
1 garlic clove, minced
Few gratings of fresh lemon zest
3 ounces crumbled feta (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes; less if using regular red pepper flakes, which are hotter
3/4 teaspoon table salt or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Olive oil for frying
To serve
3/4 cup yogurt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
Handful pomegranate arils
Cook cauliflower in simmering salted water, uncovered, until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes, until firm but tender. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Drain well. Spread on towels to dry as much as possible.
In the bottom of a large bowl, whisk together egg, garlic and lemon zest. Add cauliflower florets and mash with a potato masher until they’re crushed into an average of pea-sized pieces (i.e. some will be bigger, some smaller, but most will be little nubs). Sprinkle in feta and stir to combine egg mixture, cauliflower and feta. In a small dish, whisk flour, salt, pepper and baking powder until evenly combined. Sprinkle over cauliflower batter and stir just until combined.
Heat oven to 200 degrees F and place a tray inside. On the stove, heat a large, heavy skillet over moderate heat. Once hot, add a good slick of oil, about 2 to 3 tablespoons. Once the oil is hot (you can test it by flicking a droplet of water into it; it should hiss and sputter), scoop a two tablespoon-size mound of the batter and drop it into the pan, then flatten it slightly with your spoon or spatula. Repeat with additional batter, leaving a couple inches between each. Once brown underneath, about 2 to 3 minutes, flip each fritter and cook on the other side until equally golden, about another 1 to 2 minutes.
Transfer briefly to paper towels to drain, then the tray in the oven to keep them warm until needed. Once all fritters are cooked, mix yogurt with cumin, salt and pepper. Spread fritters on serving platter. Dollop each with cumin yogurt and sprinkle with pomegranate arils.
Do ahead: Fritters both freeze and reheat well. To warm and recrisp them, lay them on a tray and toast them at 400 degrees in the oven until crisp again.
These look great – and avoid the issue that I often have with fritters, too much tasteless batter! Your mushroom bourgignon has already won over my carnivorous in-laws, these might do the same job for perceived ‘fancy food’! And I get to eat the delicious results too. YUM!
Can I make these with riced cauliflower?
Is there any difference between fritters and latkes? It’s not a problem this is one of my favorite dishes in the world but I’ve never tried cauliflower OR feta! So creative. I like to make them large and flat so I can reheat them in the toaster!
Now I’m thinking about that Melissa Clark recipe from Cook This Now Also, 6 years since Creamy Dream Scones? I just made those this past weekend. My how time flies.
I love fritters too, thanks for another take on them – and so seasonal with the pomegranate arils prettily scattered. Your photos made my mouth water!
We Greeks fritter everything (a Santorini specialty) and call them keftedes, e.g., kolokithokeftedes (zucchini fritters). Fritter away-Yamas!
A perfect addition to my jerusalem themed hanukkah, thanks!
Deb, seriously I think you look in my fridge and see what I have lying around. I loved your broccoli fritters, so I can’t wait to make these tonight!
Can you make this with cauliflower rice without having to cook the cauliflower first?
deb, thanks for indulging my wannabe-jewish love for all things latke-d. these look great – can’t wait to try them next week (along with your failproof potato latkes). was so sorry to miss your stop in toronto but am loving every page of your beautiful book! all the best over the holidays to you, alex & jacob!
Yes – fritters anything! I remember my aunt making a kind of Savoy cabbage fritters – probably the only way to make a child eat Savoy cabbage willingly.
I love cauliflower as a base – started using it to make a pizza crust and I think I need an intervention for that creation. Maybe I’ll just change it up and start on a fritter addiction.
Cauliflower always seems so unprepossessing but it really is a supremely satisfying vegetable. These remind me of Insian pakora – you could kick them in that direction by replacing the feta with paneer and making the yogurt more like raita.
This is exactly what I needed to wake up to this morning. I’m on some kind of frying rampage this winter–doughnuts, latkes, you name it. I was planning on some plain as rain latkes, and we’ll do that, but frittered cauliflower, all creamy on its own and just a hint of starch–even though it isn’t really there–will be the perfect balance to too much fried potatoes. Did I just say that? “Too many fried potatoes”? Heaven help me! Anyway, thanks Deb.
Were these the fritters you were alluding to in Austin? Hope your voice is back! There have not been enough fritters in my life, and I love cauliflower.
Ohmygoodness how inventive! Please let me know when the frittervention group meets so I can be there! (I have often thought perhaps if I were born in the south, my nickname would have been fritter-like “Skeeter” or “Bunny”)
Happy Holidays Deb!
Hehe, love the phrase “toddler vegetable delivery method.” These look like such a beautiful alternative to traditional latkes.
The photo of the cauliflower head is absolutely stunning!
Yes please! The flavors are perfection and I love the pomegranate topping!
this is a great flavor profile! and, as always, GORGEOUS pictures.
Well as coincidental is this is–I just had a salad for lunch because it made eating cauliflower and feta together a little less weird than just the two on my plate. I will be making this recipe this week!
Ha! Yes you do have a problem. But there are worse issues one can have. :-)
Beautiful presentation!
These sound delicious.
There are never too many fritters. Keep em coming.
No, don’t have a frittervention!! I love fritters, too :) Ever tried quinoa fritters? I want to make this smoky yogurt dip (and the fritters, too, of course) ASAP!
I came over to find your carrot cake pancakes recipe thinking, “Gee, I’m developing quite the pancake habit, might have to think about that after I eat these pancakes”. After reading this I’m also sympathizing with your fritter problem. I too often take lovely, super fresh veggies from our farm, batter them up and give them a fry. What’s with that? And, we just happen to have ROWS of cauliflower right now. Oh no.
Making these ASAP! I love pomegranate and cauliflower! Like the cumin seed roasted cauliflower with yogurt recipe, yum. Also, there’s an extra “e” in this: “they might even bee a little island of moderation”! :)
We have become Fritter fanatics because of you……..oh the sheer pain and joy of it all….
Also we just purchased multiple copies of your book for gifts and our use, and broke it in lat night with the mushroom bourgignon… delicious
I can relate to your fritter obsession. I too am a fritter obsessive. These sound out of the world. It also helps that I love cauliflower and feta cheese. :)
Just the perfect way to eat veggies, in fritter form! :)
I’m a fritter fanatic! I don’t mind one bit! :)
We had the fritter issue in Spain. We love fritters. Yes we do. I love yours, by the way. And pomegranate arils look so cute :-)
I also distribute the fritter moments around the year, so I don’t feel that bad haha.
Those look really tasty. I was really impressed the first time I used cauliflower for something other than just steamed veggies…will have to try these out!
I would love to attempt this! :)
mouth watering!
I am in full support of all the frittering! :) Love it.
Do you think any other cheese would work? Cheddar, mozzarella, havarti? I love feta, I just don’t have any right now and don’t plan on going to the store today but I’m dying to use the head of cauliflower in my fridge and I LOVE the idea of cauliflower fritters. BTW, I went to your book signing in Austin and it was awesome, even if your voice didn’t join you. :) LOVE the book – I want to cook every single thing in it!
I love that the toddler gobbled up this variety of fritter… he has good taste. They sound divine. :)
These look sensational!
The pomegranate seeds make your fritters look so inviting, and I’ll bet the crunch is fantastic, too. I can’t wait to try these.
Have you seen this Cooks Illustrated demo about pomegranates??
http://youtu.be/tIXFHKvAT70
Wow, you did the impossible (in my opinion) and made cauliflower look not only appetizing but downright delicious! (Also I will eat anything that involves pomegranate.) Don’t stop frittering!
These look great! Not mentioning a recipe in your cookbook (begins with EGG ends with PLANT), the combination of yogurt, cumin, and pomegranate (I didn’t have chickpeas) is almost too much to take in normal, human sized bites.
Deb I love everything about this – the mashed cauli, the fact that you used yogurt as the base for the dip, the pom arils, the light sear on the fritters – it’s just awesome!
This looks wonderful! I have been seeing your cookbook everywhere. At my college bookstore, Barnes and Noble! It must be so exciting to have a cook book out!
Carlee
Yay! You’re back! Hope your tour was fun.
I am not that fond of feta so I too am looking for a sub.
Also, I made your World Peace cookies last night. Very chocolaty but I was looking for something that I could include in Christmas gift baskets with some other stuff. I have come to the conclusion that these cookies would not ship well. Any suggestions? I’m going to try making the gingersnaps next but I was really looking for a chocolate cookie – there are some definite chocoholics on my list!
Hi Katie — Definitely a ton of cookies to choose from! (See here.) I haven’t shipped cookies before but think any of the firmer ones, including the world peace ones, would work.
Anyone who tries to frittervention you will have to go through me. Just thinking of fritters is making me drool. I’m definitely going to have to fritter it up this weekend.
I made the leek fritters with the last of the leeks at the market, and I’ve been craving them ever since. I will now have to hunt down cauliflower and try these.
I just added cauliflower to my list.
Brilliant.
Beautiful.
Delicious. (I can taste them through the pixels. Truly.)
What more can one want??
Great treat! But if you don’t have a potato masher, any other utensils you recommend to mash the cauliflower?
These look great for the holiday season! I always find it difficult not to make sweets for every event.
I’m soooo making you a ‘Fritter All the Things’ pic.
Listening to you on WNYC right now! Congratulations on the book, Deb!
These look good. I just bought a beautiful pomegranate at the store today. My kids all love them. They are a great school snack, I just have to expect some stains on their clothes here and there. They are also all cauliflower fans, so I am sure this dish would be a hit. It is hard to find veggies and fruit that all four of them love.
Thanks for the recipe.
You’re back! I love it when you come back. I found it a little tough to get through Thanksgiving without you this year, I have to admit. Hope you’re travels are going swimmingly.
Any ideas for gluten free option for these delicious morsels? Could I swap rice or some other flour (buckwheat)? It’s just there as a binder, right?
What a great recipe and idea! My household would love these as would I. Going on my list!
These look so amazingly tasty Deb! I was wondering, do you think you could use frozen cauliflower instead of fresh?
Bree — I haven’t tried it with frozen but I think it could work. Mostly, I’d be concerned about the extra moisture. Is defrosted cauliflower still crisp?
Mel — I haven’t tried this with any GF flour mix but I have a hunch that fritters can easily be adapted with whatever blend of flours you prefer. The main structure comes from the vegetable itself and the egg as a binder; the flour mostly gives it body, so gluten isn’t a huge part of it.
Molly — I am SO HAPPY to be back. It’s still going to be a little touch-and-go until the 19th but I will only be officially out of town one more night which means that I will feasibly be in my kitchen, or at least near it, during the day. I had two Thanksgiving recipes lined up and was so sad not to share them in time. I will put them in the queue for next year.
Snuggz — I’d use a fork.
Stephanie — HA! Thanks.
Jessica — They were!
NO! No need for a frittervention! MORE FRITTERS! :) Cauliflower in a fritter sounds just amazing to me.
These look amazing! And they really pop with the color of the pomegranate.My husband won’t eat cauliflower but if I make these and don’t tell him what’s in it he might not even notice. :-)
Whoa. I actually weirdly have a head of cauliflower, feta cheese, a pomegranate and the rest of the ingredients in my kitchen…a chill just went up my spine. Off to cook now.
I am totally OK with more fritters! They’re perfect for someone who is usually cooking for one (me) and also trying to trick themselves into eating more vegetables… Plus, I am really into pomegranate arils right now so this is super appealing!
This is so fun! Love this combination of flavours!
Can I just say Deb that these are pretty much genius?!
Ok making this ASAP! I am currently obsessed with cauliflower. It is so versatile! Great Idea and a great appetizer for the season!
Arils! I learned a new word today! I’ve always just said pomegranate seeds, but pomegranate arils is so much better.
Too bad I already went to the shops today, because now all I will be thinking about are these fritters! Funny enough, I bought heaps of broccoli to make a large quantity of your lovely broccoli fritters, one of the few ways my toddler will eat a non-pureed vegetable. So, I am really excited to try these too.
Until then, I am just going to find ways to slip in “pomegranate arils” in a few conversations…
Ah, I love that because it’s cauliflower, you can “fritter” anytime you want. Great idea!
perfect for my chanuka party! what an interesting combo. cannot wait to try this. thanks for the fantastic recipe. xx. gigi.
I really love the pink touch of pomegranate!
Cauliflower is humble veggie too often overlooked by cooks. It’s full of health benefits and so versatile in the kitchen.
I love the way you made fritters with it. Genius! I’m pretty sure that I’ll be able to lure my BF into finally eating cauliflower if I make these babies!
All the best flavors in the world in one fritter? Yowza! Loved the Darien presentation, especially the fact that they chose that phenomenal White Bean- Roasted Red Pepper Dip that I had just made for my daughter’s wedding hors d’oeuvre buffet in October, ( to rave reviews BTW) as the “savory” choice. That is the simplest, most fabulous dip ever. I used the leftovers ( I had made way too much) in soup form, (and then licked the bowl, yeah, it’s THAT good) You are a genius! Thanks for all the years of inspiration!
I love this blog, which I have only recently come across. Not just for the recipes (some of which I have actually tried & almost died from the deliciousness), but also for the way it’s written. Very entertaining! Thanks for making me smile! A lot! Zoe.
These look so festive! Love the added touch of arils….I’ve pretty much been putting them on everything.
Oh, and p.s. husband tells me he doesn’t love cauliflower. Bet this recipe will turn him. Go the fritter I say!
yum!! love the idea of this combination. have been really enjoying sweet and savory together lately.
Deb
it must be fritter day!
i posted your broccoli fritters today on my site. delicious!
What I wonderful idea! I love your style of cooking and it is always so inspiring! Thank you for sharing your thoughts on food!
È.
Wait, did you just state in the comments you were going to hold onto recipes for A YEAR? Are they so pilgrim-themed that they wouldn’t work during other meals? Hah, seems cruel to those of us on edge for new content.
With a head of cauliflower, 1/2 a pomegranate, and an open tub of feta in my fridge how can I resist. Seriously these are beautiful. And I support your fritter addiction.
Is there something other than eggs that can be used as a binder? These look wonderful, but, sadly, I’m intolerant to eggs.
If Katie C. (#43 above) is looking for amazing Smitten Kitchen chocolate cookies that ship wonderfully, she should look no further than your chocolate toffee cookies. I have shipped them many times, they couldn’t be more chocolatey, and they get rave reviews :)
Enjoyed your interview on Leonard Lopate.
The Grand Central train show is awesome!
Fritters = best lunch ever.
yum! I love everything about these… I, as well, have a fritter problem…
yum. and again, yum. Do you think I could sub goat cheese for the feta? not a big feta fan here…
Wow! These sound absolutely delicious, and comestible even in the 102F heat here in Australia. You have styled these beautifully Deb!
Hi Deb, Heard you on NPR today…you were great and disarmed the harrumphing
Lopate.
I sent a copy of your book to my daughter in Indiana and it arrived the same day HER
book to ME came! Total surprise to both of us (Gift of The Magi-ish?)
Joan
DEB!
I love you, I love fritters. Please, if it’s not too much to ask, will you create a . . . BRUSSELS SPROUT FRITTER!??!
I am obsessed with chopping up leftover roasted brussels sprouts, throwing them in my cast iron pan until crispy, and then making little nests for cracked eggs. I throw them under the broiler until the eggs are set and dollop with whatever fixins I have on hand – more often than not Sriracha chili sauce – and melt with joy after every bite.
But a fritter! Of brussels sprouts! If it can be done, it can be done by your hand! I believe in you, Deb! :)
Thanks for all you do – the cookbook is fantastic!!
Bizarre – no joke, I was chowing down on your broccoli fritters TODAY thinking, I wonder what cauliflower fritters would taste like? And then I come here this evening and boom, you delivered again. Can’t wait to try them out! Your cookbook is on my wish list and I am not-so patiently waiting to see if Santa is going to come through for me! If not, well, I’ll just have to take matters into my own hands.
the butter I made this week would be perfect on that!
The pomegranate coloring is beautiful and totally unexpected. Excited to try!
We are big, big fans of your cumin-roasted cauliflower with yogurt feta sauce. So I am all about trying this.
It must be in the air. Last night’s dinner was quinoa fritters with broccoli and watercress, with a curry leaf pressed onto the tops. Long live the fritter!
Unbelievable coincidence! I just posted a cauliflower fritter recipe this morning, although mine aren’t quite as fancy. Mine have a little grated Pecorino and no feta. I thought they would be a good alternative to potato latkes for Hanukkah. I, too, am fritter-obsessed and I’m already planning to take the basic recipe and create a rainbow of fritters! Such possibilities!
Yum!!
I just scarfed almost an entire cauliflower using your recipe of roasted cumin seeds and pomegranate, from last year. I am truly addicted it! I am excited for this new addition! Everything you post is always so approachable and delicious! Thank you!
Not to be a total weirdo–but what is that white-handled santoku knife on your counter? I don’t think I’ve seen it in your photos before. I like it a lot!
No need for an intervention. With fritters you seriously can’t go wrong. These are amazing. Thanks for another delicious critter recipe.
Whoa..stopped at Bayview Farms in Aquebogue this weekend , and they had cauliflowers in purple, gold , CHARTREUSE, (I am not making this up) and plain old white.. I was tempted to buy them all , but I wondered what I would do with all that cauliflower ..now I Know..fritters for a very large crowd! …and if they were all chopped together, how beautiful would that be ? Confetti fritters with pomegranate arils . I will just think about that for a while.
….And the chartreuse numbers were called “Romanesco” cauliflowers and the
florets look like little turrets, or possibly Christmas trees !
Christmas party!
Wonderful recipe. I never know what to do with cauliflower other than steam or boil it. Love the colors!
Dear Deb,
I am Greek and as was previously mentioned we do make fritters out of every vegetable that exists.However, I have never heard of cauliflower fritters. Would love to give it a shot. Thanks for the inspiration!
Frittered cauliflower? brocolli? Why Deb, what a clever way to deliver veggies to non-veggie eaters! Anything fried makes it 100000x better.
My kids love when I fritter veggies too and I really like the addition of feta and lemon zest in this recipe. Thank you for sharing.
That’s what I’m doing w my green cauli tonight!
I made Ottolenghi’s Cauliflower Fritters 2 nights ago and it made me think of our mutual fritter fetish and how excited I was to finally meet you on your tour tonight in Philadelphia. BTW, I’ve found all fritters freeze beautifully, as do latkes and use all types of GF flours regularly and they’re still delicious – quinoa flour is particularly great.
Deb — so nice to meet you last evening at your book signing in Montclair. Can’t wait to the recipes. Maybe I will do a “Julie & Julia”!!!, trying each one. Many thanks for coming out to the burbs.
Karen
I have a holiday party this Saturday and I think these have just jumped onto the list. They’ll go side by side with pumpkin soup and a noodle-less lasagna (blasphemy I’m sure).
“they might even be a little island of moderation…”
Made me laugh out loud in the Starbucks I’m currently sitting at! I will have to try these.
Thanks for coming to Chicago, I was among the throng of admirers with a book in hand. I’ve already tried two recipes from the book (sweet peas and shells alfredo, and brown butter rice krispies), and both were a hit!
I had these for dinner (with a salad) and they were awesome. The seasoned yogurt and arils really add a lot! I don’t have a potato masher, so I pulsed the cauliflower 3-4 times in a food processor, after failing with a fork and potato ricer. Tasty AND beautiful!
I just have to tell you how delighted I am to have stumbled upon your blog. As a professional chef (have been at this for over 20 years) and the culinary “boss” for a large company, your blog, among a few others, helps me stay connected with food and home cooking (which I still love). Your writing is terrific and your “voice” is genuine. Your photography is really, really good and I’ve been fortunate to work with some of the best in the business. You’ve got it goin’ on, girl! Please let me know if you are ever in Chicago so I can treat you to a refreshing adult beverage! :)
PS I LOVE LOVE LOVE that your recipes are formatted to print properly. Tasting Table could take a lesson there!
Hi Deb! Is there a way to make these gluten free?
They look lovely: where do you get pomegranate arils?
We made these last night and they were divine! The flavor combination is so unusual and delightfully surprising. They really do need a few minutes in the 200 degree oven in order to plump up and ensure they stay together. Next time I would take Eliz MacLeod’s suggestion above and pulse the cauliflower with a food processor – I think that it would be better with slightly smaller pieces and my potato masher just didn’t cut it.
We did make a few adjustments to the dressing that I think were excellent: we added about 1/8 teaspoon of coriander and a little extra salt along with the cumin and we threw in a splash of lemon juice. I think it added some depth that we thought it was missing. Also, following this dinner, my husband made the following decree: “From now on, everything gets pomegranate seeds”.
Never mind. I understand now.
i would never have thought to put feta, cauliflower, and pomegranates together but this definitely sounds interesting–can’t wait to try this sometime. i’m a pretty firm believer that you can never never never go wrong with pomegranates.
Deb, my son does a similar dish as an appetizer at his restaurant. He dips cauliflower florets in a parmesan cheese batter and deep fries them – very tasty and one of our favorite appetizers!
What can I substitute for the flour? I don’t do grains.
I love this time of year with cauliflower… I just tried the pasta with cauliflower pesto from the cookbook, which I will be making again, it was delicious! This looks like a fantastic party treat (bring on the fritters!!)
great color combination! I heard you on NPR yesterday: you have such an amazing voice!
You have no idea how comforting it is to know that I’m not the only person with a thing about fritters. A friend says I have an “Obsesive Fritter Disorder”. Frankly, I don’t think that’s a problem, and seeing as how I have everything needed, we will be having cauliflower fritters with dinner.
Deb, you’re on the right fritterpath. I agree, almost everything can turn into a fritter, even around our bellies. But that’s a tale for another time. I am always looking for a great fritter. How’s this? Take a (froz) package of mixed (cubed) veggies, throw them into the foodprocessor, add another one or two potatoes, sliced, some olive oil and grind away until you have a smooth/chunky mass. Turn into a bowl, add spices of choice, then fry away. They are sweet and awesome. Just with salt.
Ooooops, forgot the egg.
And I have been in need of a cauliflower intervention. One in which I eat more of it and get over my distaste. Adding feta and pomegranate seems like a good way. Thank you! I’ll be trying these soon!
These look great!! I always buy an excess amount of pomegranates this time of year (because I hate spending 4 dollars per the rest of the year) and freeze the arils. I love anything with pomegranates. These sound like dinner! :-)
This comes at a perfect time for me because I’ve been feeling VERY guilty for not getting more vegetables into my 3-year-old twin boys. This might just work! I’m going to search your archives for your other veggie fritter recipes, too. The more ideas I can get for getting my sons to eat veggies, the better! One quick question – I’ve been trying to sub in ww baking flour for white flour when I can – will that work for this recipe? Thank you!
Hi Deb,
I’m with Kailee on this one: arils! A new word for me. I wonder if there are colorful, food-related words like that I miss out on using everyday, sounding like a fool and calling them seeds. Did you know that a group of cormorants is called a gulp? It’s incredible. I had no idea until last week. The English language is pretty awesome when you can find new little descriptive corners or it.
also using “arils” at my next social engagement,
Katie
Re, arils — Absolutely my first time using that word correctly too! It was new to me. I saw them in the store sold as arils, Googled it, and lo and behold. Every other recipe on this site that uses them calls them “seeds” — and will until I get them up to date with my fancy new knowledge. ;)
Patricia — :) You are among friends.
Romanesco, etc. — I cannot imagine how gorgeous these would be with a purple or orange or green cauliflower. Word to the wise, however: Make a purple batch. Make an orange batch. Do not make one with all of the above or… it’s not so pretty.
hannah — Total impulsive buy a year or two ago. My Global chef’s knife is still my main go-to but I was WEAK at the prospect of a white knife, and so I bought the *other* kind of chef’s knife and find I use it almost as much. I think it’s this one.
fritters are weaknesses too. Its just something about the fried batter or something. these cauliflower ones so good and loved the idea of pomegranate seeds- so festive!
I am definitely going to try these on my vegetable adverse husband. Also, I am so very glad of your many fritter recipes. My Czech heritage predisposes me to love my vegetables fried. I grew up eating ones made from cabbage (Zelne Karbenatky).
P.S. Thanks for making it all the way out to San Francisco a couple weeks ago. It was fun to “meet” you :)
A fritter intervention..haha! Love it! These look delicious!
Oh joy to read the caption “a big brassicaceae head”! Takes me back to the botany class I took in my third year of university, which I only took because it was a prerequisite for another class (that I ended up not being able to take anyways), but I fell in love with the latin names.
Oh Deb. I, too, am a fritter addict. I have discovered that any kind of left over veggie is screaming to be made into a fritter. And I have you to thank. :)
I would love to try this, but I am allergic to cow’s milk. Is there something else you would recommend as a substitute for the yogurt (I assume it is plain yogurt)?
How could I have missed the previous yummy post? Of course you would be aware of parti-colored cauliflowers. I have cooked purple ones before and yellow in a curried soup.. but the colors do leach out, and I suppose one could end up with “mud fritters” if they were cooked altogether. Thanks for the heads up. Now I will picture a platter of separately cooked fritters.. still a pretty sight I would think, especially sprinkled with “arils”. ( everyone’s great new word of the day.)!
Deb I have a gut feeling you are the kind of person who loves blini. I have been looking for a good traditional russian recipie – do you own one you can share? (The only believable ones I have found are in french and my french is not all that great)
I’m not sure why I have it in my head to give my 3 year old bland food. Last night he surprised me by chowing down on my spicy al pastor burrito. I think I’ll try the yogurt and cumin on other things for him, maybe with the teeniest dash of cayenne.
I’m sure you know. I just saw your cookbook featured in a pure wow email.
Do you have any recommendations for substituting the feta?
say these are quite perfect for Chanukkah!
Aww, man! Why did I make Esalen’s (kind of tasteless, to be honest) Swiss chard fritters just last night? I can’t fritter twice in one week or I’d be vying with you for Fritter Queen!
Super-DUPER delicious!
Thank you for sharing this. You may see me on the fritter bandwaggon from now on.
But I have a logistics question…
I was delighted to read that these keep AND freeze well.
But (assuming I don’t eat the entire batch, hot out of the pan) what if I reheat a few and my toddler decides to eat like a bird. Do you think I should toss these reheated but uneaten fritters? Or are they game for a second rewarming?
My gut tells me to toss them but I wondered if you had run into this predicament.
Thanks again.
Such a wonderful, tasty recipe.
This might be just the recipe to impress at this year’s Chanukah party. Truly Beautiful!
Looks delicious. I hope I find your book under the tree thuis year. Our national newspaper in Canada gave you a shoutout today. http://m.theglobeandmail.com/life/holiday-guide/gift-guides-shopping/2012s-best-cookbooks-from-the-farm-to-the-sugar-shack/article5957953/?service=mobile
Just made these tonight….Yum! Didn’t have AP flour, so used sprouted whole wheat as well as red pepper flakes instead of Aleppo (must get), minus the arils. They were scrumputous and my husband declared them a winner. Way to go Deb!
Have you ever had Conch Fritters?! I used to eat them in the caribbean! They’re a pain in the butt to make but they are SO TASTY! The fresh pomegranate looks phenomenal on these! I love how you write like they are a drug “episodes” and “slipping”.. a relapse of fritters? :P
For those wondering about a feta substitute, I made these tonight without feta (I’m off dairy while nursing – now that’s a mother’s love.) They were still great, even without any cheese. Even my husband, who doesn’t like cauliflower, loved them.
Oh man, I am currently on such an insane cauliflower bender it’s not even funny…so this little gem of deliciousness is 100% perfectly timed for my kitchen! & my belly! Thanks for sharing a new cauliflower treat with me & please, fritter on, Deb!
These look fantastic! Are they really made with only 2 tablespoons of better? In the tantalizing photos, it looks more like 1/4 cup.
Hurrah! Someone else who shares my fritter obsession! These look LUSH
If you need to have a frittervention, I might be right there with you, since I made your zucchini fritters over the summer and leek vegetable fritters this week (with some CSA sweet potatoes)! I can’t wait to try these out too!
Just wanted to tell you that I received the book and it’s amazing. All the recipes look delicious, and the pics of baby Jacob are precious.
Cauliflower – such an interesting veg. I’m always trying to figure out what to do with it, and these just sound amazing! Can’t wait to try them. I’m loving your cookbook, as well. Thanks for great recipes!
Ha! Frittervention.
~Brenda
You had me at fritters. I too have a problem. Yum. Thanks.
I can’t wait to make these on Sunday on Hanukkah for my picky toddler who never lets a vegetable get passed her lips unless it is a potato or is in the form of a fry (or both)!
Wow. These are wonderful! Your instructions are so helpful; so detailed. I am so relieved that they held together during frying like you said they would. They are light and the flavor of feta with garlic and lemon… Just perfectly delicious.
This recipe looked so delicious I had to make them tonight for dinner. My food plan doesn’t include flour or wheat so I substituted 2 tbsp of corn starch for the flour and doubled the feta. They were a little crumbly but the flavor was so amazing no one cared. Really wonderful.
Ooh, I love fritters too! Not really a cauliflower person, but squash, potato, and other fritters are awesome. Got any recipes including cauliflower that don’t taste like it? (Stealth florets, hee hee.)
Made these as part of dinner tonight, served alongside steamed greens, chicken stew and ginger-apple-cucumber salad. Deelicious! And yes, quite like latkes, but much more cosmopolitain. I loved the cumin in the yogourt with pomegranate.
I was wondering what to do with the 7.5 pound cauliflower I bought at the farmer’s market….
Oh my god. These were unreal. I’m trying not to re-blog too many of your recipes, but then you go and do this! I just have to (giving you due credit, of course.) These were your best fritters yet. I’m glad you yielded to temptation.
for those asking for an alternative to flour – I’m pretty sure that any g-f flour mix of your choice, or just cornflour or something would work okay. For egg substitute, the standard go to when the egg is being used as a binder is mashed banana. Usually 1/3 to 1/2 banana per suggested egg.
a frittervention sounds like a great way of prolonging a fritter problem. and therefore, an excellent, excellent idea. what a cool idea for cauliflower!
I just made these to take to a Christmas party. I saw this post yesterday and was compelled to get the ingredients and make them. I messed up the first few as I hadn’t realised you need to kind of use your hands to make them into patties rather than just spooning mixture into the pan (the first few fell apart). I am now off to seek out pomegranate arils as I can’t bear to serve them without this fabulous party friendly touch. Thanks Deb, have loved your blog for years, always something on here that I want to try to make x
Made these last night for dinner for one, saving the rest in the freezer for a Channukah gathering I’m having on Saturday. Thanks for the tip on them freezing and reheating well. Next I have to figure out how to avoid eating the fritters off of the paper-toweled plate while frying the next batch.
Oh, I’m so with you on the fritter thing- there is never a time when a fritter is not the best thing to eat! I too have to restrain myself or else there will be a revolution. I love to make fritters with chickpea flour and thus congratulate myself on an easy way to slip in a legume serving.
I share your enthusiasm about fritters. When I discovered fresh corn fritters this past summer I was a very happy girl. These I’m sure will become my winter favorites. I love the addition of pomegranate seeds as well. Thank you for another great idea, Deb.
oh god thank you! Just when I was needing another direction to go in order to deal with all the cauliflower I just bought :) Yum!
Okay, I just made your salted caramels (from Oct. 31 – better late to the party than never). First of all, if I had a working scales in the house, I’d blame you for the five pounds I put on during the cutting of these yum-yums. Every other caramel just wasn’t perfectly square enough so into the mouth it went. Secondly, well, there is no secondly. These are just so good they defy description. I may need all these veggie posts now (fried, frittered, whatever – I don’t care) cuz I’m gonna be so sugary buttery caramelly good for the next few days or hours – however long those will last in the fridg (I hid them) and if they can make it into the gift tins for next week. Thanks, Deb, for that scrumpdillyicious recipe. I think I’m going to marry them I love them that much.
Another possible binder that is more flavor neutral is ground flax seed or ground chia seed. Bend a tablespoon in 3 tablespoons water and let sit for a few minutes until thickened. Add to replace the egg. Sweet rice flour would be a tasty GF binder flour as well. Goat yogurt for those who tolerate goat milk over cow. Or a dijon mustard based dipper sans cow milk, use plain coconut yogurt or puree soaked and drained (3 hours in water) cashews with the dijon mustard with a little lemon juice and salt to taste….
Thank you! I love the broccoli fritters and look forward to this version. As it happens, I tried the broccoli fritters with feta the third time I made them, and liked them even better that way. I keep on meaning to serve them with salsa for a little cultural mash-up, but that has yet to happen. Also… World Peace and many other cookies ship well when packed with crumpled up waxed paper in the extra spaces where they aren’t tightly packed.
Yum! Now, I’m fritterpated! :-) I used romanesco and goat cheese, because they were what I had, and whole wheat pastry flour + a little chickpea flour. (yes, one of those comments.) After draining, my florets were still a little too firm to mash, so I used a pastry blender, which did the job great. Was pleasantly surprised at how well they kept together. I ate them on a bed of greens to feel less guilty about having fritters for dinner.
Thanks and Happy Hanukkah!
This looks delicious. It also looks a lot like your cumin seed roasted cauliflower recipe which we made for Thanksgiving. It was the prettiest and tastiest dish on the table!
Alyse, thank you for the info about alternate binders! Very helpful.
these look delicious! I love the use of the pomegranate! its one of my favorite fruits!
x
I’m making these right now for a light lunch. Yum! Quick question, could you freeze the fritters pre-frying (e.g., make them into fritter shape and freeze on pan in freezer before putting in zip locs?)
I4M FRENCH and i wonder how to translate your recipies???
I made these with cauliflower I had been marinating in tandoori paste and garlic for different recipe. I steamed the cauliflower instead of boiling it so that all the marinade wouldn’t wash away. They were great!
My parents just gave me your book for Hanukkah tonight! I am beyond excited. Mom and I are in bed reading it right now :)
This looks like Valentine’s Day on a plate with the pom. Love it!
Hello! I purchased your cookbook, and last night my boyfriend and I made one of the recipes. We made the wild rice gratin with kale, caramelized onions, and baby Swiss. It came out great! We used regular white rice instead of wild rice, since white rice was what we had on hand. The directions were easy to follow, and I definitely want to make this again. :)
Oh heavens this recipe made me weep. I cannot wait to make it. My cauliflower obsessed kid is going to be ecstatic! Thank you and please don’t do anything to quell your fritter obsession.
I made these for a dinner party last night and they were a huge hit! I’ve asked for your book for Christmas, can’t wait to get it! Thanks as always.
Hi Deb,
I am making your giant potato latkes from the book. I bought a skillet just for them. I have a question. What things are skillets better for and what things non-stick pans are better for. I also have a very expensive clad something frying pan that I never use because I have no idea what that is good for. It seems like everything I try to cook in it sticks to the bottom but does not burn. I find this very odd. Anyway what frying pan is better for what kind of food preparation? The only thing I am sure about is cast iron is best for fritters. By the way the latkes came out fabulous. Except I think yours look thicker in the photo. I flattened mine with the back of the spoon maybe too much. I had them with sour cream and caviar. I saw that on your latkes post and have been meaning to so that ever since.
Anna — Skillets are really about personal preference but I will agree that I use my All-Clad stainless one the least — I use a non-stick crepe pan for a lot of quickie egg dishes and my cast iron skillets for the other 97% of my frying needs. But, I can offer a tip! It’s actually the same approach you want to use with cast-iron (to keep things from sticking) but it’s even more necessary with stainless, which always feels the “stickiest” (not just to you! me as well.) First, heat your pan for a full minute, longer than will seem necessary, totally dry. Next, add your oil or butter or whatever fat you’re using and fully heat it too, at least another 30 seconds. Then, go add whatever you’re frying — Ideally, that thing will already be at room temperature (especially meat) so it won’t cool the pan — and do not move it until it wants to be moved. How do you know it wants to be moved? When it is cooked underneath and has browned a bit, it will form a bit of a skin and release with only a little nudging (i.e. no sticking!). Move it sooner, it will leave bits behind. I realize that everything I’ve just written sounds terribly basic and might cause eye-rolling among more seasoned cooks. But, I repeat these steps to myself every time I fry and it’s made a huge difference. When I first switched from nonstick pans, I had a terrible time using everyday skillets. This process, every time, and it works. The italicized part is the most important.
Margaret — No reason to toss reheated fritters at all. You can reheat them as many times as needed, I’d think.
Heidi — Do you mean yeasted buckwheat blini? Strangest thing: I don’t know a single Russian that eats them; have never been served them. I am sure they exist in someone’s home, they’re just curiously absent from my “Russian” (really, Ukrainian) experience.
Deb — I’ve made the apple cider caramels twice and they are fabulous!! My only question is about the cooling and cutting part of the recipe. I’ve had trouble peeling the paper off and a lot of trouble cutting, despite keeping my knife well-oiled. Any hints? The finished product is completely worth it, but if there’s an easier way, I’d like to use it. Thanks! And thanks for many great meals. We had mushroom bournignon last night! Cheers, Alexis
Hi Alexis — If your paper is giving you trouble, try another brand. If they’re just sticky and hard to cut (believe me, I know!) just chill them first in the fridge. They’ll cut quite neatly from the fridge.
So, just received The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook for Chanukah (stayed up LATE last night drooling – er, reading – it) and after informing my fussy-eater husband (the giver of this gift) that most future meals would be derived from said book, was met with a blank stare. I handed him the book, and spent the next hour hearing, “Can you make this? Can you make this? YUM, can you make this?” Oy. And THANK YOU. Now I cannot wait to add these fritters to the list! (I’ll be making the sugar-snap pea salad with sesame-miso dressing for our family holiday party next weekend, along with a couple of other things. I’m also keeping my fingers crossed for a big snow day so I can make the slow-cooker black beans for our annual Snow Day Lord Of The Rings Marathon. I think it would be the absolute perfect accompaniment. I have loved this blog for years, and I already love the book. PS – The Fussy Eater Husband would like to know when your next cookbook is coming . . . :) Happy Holidays to the entire Smitten Kitchen family!
Your fritters look wonderful and I will make them this month; probably Christmas week. Right now I have your wonderful nutmeg maple cookies in the oven. I am officially requesting that you post another amazing cookie recipe this month…pretty please? I need something new for the holidays! Happy Chanukkah Deb!
My first thought was actually, “Why didn’t I think of that?!” Keep the fritters coming I say! I made these tonight with venison stew. Wonderful! Thanks for all you do Deb!
This is marvelous! I didn’t have a pomegranate handy when the urge to fritter away my. . .well, I didn’t have a pomegranate, so I took the lovely ripe heirloom orange that I *did* have, sectioned and skinned it, then placed a half-segment on each fritter w/ a skinny bit of chive. Dolloped (I love that you use this as a verb in your post) the sour cream in a swirl below each fritter as I plated, many oohs and aahhhs, much smacking of lips, next time will try it with pomegranate arils, thank you!!
I live in Hangzhou, China and am always looking for things I can make with ingredients I can find here. We found all the ingredients for these with no problem, including the pomegranate, right around the apartment in the local markets. I made them last night. Very tasty, easy to make and recognizable as food by my children. Thanks for the recipies. Looking forward to trying to source and make more of them here.
Cauliflower is so underrated and it goes so well with pomegranates! Love this recipe! Some pomegranate molasses would be a nice addition incorporated in a dipping sauce maybe! :)
It’s VERY okay to be a frittaholic. You are among friends!!!
I made these twice this weekend while entertaining guests. They were phenomenal, original and beautiful. I highly recommend these as a holiday appetizer. My kids didn’t eat them, but everyone else did fast! I did substitute sour cream for the yogurt, making them more decadent than probably intended. Yum!
Can’t wait to get into the kitchen to try these. They look so yummy.
I too love to “fritter” things.
I have never made fritters, but I really like your recipe for the cauliflower ones, so I am going to try them
Thanks for sharing
Thank you- took some practice, but these tasted amazing. Can’t believe all 3 of my girls (2 are picky as hell) LOVED these, as well as my carniverous husband. Can’t wait to make more (and I know it’s bad, but I let my 2 and 4 year olds dip them in ketchup instead of the yogurt- they couldn’t get enough!)
Cauliflower and pomegranate, that is an interesting combo. I would not have thought of it. Very pretty picture.
Do you recommend leaving the cauliflower in larger chunks or mashing it to a finer pulp?
I love your photos!
they look delish!
Thank you for the skillet advice. I’ve never understood their role in relation to non-stick pans.
WOW!!!!
Okay, finally got your cookbook this weekend, and made the leek fritters last night! My husband swore they were filled with cheese or cream, the leeks get so creamy and delicate! I loved them with the lemon/garlic sour cream, but also made a bit of soy/vinegar/sesame dip for the kids. They did taste like scallion pancake in it, but unfortunately my son wouldn’t try it because it was GREEN. Sigh.
For the gluten-free, I used garbanzo flour successfully. Thought it might lead to a pakoras taste (not that there’s anything wrong with that), but it actually didn’t.
Thank you thank you thank you! And Happy Hanukkah
Ok Seriously???? Caulifolwer-fritter with pomogranate??? Wow I have to go buy Christmas light for the tree before my kids revolt, but I’m intrigued! I’m gonna add you to my favorites and come back for a visit AFTER I get this stinking tree up :)
Why an intervention? Fritters would be good every day of the year.
My daughter saw you in Philly and said you were the cutest person ever. She loved your presentation and said now she knows why your son is so cute, he gets it from you. At any rate since your publisher is not likely to send you to Utah I am happy she got to see you and tell me about it. She is getting your book for Christmas from me and can’t wait to use it. I made the popcorn cookies for neighbors and they were a huge hit.
Liz — Thank you so much, and you would not believe how hard I’ve been lobbying for Salt Lake City. Maybe in the new year? :)
moniliform — It’s up to you. I went for smallish but visible chunks. (1/2-inch size were probably the largest)
Wow! This is an original recipe!!!
I made these last night and had leftovers this morning. I had an enormous head of cauliflower, so I used 2 eggs and extra feta. Also, didn’t have a pomegranate, so I put ~3 T of pomegranate molasses in the yogurt.
This recipe was so fabulous! Next time, I might try whole wheat flour instead…
Mucho congrats on scoring the NY Times video interview! Enjoyed how you are so modest about your fab success!
Saw you on the NYT video! I feel like I know you even more now!! I’ve been reading your blog since I was in a junior college (now in my second year of med school) and it always made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside (that may also be from the food). Thanks for the recipes and stories (and your cookbook is my christmas present to myself!)!
Just saw your interview on NYT. Go girl!
Deb!!!!
Thank you very much for such a wonderful “when to use which frying pan” answer. As a matter of fact I cannot thank you enough! Based on the detail I can almost visualize this meat piece that really wants to be moved! My husband bought the All-Clad in hopes that I will make him a steak. I have never done it because personally I could care less about steaks and did not want an expensive piece of meat to get stuck to an expensive frying pan. Maybe I will try now that I know exactly what is going on in the steak’s mind:-) My husband also really enjoyed reading your reply.
Thanks for this delicious recipe. Easy to prepare and so delicious.
We had it hot, we had it cold for lunch the next day. Both tasted great.
Even if we had it with sour cream with garlic instead of the pomegranate yoghurt. But next time I can find some pom I definitely will give it a go.
Good step by step, don’t even need words :-)
Ciao
A.
Haha – fritter all the things. Have you been reading Hyperbole and a Half? (http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/2010/06/this-is-why-ill-never-be-adult.html)
We’re all on board with you, though, with the fritter obsession. I’m at the point that I actually ask myself, “Can I fritter this later?” before making a dish that will leave leftovers. I can’t get farro to fritter, but I suppose I should give it another chance…the pomegranate seeds seem so tasty in this!
I made these last night Deb, and they were delicious! Thank you, great recipe.
These look amazing.
Saw you at the Times website today. You are adorable!
I could never intervene on your fritter extravaganza! They always look delicious! Your cauliflower fritters look so festive, healthy and tasty! Perfect for a holiday get together. Keep frittering it up, sister, these look amazing!
recipe for company holiday party? check!
deliciousness? check!
thanks for the recipe!
Yes exactly yeasted buckwheat blini :-) I actually kept searching and found these via Pinterest http://glutenfreeday.com/?p=481. I am going to try them out next weekend.
Front and center nytimes.com! Wow! I’ve never commented before (I don’t think), but I’m a long-time reader and love your recipes! Congrats on all your success — you deserve it!
Contratulations on the NYTimes article and, of course, the book! I have never commented either but am a frequent reader and refer often to your recipes.
DEB!!! You are on the front page of the NY Times on-line! That’s the most exciting front page I’ve ever happened to open to! Go you! Will go read article now. :)
Yay! Front page of the NYT online! I’ve never commented before, but I’m so excited for your success with the book and blog. SK is my trusted recipe source and everything I have made from your site has tasted great. Congrats and thanks!!!
Just clicked onto the NYT and there you are! Yes, front and center. A lovely story and well deserved. I don’t know you but I’m very proud of you. Will be sharing the story on my FB page.
Deb. From the New York Times today straight to your site. I’ve been a fan of yours since Chocolate Babka – a recipe I took from your site (with your permission) and tweaked. The recipe still pulls in readers on my blog, — attracted no doubt by Smitten.
Your Cauliflower Fritters! Looks to be the inspiration for the latest Contest on Food52 (Your Best Pomagranate) All to say Congrats on your Kitchen, your Book, your recipes, your writing.
Just saw your interview with the NYTimes. Congrats!!!!!!
Wow!! Front page of the NYT online!!! Congratulations! :D
I want you to know that I made my friends latkes for Chanukah, and directed them to your site for the recipe. NOT because I know you have one on here, but because you have been Queen of the Fritters and I figured they would like your style:)
Anyone who can make cauliflower look like dessert has my admiration!
Oh my goodness!!
Just refreshed the NYTimes and you popped up front and center! Congratulations. I’ve been a lurker since I found your thesmitten blog!!
Loved that you made the online frontpage of the New York Times! Way to go, Deb!!! :)
So great to click open the NY Times and see you first thing! Congratulations!!
The NYTimes! Congratulations!!!!! (PS: love the book)
Hi Deb, Been following your blog for a very long time and through all the trails and tribulations while you worked on your book. Had this great feeling of pride when I opened my browser today to the NY Times! That’s my girlfriend! Of course I only know you from the blog, but it was a fun reaction. Congrats on the great success! Really well deserved.
Just sat down at the computer, deciding between checking the NY Times or going directly to Smitten. Chose NYT, and THERE YOU ARE! Congratulations, and now, gotta go back and read the article.
There you are on the NYT site, front and center. Bet your parents are kvelling!
Long time reader and user of many recipes from Smitten Kitchen – so amazing to see you front and center on the New York Times website! Congratulations!!!
JUST SAW YOUR NYT ARTICLE POP UP ON MY IPAD! WOO HOO! WAY TO GO! YOU’VE MADE IT BIG TIME! CONGRATULATIONS! THIS GIVES ME A LOT OF “NACH-KISS” (phonetically spelled !)
Congrats on NYT front page,I have been folowing your blog for years, and love your city observations, and loved when your son was born, and following how cute he is, good job.
Congrats on the front page!!! I guess we’re all saying, yup, we already knew she was cool.
Congrats on the front page! Saw you at the Seattle signing and cooked brunch for friends recently with mostly your recipes–the spicy tomato sauce w/ poached eggs, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, and whole wheat apple muffins. All big hits. Have made several other things from the cookbook already too, and all have been great.
I have been following your blog for over four years. Many of your recipes have become staples in my kitchen, such as your velvety Roasted Eggplant Soup and crunchy Broccoli Slaw.
I am so excited to say that I received a copy of your cookbook as an early Christmas present (due to the fact that I consistently gush about your blog and recipes to my friends and family). I am thrilled; this cookbook is a wonderful creation, thank you for your effort! Congrats on the New York Times and the success of your book!
Deb – thanks for the info about the non-stickiness of the skillets! That would be great posted in the “tips” section of the site. Congrats on the book and NYT article! Looking forward to many more recipes. :-)
Great piece in the times today. I felt PROUD to be one of your long-time readers, a fan of so many of your recipes, and now the joyful owner of the smitten kitchen cookbook. You’re an inspiration!
Anyway to do this without egg? These look deeeeeeeelish!
Made these tonight for dinner. Absolutely fabulous. I never thought that little bit of pomegranite would make such a statement! YUM!
Made these tonight. I did have trouble with them not sticking together super well. I probably just need to pay better attention to proportions of ingredients. My husband didn’t seem to mind, though. He hates cauliflower, and he said he just might eat his vegetables if I keep frying them!
@^%$&*^!! I’ve just read the article in the NYTimes about you. You’ve been my go to for sometime now and letting people know as I go that I was smitten with the smitten kitchen. I’ve yet to fail to delight using your work as a base for mine. I’ll get the book and get in line for the autograph.
Congratulations for the article in the NYT. I expect that all your family is so proud to see it. I saw the video too. It was like watching a friend, a generous one that shares wonderful recipes that make everybody around us happier.
Thank you for your time and I am so glad that you are being retributed for all that dedication!!!!!!!!! I really feel happy for you and your lovely family.
Just finished reading the NYT article….nicely done. As a transplanted New Yorker, (San Diego really is the finest city) I cheer from afar when one of the many triumphs! Have used a few of your recipes as gifts this year (those cider caramels got star anise and vanilla bean added to the reduction) so thanks and congratulations!
I saw the article in ny times and the cute picture of you in the kitchen.
Could you tell me where you got your pot rack wall holder? I like that it holds tops of pans. Most have a bookshelf rack that I don’t want. Thanks. Congratulations on your successful book release!
Off topic. But I would think of interest to fellow cooks.
Josephine — I think it’s this one, although I bought it at Bed Bath & Beyond. Anchor it with 100 more pounds of security than you’ll ever need (so you can sleep well at night!) and buy extra hooks.
Congrats on the article in the NYT!
huge congrats on the NYT article – sweetest pic ever too!
OMG Deb, I saw this article in NYT today and had to post it. I hadn’t realized before how much like you Jacob looks. Best of luck!
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/13/books/a-cooking-blog-yields-a-franchise-and-a-husband.html?_r=0
Also here to say that you are officially a huge deal: NYT!!!!! You look lovely in the picture! You also look thinner and I’m not just saying that! Congratulations. You are a bonafide star. I still remember the day I discovered your blog. I was looking over a friend’s laptop in my Politics of Iraq and Sudan class back in ’10 and I saw a delicious mushroom lasagna smiling at me from her screen. It looked so good. I guess now everyone’s in on this website!! Congratulations.
Loved the NYT article/video! Way to go! :)
When I hear about cauliflower my reaction is Bleah!I just can’t stand the taste. But if I would have looked at your pictures I don’t think I would have known what’s in them… however I’m still a little skeptic about the taste. Is there a cure for cauliflower phobia? :))
Deb! Love the blog, you and the NYT piece! Please get a TV show soon. You are a cuter Rachel Khoo (if that could even be possible!) and I think you would rock it on TV. Or maybe just some videos on your site of you cooking and giggling. Please!
Have you a basic fritter recipe that those of us not doing the gluten thing can shift to?
Pleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaassssssseeeeeee!
I made these tonight without the pomegranates and cumin yogurt. They were delicious on their own, but probably would have been great with the ingredients I omitted. My 5 year old son, loved them too, thanks for another great recipe. Definitely a recipe I will make often.
These are great for Chanukah! Thanks, I can’t wait to try them.
Oh Deb I made these tonight and they were absolutely wonderful. My roommate’s kid grabbed a plain one, took a bite and immediately declared “‘Donalds!” He thought they were McDonald’s hashbrowns! Congratulations on the NYT! You’ve made it to the big times!
Loved the NYT piece today and the need for a frittervention. Keep up the great recipes!!
NYT article… “loyal following” – you betcha!
Hi Deb, The NY Times article was great! I read it this evening while having a cup of coffee and a piece of “Apple Sharlotka.” This is the best apple cake ever. This is the second time I made this cake. My husband and I love it. I love the cookbook and your blog. You are will known in our houise. Happy Chanukah and Happy New Year.
These. Are. Amazing.
I have used tons of your recipes but never written a comment, but now I have to tell you that I have also been frittering for months now, due to three small additions to our household who like food but need it to be hand-feedable.
You actually inspired me to write my own cooking blog, which has become a cooking-and-triplet-parenting blog. I love your stuff. Please keep writing and cooking and being someone I feel like is my friend even though we’ve never met.
Just saw your interview on the nyt.com website – it was a hoot to see you in person. I have loved your site forever and tell everyone to check out smittenkitchen. Go Deb Go! (and yes to the fritters. all of the fritters. Fritter the light fantastic!)
LOVE the NYT Splash! Bravo…
Yay for you! Great article in NYTimes and I also saw you in GH with Ina and others. Great success, but we don’t want to lose you here!
Love, love, love the NYT article! Your cookbook is at the top of my Christmas list this year. Not sure how I’ve held out so long.
Made these for a girlfriend lunch party and everyone absolutely loved them and wanted the recipe. They were so pretty and perfect with champagne!
I made these last night with a couple of changes – didn’t have feta so used parmigiano, and didn’t have yogurt so I mashed up some very ripe avocado with lime juice to put on top. So a bastardized version, but still great. I assumed the pomegranate ARILS were there mostly for show, but they really tied the whole thing together. Can’t wait to try it with the feta (although the avocado was so good I’ll probably keep it!).
I did have trouble keeping the fritters together in the pan – next time I’ll probably use a little less cauliflower? The head I used was maybe more medium than small.
Thanks for a great dinner.
These were great. I used exactly one pound of cauliflower florets, and the fritters stayed together perfectly. I also added some cumin seeds to the yogurt. Will definitely make again.
http://www.npr.org/2012/12/04/166068848/recipe-rebellion-a-year-of-contrarian-cookbooks
Thought I would share! Congrats on an amazing cookbook!
My fritters weren’t beautiful since I didn’t get the technique down until the end, but they were yummy! Used cayenne for the chilli flakes and shredded parmesan cheese for the feta, since that’s what I had around. Maybe I’m really inexperienced, but this recipe took almost two hours start to finish… kind of a long time but I guess worth it in the end!
Deb! I have your cookbook sitting next to me as i type and I just got it today. Believe it or not it was the ONLY one in the book store (I live in MT go figure…) and I have to say it is the most beautiful cookbook I have ever laid my hands on. Seriously I love cook books and you have completely and totally out done yourself. Great job and thank you for such a beautiful and well put together book that I feel comes right from your heart to mine! Happy HOlidays to you and yours!
Yum! I made these today and they were great. Fresh cauliflower from the garden and local pomegranates. I think adding some cilantro into the batter would be a great addition.
Could you have looked any more adorable in that Times photo?
My husband brought the paper down and said “Look—It’s your friend.”
so cute!
After salivating over this recipe since the day it was posted, I finally tried it out for a holiday party last night (my first fritter attempt ever!). And…(drum roll)…they wouldn’t stay together at all. I think where I went wrong was in leaving little bits of cauliflower stem instead of using strictly the nubs (guests were arriving soon and I was running late, as usual); stems don’t mash well, so the chunks were too big, etc. Woops! Anyway, I ultimately decided to just fry up all of the batter together, give people little bowls and forks, and call it scrambled cauliflower. It was a huge hit! The husband and I are definitely adding this to our repertoire. Delicious.
These are definitely going on my holiday menu! I love the combo of cauliflower and feta, and the addition of pomegranate sounds heavenly. I can’t wait to try them out!
Wow, these look fantastic! I think I need to try my hand at making fritters
I was really looking forward to taking these to some parties this weekend after reading all the comments. However, I just don’t think the end result was worth the effort for these. They make a pretty holiday plate, but my take on them is that they are fairly bland. The consensus from most people is the same. Okay, but bland; certainly no one asked for the recipe. That’s the real test of whether or not a recipe is a winner. Sorry, but I just don’t think these are worth your time.
Just bought the cookbook. It is wonderful. Congratulations. Best,BER
I made these fritters today – crisp, scrumptious and definitely worth repeating. The batter didn’t hold together for me either, so I scrambled another egg and added it to the mixture. The extra binding coaxed it into cooperation. (I also skipped the lemon zest and didn’t miss it.) For those who don’t have a potato masher, a big fork works fine, too. Just follow Deb’s guidelines to mash until pea-sized, more or less. Congrats on book success! It’s No. 1 on my Xmas wish list this year.
I made these this evening, the were DELICIOUS! I may or may not have eaten one hot right out of the pan. I’m already planning on making these again – my partner may even get a look in the next time! Thanks for a great recipe.
So delicious and beautiful to boot! Gorgeous holiday party food–thank you for the wonderful, sane recipe for the holiday season.
Lovely recipe….i made the red velvet recipe: http://cocina-quetecocina.blogspot.mx/2012/12/red-velvet-posada-y-comida-con-amigos.html.
Thanks for the recipe and your wonderful blog!
What a great recipe! I’ll definitely make this for my cauliflower loving toddler.
Is everything OK with you given that you did not post during the last two weeks?
Debs
I’m on Thailand at the moment on holiday
I was so Happy to open the Bangkok Post newspaper, and recognised your photo imediatelly, great article about you, blog and book!!
Well done you so deserve it
You are so famous in Thailand too :-)
Well done x
I cant believe I did not see this recipe over Hanukkah, I am going to try these tonight and report back the presentation looks killer.
I have a catering company and am a chef and just wanted to say that I was looking for some latke alternatives for the holidays this year and came across this recipe. I was so pleased with these! I was really skeptical that they would hold together in the pan but lo and behold, they were perfect. I actually forgot to mash the cauliflower so my pieces were even chunkier than yours but it still worked beautifully. I made the yogurt sauce- in the future, if not using Greek yogurt, I will definitely drain as regular organic yogurt straight from the tub is pretty thin- but very delicious. I also used a chipotle smoked paprika sauce I found elsewhere which was yum but a little over powering. The pomegranate kernels added just the right color. Thanks so much!
Deb, I love every one of your posts, this entire site, and adore your new book. I’m just really hoping that you’re not one of those bloggers who publishes a book and then forgets your original fans here at the blog :(. I always look forward to your posts, and they’ve been coming too infrequently. Anything can be going on, and I certainly understand getting busy, and of course, no judgment. Just wanted to let you know that your fans are still here, waiting for your irrepressible, prolific blogging.
Was invited to a Hannukah party and made these. I didn’t realize fritters were a lot of work for not a lot of payoff. I could have eaten them all in one sitting.
That being said i stumbled across a way to squeeze maximum water from the cauliflower. I don’t have a potato masher so i tried to force the darn things through a potato ricer. Of course it didn’t work, but i was able to squeeze out a lot of water before scraping out the ricer and smashing the remains with my fingers. Worked very well.
I also tried the swiss chard fritters in the NYTimes recently, which were also good but easily consumed. The chard fritters had 2 eggs and they seemed to hold together better.
Hello over there, seasons greetings from England… I had already bought a cauliflower to make these this evening… then the postman arrived with my US Amazon order for your cookbook (festive gift to myself, hoorah), and I found myself planning further fritters… along with lots of other goodies… you could say, all the goodies. The fritters turned out great, thanks for getting me cooking more, and especially thanks for the red wine chocolate cake recipe which my friends and family love.
Well my goodness, Deb! Made a variation on these (carrots, cauli, broccoli and BRUSSEL SPROUTS!) and they were out of this world good. Who knew a fritter could offer so much?
Also, I finally got around to making Leite’s Consummate Chocolate Chip Cookies last night and all my husband and I can say is thank god for you and your dedication to excellence. Well done!
Made them, and thank you very much for the idea, cauliflower, feta and pomegranate are gorgious together, but I think the batter is better before frying. I will make it again – as mashed cauliflower w f+p, but without egg and flour of course.
Deb, I miss your posts!
It was a pleasure meeting you at The Brooklyn Kitchen last week! You are as positive and upbeat in person as your posts (which I also really miss) have always been. During our chat about Glechik, I forgot to mention this incredibly delicious Russian restaurant in Sheepshead Bay called Chateau De Alik. I’m not sure if you or your in-laws have had the pleasure of dining there yet, but it’s now my favorite Russian restaurant in NY. Be warned though, you will not leave there feeling like you have done anything positive for your health :)
http://www.yelp.com/biz/chateau-de-alik-brooklyn
I was looking for a goodlooking appetizer with vegetables, kids-friendly and easy to prepare ahead.. So thanks! I’ve never made fritters, though I will be looking for your other fritters too and try some tonight.
Stop the presses! I found a flaw in your otherwise magnificent cookbook! The Coffee Toffee recipe calls for 8T of butter *or* 2 sticks. Luckily, having made this several times before, I knew that 2 sticks was correct and 8T was not. Do you think this is in all the cookbooks? I always suspect that Amazon ships out the books with typos and errors and that’s why they cost so little.
Hi Shannon and others who have noted the Coffee Toffee error in the book — The butter listed in sticks/tablespoons is incorrect — it says 8 tablespoons and it should be 16, or 2 sticks. (The weights in the parentheses are correct for the larger, correct amount.) The good news is that I have heard the recipe is far from disastrous with less butter, but it tastes better with the higher amount. The recipe originates on the site, where it is correct. As for what editions the mistake is in, sadly, that would be all of them so far. The book just went into a 4th printing, and there it will be corrected. But it was already in its 3rd moments after the book came out and we became aware of the error. Most people thus far have a 1st edition; in fact, I haven’t even seen or signed a 2nd yet to my knowledge! (But I don’t always look, of course.) I will be detailing this and other (fortunately, less dramatic) cookbook errata on the book page shortly. We are so sorry for any trouble it has caused.
Alex — It was so nice to meet you too! I will check out the restaurant. Also, I am currently circulating this article among friends and am obsessed — my whole life makes sense now! ;) Did you see it? P.S. Leaving somewhere feeling like I have done nothing positive for my health is pretty much my goal in life.
This recipe was a hit! Some adjustments I made:
Used a food processor instead of mashing it.
Used fresh parmesan instead of feta because I didn’t have any feta on hand.
A dash of red chili flakes instead of 1/4 teaspoon.
Squeezed the juice from 1/2 of a lemon into the mix.
Used way less oil in the pan.
After all was said and done, it came out so yummy–we couldn’t stop eating it. We’re definitely making it again.
Beyond delicious! Made a double batch and served 1/2 with salad to the family ( a hit) and froze 1/2 for Christmas Eve appetizers. So yummy!!
Deb: Your fritters look very appetizing!!! In Brazil, we have fritters that are very similar to these stir-fried ones (which is much healthier) but they are made of potatoes (Bolinho de Batata). I like the idea of this one made from cauliflower b/c the cut down of a bunch of calories. :):) The pomegranate on the top is new for me. Does it not make the dish stringent????
Just made these tonight on a whim – they are incredibly tasty! Thanks for the delicious recipe. We didn’t have any pomegranate on hand so just used the yogurt sauce and it was great. Love the flavor of the feta cooked into the fritters.
Please post soon or i may just die from cookie withdrawal
Hi Deb,
Happy Holidays. Agree with the other readers. Bought your book, love your book, but please continue to post on the blog, especially during this crucial cooking time of the year!
Agreed. The book is great but the blog is where your audience is rooted. I hope all is well and look forward to your return.
Hello! For those who have asked when I am going to return, the answer is very soon (I was hoping this morning, but ugh, something has come up). I’ve missed you all terribly. Sadly, SK has no staff or assistants (sorry, Jacob), it’s just me, and while I have far from forgotten about the site (in fact, at every event, have moaned to the audience about how much I miss updating; I am lost without this conversation!) but I’ve just been absolutely overwhelmed by the travel/press/signing schedule and had no time/ability to be back here. The last fall book tour event was Monday; I’ve spent the last two days signing all of those special ordered books ;) and doing a window shopping and cooking, of course. You should be seeing a lot more of me in the next week, and in the new year, and I absolutely can’t wait. xoxo
Carla — Bah! You cannot escape me. :)
Hahaha I am glad to hear that your nutritional values while dining out are as hedonistic as mine. I had not seen that article previously, but glad you pointed my attention to it. It really does explain a lot for people who marry into a Russian family though. My brother-in-law is just under the impression that he will never be able to attend a single family dinner without breaking some sort of rule of hospitality and/or superstition at this point; so fear not if things seem a bit foreign to you! It sounds like the book will be fairly insightful (for both American and Russian readers) and minus the random bits of misogyny that will inevitably be thrown in, I really want to read it! BTW, Happy Holidays!! And I look forward to the upsurge of posts in the New Year :)
I miss not having new recipes from you this month, too. And, I won your cookbook on SeriousEats.com! It’s my new favorite bedtime reading now. Also, followed the link to the article about the Russians you posted in your earlier comment – being Russian myself it was a very curious read. For Russians, a lot of “therapy” actually happens in the kitchen, where it’s customary for relatives and friends to engage in hours-long talks about “deep” subjects and to talk through minor and major problems, which then seem miraculously solved and life is all good again. I love those kind of conversations in the kitchen! I think that your blog is very much like that, too! Like talking to a good friend in the kitchen.
I love making fritters, too. But I hadn’t thought to make them out of cauliflower – great idea. Adding the pomegranate on top makes them so pretty and festive – I’d make these for New Years!
For once my I’m giddy about a Christmas present I know what is beforehand; I’m so exited to read and test all your new recipes in book form!
I despise cauliflower, so I had NO idea what to do with it when my friend bought me some. However, this is perfect! I love how crunchy they turn out and the tang of the yogurt/ cumin topping with the tartness of the pomegranate seeds was just heavenly. I did have a hard time mashing up my cooked cauliflower though, but when I make it again, I’ll probably toss it into the food processor instead. I kinda liked the chunky texture though; definitely had to “smush” them together a bit more in the pan, but they were still extremely tasty. This recipe has definitely changed my mind about cauliflower and I can’t wait to make it again! Thank you!
Love your use of cauliflower here! Looks delish. Putting this on must-try list!
These were delicious! When I saw this post, I decided to make them for our annual holiday open house, and they were definitely the talk of the party. So beautiful and yummy. I also made a gluten-free version, using a gluten-free pancake mix instead of the flour, and they turned out great. Wouldn’t have known they were gluten free. I also ended up cutting up the cauliflower rather than mashing, just to save time. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
I just made these and they are EXCELLENT! I changed two things given my ingredient parameters. I omitted the hot pepper flakes. Because my pomegranate was past its prime, I chopped up some frozen sweet cherries and sprinkled them atop the yogurt. Thank you for the recipe!!!
OMG! These were so delicious! It was like the best part of cauliflower in cheese sauce– the crispy browned part! And more grown up! I ate almost the whole batch myself! Yikes!
Thank you so much for you fabulous site! Your recipes are easy to follow and your funny comments make it fun to read. I have found that my recreation of recipes in the past either don’t look anything like the pictures or never tastes as good as the recipe sounds or the picture looks. This was SO not the case with these fritters! This was the first real food I’ve had for almost two weeks after oral surgery and I’ve got to tell you it was the best fritter I’ve ever had! I am giving you the credit…thank you!
This was delicious! I made one big “pancake” or “frittata” in a cast-iron skillet, to save a bit of work. I started it out on the stove for a few minutes, to brown the bottom, then popped in a 400-degree oven for just about 10 or 15 minutes. I finished it under the broiler, and served in wedges.
The use of flavours and textures in this recipe is so perfect for the season. The warmth of the cauliflower with the punch from the pom! Brilliant. I will give this a go with a gluten-free flour blend and a little ground chia to help it stick. Beautiful as always!
OMG! I’m smitten! Amazing! …and the pomegranate seeds are the perfect explosion of sweet and tart! Ugh!!!
Totally delish. Crispy and creamy. Salty and sweet. I used a mix of brown rice flour, potato starch and tapioca starch to make it gluten-free.
This is a perfect addition in my recipie book. Cauliflower after giving color to it, look really amazing in photo, it made my mouth watery. I’ll definetly try your recipie soon. Thankyou so much for the recipie.
These are delicious and the ingredient so unusual. I found it a little trickier to get those dollops of cauliflower batter in the pan in one piece than advertised. Except for a few duds, they worked out well! Thanks Smitten Kitchen. I heard you on NPR and have been exploring this site since.
I just made these and they are delicious. I made one minor substitution given the ingredients I had on hand, which was almond flour for all purpose flour. Most of them stayed together quite nicely. I will definitely make these again.
I made these on New Year’s Eve, and they were justifiably adored. One person even told me that she would request them as a last meal if she were about to be executed (!).
I made these without any modifications and served them for a small dinner party. They were super easy, and I don’t own a potato masher so had to do my mashing with two large forks. I was surprised at how light they were. Despite the frying, they felt very light in addition to being so tasty.
Hi Deb – Love these fritters – will be making them for nephew who is a huge cauliflower fan (at 8!) and always hopes for new ways to prepare them. We love your blog and read it religiously. And we mentioned it in our post this weekend. Thanks for all the deliciousness – with big respect from Cape Town – Sue
http://campariandsofa.com/2013/01/07/things-we-almost-forgot-about-ourselves-aka-this-much-im-going-to-let-you-know-about-me/
These were so good! I’m sure it’s not what you were going for but my kids absolutely loved them (ages 1 & 3). I used sour cream instead of yogurt (accidentally bought vanilla instead of plain) and it worked out great. I shared this recipe in my most recent meal plan on my blog, thank you!
so good I’ve been eating them cold….for breakfast :)
These recipes looks really good,,, my mouth was so watery after scrolling through your web site. Thank you for sharing and keep up the good work.
Deb, I have to tell you how much we enjoyed these. I am in the Philippines…bought the pomegranates in Bangkok over the holidays and just made these fritters for a lazy Snday lunch. Served with grilled lamb chops (brought frozen in my luggage from Costco :-)) and a curried couscous salad. Absolutely fabulous. THANK YOU!!!!!!!
I made your broccoli fritters with goat cheese – taking your advice to add a few tablespoons of flour – and they came out great. thanks.
Quick questions regarding the fritters…what kind of yogurt do you recommend?
Betsy — It doesn’t matter which kind but I usually keep Fage full-fat plain around.
Eeeek! Rachel Dratch gave you and your fritters a shout out in Grub Street! http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2013/01/rachel-dratch-grub-street-diet.html Go you!!
these might be my favorite fritter recipe from you yet Deb!! And I bummed for not having thought of it myself because we’re big on fritters in our household. These even rival my husband’s amazing sweet potato latkes that we make regularly through the winter because the kids love ’em so much and now they love the cauliflower ones too.
I made these tonight and I loved the flavor, but the cooking process was a disaster. I don’t have a cast iron or a non-stick pan. I tried to do what Deb described in comment 191 with letting the pan heat up and not touching them until they were ready to move. Every time that beautiful crust stuck to the pan. By the time I finished none had a pretty brown crust and I thought my pan was ruined. I warmed them in the oven and still ate them – they were delicious. I would love input from anyone who has solved the mystery of how to fry them without sticking to the pan.
These sound pretty heavenly if i do say so myself. I have one small problem though- I’m wondering if you think I can make this dairy free and without totally destroying the integrity of the dish. For the saucy, I think I can whip up something in lieu of the yogurt.. but I’m worried about subbing the feta. What do you think Deb?
I’m a bit late to this party, but I made these for lunch today (and will be eating them for lunch for a couple days, I’m sure!) and had to chime in about how awesome they are.
I ended up adding an extra egg to hold everything together (I think my cauliflower was a bit big) but it was still mostly vegetable goodness with just a touch of batter. I stirred minced preserved lemon into my yoghurt, which was a great complement to the fritters, too.
Sarah (342) this same thing just happened to me…not sure if it’s the pan (all clad stainless steel) or the fact that my cauliflower head may have been too big…i’m going to add another egg to the remaining, follow the tips at #191 and hope for the best! it did taste good though, despite the missing crust :)
i started making this and i thought DEB, you let me down!!!! until…i started frying them, and then tasted them. i’m sorry i ever doubted you.
Oh My Goodness were these delicious! “Chopped” was playing in the background which gave me some sort of kitchen confidence I’ve never had before and I substituted Garbanzo bean flour for the flour, and I made a blueberry-pomegranate sauce (both were going off in my fridge). The Garbanzo bean flour gave the fritters a definitive chickpea/nutty taste which I thoroughly enjoyed. And the blueberry-pomegranate sauce was just the right amount of sweet/sour to compliment the feta. Oh, and I also used the yoghurt condiment in the roasted red pepper soup (courtesy of Trader Joe’s soup-in-a-carton) I had on the side. De-VINE! I’m just so bloomin’ proud of myself, and how good it all tasted together, that I had to share. Thank you for the inspiration!
What kind of yogurt did you use? Regular or greek?
Jen — I usually keep Greek around.
I made these for a Thanksgiving starter, and they were great!I don’t eat wheat flour, so I used coconut flour, which worked well with the other flavors. I added another egg, as coconut flour needs a bit more moisture. Yum! I will be making these again, so sure!
I found this recipe while searching for a way to use up a cauliflower that has been sitting in my fridge for a week and just happened to have some feta that also needed using up as well as a pomegranate that had been sitting on my worktop over Christmas making me feel guilty. And I am going to a dinner party this evening with mainly vegetarian friends. Pure serendipity. We tasted them with the yoghurt and arils (love the new word!) and they are delicious, made exactly to the recipe (except I had run out of garlic). They are going to be very popular this evening I am sure, thanks!
Just a minor point to add, I heated my oven to 200 degrees Celsius as this is the scale that I am used to English recipes using and realised later on that it should have been Fahrenheit (hope I have got those the right way round!). It wasn’t a disaster as I realised before I burned the fritters and I should have been paying closer attention but it might be helpful to specify which temperature scale you mean? I am quite new to this site so probably just need to get used to it.
EmmaB — Oops. I definitely leave out the “F” in most recipes here, due to my unfortunately American-oriented brain. I’ll note it here, and slowly update the others.
Good recipe, but NEVER EVER tell people to add water to the hot oil because it will explode and people can get hurt seriously.
made these fritters like 4 times in the span of a month. they are so delicious. the flavor combo of the fritters, the cumin yogurt, and the pomegranate is so unexpectedly amazing. will definitely make again.
pepper flakes are mentioned in ingredients but not in procedure. Add to cauliflower/egg/flour mixture?
Hi Pam — In the second paragraph, you add them when you whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, etc.
Where I am from we make a conch fritter and its truly something to die for.This cauliflower fritter with pomegrante has all of the right things to make a wonderully tasting dish. I am just not too sure on exactly what type of taste you will get from the combination.
My son won’t eat any kind of fritters/latkas but he loves pomegranates…I will present tonight’s fritters with pomegranate seeds…wish me luck.
I am confused with the directions, do you place the pan into the oven while it is heating to 200 degrees, or do you wait for the oven to heat, then place that pan inside?
You can warm the pan, too, so it’s hot when the fritters go in.
made these early in the day for an Oscar party… straight of the pan my daughter couldn’t keep her hands off them… on a table full of other snacks.. these were left behind. Lesson learned: great lunch with a salad but when it comes to party food, it’s hard to compete with bacon wrapped this and that. Not sure if we lost something by re-warming and eventually eating at room temperature
Deb,
It’s been a while but I tried these yesterday and they just do not fry for me. They got stuck to all-clad. I forgot you told me not to use this. Then I switched to the skillet where they did not stick but they do not cook on the inside. I did flatten them. Then I had to wash a lot of greasy dishes. I am about to give up frying which brings me to my next question. Is it possible to bake this mixture like a gratin? Would I have to change anything in the recipe?
Hi Anna — I wouldn’t expect these to bake up well as a gratin because gratins need broth, cream or milk, more cheese, no eggs and no flour. (However, I have a cauliflower gratin recipe here, and another, well, cauliflower cheese recipe in the archives, if you’d like to go more in the gratin direction.) As for cooking these in a skillet, whenever something overcooks on the outside before cooking through the center, a lower temperature is in order. I hope that helps.
you’ve got me completely addicted to the broccoli fritters. I’m sure these will join them in the weekly (see?!) rotation. LOVE!
Hi Deb! May I say that these would be LOVELY underneath fried or scrambled eggs for a light dinner? (Maybe minus the pomegranate seeds though…) I, for one, wholeheartedly support your fritter addiction and I look forward to many more frittered recipes. :)
I plant to make these….Only I will sauté the cauli until tender/firm rather than boiling in salted water, to preserve nutrients…..
For the record, I made these and, um, maybe didn’t totally measure some things and sorta fudged the mashing using the tools that were in my kitchen while the baby happened to be asleep… anyway, they didn’t really hold together but remained 100% delicious. So fret not!
has anyone tried making these with alterations to make it gluten free? I was thinking maybe chickpea flour but wondering if it’ll work/stick together?
I have made them GF twice. The first time I used corn flour and they fell apart. I’m not sure if the cauliflower was cut up enough. The last time, I used a mix of arrowroot, tapioca and buckwheat flours, and pureed half of the cauliflower in the food processor. The second batch stayed together much better, but of course lacked the chunks like Deb’s. Very good flavor though.
I always do them with a GF flour blend like C4C or King Arthur All Purpose. I don’t like the taste of chickpea flour generally. And I think it’s critical to get just the right texture and size of the cauliflower–really soft but not mushy so there are still chunks. I gently scoop batter into my hand and apply a little pressure making a pattie before putting into pan. I always heat pan before adding oil to help them not stick. GF is always a little more fragile but they do work. And they still freeze easily after frying.
The photos on this post are simply perfect. Stunning and delectable. I adore your recipes. You cook like I do and then some. This one is certainly on the menu for tonight. We just finished the last of our garden kohlrabi. Guess how. Fritters.
I had difficulty transferring these from the paper towels to the tray without spilling them into my mouth. Fabulous!
These were very delicious, but I had a lot of trouble keeping them in one piece. Many of them fell apart as I was flipping them. I followed the recipe, wondering what I can adjust for next time because they really were yummy and I’d like to try again.
The best thing is to make sure you’ve got a good brown crisp underneath before flipping, and a thin spatula that can easily shimmy underneath.
Made these tonight and had to modify. They did fall apart in the pan. I might not have mashed the cauliflower finely enough. I wound up putting the mixture into the cuisinart and pulsing 3-4 times, then pressing into a small patty in my hands before frying. Flavor was wonderful though. I added lemon juice to the yogurt sauce which really brought the flavors together.
Have you tried to freeze these? They look yummy, wondering about make-ahead suitability. Thanks!
These where amazing! I boiled the cauliflower in oregano, basil and parsley. And substituted white flower for whole meal flower. And didn’t add garlic, as I have just simply cooked too much with it recently. I added raw onion for crunch; that’s the Dutchy inside of me;).
I think your page needs some fresh posts. Writing manually takes
a lot of time, but there is tool for this time consuming task, search for; ssundee advices unlimited
content for your blog
Made these last night and they were a hit! I have a gas stove and they cooked really quickly – would recommend low heat if that’s your case too. Also I had to top up the oil several times to avoid sticking, so I’ll try a non-stick pan next time.
Hi Deb, saw this picture/recipe and had to make it. I see all the positive comments, but other than the first few, they were not as pretty as yours. Had a hard time keeping them together. Ive never frittered before, so any tips would be appreciated.
These sound delicious.
Look what I did with your recipe!
I added ancho chili to the yogurt sauce and subbed ricotta for feta in the fritters. I also served it with bacon, chives, spinach, and applesauce. I loved these so much! Thanks for the idea. You can see my results at my site!
Oh, and I only burned myself a little when I splashed hot oil flipping these lol.
im allergic to goat products and so no feta, got a sub?
There is cow feta too. And sheep.
These are perfect! I can literally eat Greek yogurt or sour cream from the container and I didn’t even use them on this- they were to perfect as is!
Too not to 🤦🏻♀️Lols
I made this for a dinner party last night and everyone was asking for the recipe afterward! I provided a post-it with instructions for assembly with the yogurt and pomegranate which felt a little excessive at first but was appreciated. Thanks for the recipe!
Just whipped this up for lunch with a languishing head of cauliflower. Delicious!! Even though I under-cooked the cauliflower (I needed my pastry cutter to break it up). Will definitely make again. Followed recipe to a T and had no issues with sticking.
Just made these again last night replacing half the flour with buckwheat flour and adding garam masala. They were delicious. Although I’ve never been able the mash the cauliflower, always have to chop it up finely; to get it mashable seems you’d have to overlook way past 5-6 mins.
I have been obsessed recently with a cauliflower burger served at a fairly new grill in our area. Whole wheat bun, melty goat cheese on top, a ton of leaf lettuce, and a sharp bite of pickled green tomatoes, with the “burger” being crispy/crunchy outside, creamy inside. I wanted to try to do that sucker at home! Internet searches kept leading to burgers with beans, and I didn’t get that taste/feel from my frequent taste tests! I checked good old trusty SK, and voila! FRITTER, NOT BURGER! These were fantastic! Crispy outside, creamy and with that feta tang inside! I had no problem with them holding together in the pan. I got 8 small burger-sized patties. My garlic was sadly soft, so I subbed half a finely chopped Vidalia. I will cut back on the added salt next time, with the salted cauliflower water and 3/4 tsp AND the feta, they were a tad salty. Definitely a keeper! Thanks, Deb!
Very delicious! I subbed in chickpea flour (what I had on hand for gluten-free flour) and it worked very well with the other flavors. Next time maybe I will dial the lemon & garlic up some more!
I had trouble mashing the cauliflower with the potato masher, so I used my pastry blender instead— it worked very well.
Couldn’t find the Aleppo pepper flakes. And I was feeling lazy, so I used frozen cauliflower. They were still yummy and I’ll make again. The cumin yogurt on top added such a pleasant yumminess.
These are absolutely fantastic, Deb! I made for a holiday party for combo veg/Jewish option. Everyone loved that they were lighter than latkes and so many asked for the recipe. They came out beautifully spicy and tangy from the feta. Also, I made two days in advance and reheated, and it was perfect. Unfortunately they did not recrisp, but no one seemed to care. I would absolutely make again, and I almost never make a recipe twice (too many things to cook in the world!). Outstanding.
I have made these many times, so many that I didn’t follow the directions as i should have. I forgot to boil the cauliflower to start! So I put the whole mix in the microwave before frying, and it worked out just fine! Much easier! Phew!
Can these be baked? Temp? Time?
Thanks!
I haven’t tested them baked. I’m sure it can work, but they will be mushy, not crisp.
This is one of our go-to cauliflower recipes. It’s a big hit, even with my one-year old son. I just made a batch that came out particularly good even though I didn’t have a lemon on hand. Usually I really like the lemony kick from the zest, but having made these now without it, I wouldn’t let that stop you if you don’t have one. We usually eat the with the Wildwood vegan garlic aioli. I’ve never tried it with the yogurt and pomegranate.
Thanks for making this one of our house staples!
Made these a few years ago and wasn’t in love with them. I am a huge fan of the broccoli fritters on this site, and I felt these paled in comparison. But then! I had a random passing thought this year to make them again and *ROAST* the cauliflower rather then boil it. Game changer! I threw a head of garlic in the oven when I was roasting the cauliflower as well. Used the roasted garlic instead and doubled up on it, cut back ever so slightly on the amount of feta, and added an extra egg white (I always have a similar problem when I make the broccoli fritters – too dry and don’t hold their shape. I’ve found one extra egg white to be perfect. A whole egg is a but too much). LOVED these with the changes and will now be adding them to my regular repertoire along with the broccoli!!!
this was fantastic!!!!!!
I made a huge batch of these, thinking “Well, Deb’s toddler likes them and they freeze well, so maybe if I fill my freezer with these I can permanently solve my weeknight toddler dinner problem.” Oh, boy, was I wrong.
While the first batch was cooking, my 5-year-old wandered into the kitchen and said, “Mommy, what smells like throw up?” By the time the last batch was done, the 3-year-old had joined the 5-year-old marching around the house chanting of “Dinner smells like throw up!”
Suffice it to say, the kids would not try them. My husband and I were eating cauliflower fritters (and enjoying them–it’s actually a great recipe) for months. To this day my kids will not touch cauliflower in any form (even though they love broccoli). And, whenever the kids are being naughty, I threaten to cook “cauliflower cakes” for dinner, which always brings them to heel.
In sum, good recipe and good child disciplinary tool. Be sure to cook in a well-ventilated area. And, maybe try a small batch first.
This is one of the best reviews I’ve read! LOL
I’ve made these at least once a week since finding the recipe last month. My husband hates cauliflower but absolutely loves these. No point in trying them on the 5 year old, sadly. I use at least two small cloves of garlic (I get an organic box and they’re always small). The fritters are quite fragile and will stick a bit to the pan, even a really well seasoned cast iron pan. Be generous with the oil, have two decent spatulas ready, and use one to ease the fritter off the pan and tip over onto the other spatula to be lowered down. They’re actually very easy and quick to make, and well worth the effort.
I had another cauliflower, the other half pack of feta and a new air fryer to test, so I made the recipe again today, as set out here (apart from the lemon zest, which doesn’t add much for me). I chopped the cooked cauliflower down as small as possible and the fritters held their shape much better. I put them in the new air fryer in 2 batches of 4 fritters (it was a smaller cauliflower than usual), on 170C for 6 mins per side, on an oiled liner and sprayed each side of the fritters. Didn’t flatten them down too much, but they were cooked through, not too dry (though obviously dryer than a pan fried fritter) and pretty tasty.
I LOVE this recipe and have made it so many times over the years. Today, for the first time, I tried baking the fritters instead of frying. I had pretty good success! Not as crispy as frying but delicious and not as mushy as I feared. I baked them on an oiled, parchment-lined baking sheet at 425, 20 min on the first side and 10 min on the second side. Much easier clean up! :-)