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Zucchini and Halloumi Fritters with Barberries

Crispy little cakes with a lime yogurt dipping sauce make for a great appetizer, or light vegetarian meal with salad and rice on the side. Also makes a lovely side for grilled chicken or fish. The mint, barberries and pine nuts give these a lovely Levantine flavour profile.
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine Mediterranean, Middle Eastern
Keyword barberries, feta cheese, halloumi, mint, zucchini
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp dried barberries
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 1/2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp pine nuts
  • 3 medium zucchini trimmed and coarsely grated, about 580grams)
  • 1 small red onion minced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 lime zested and juiced, divided
  • 1/2 cup AP flour or gluten free flour blend, about 60 grams
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 eggs lightly whisked
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1/2 tsp Espelette pepper or to taste
  • 100 grams Halloumi cheese grated, or 3.5 oz
  • 50 grams Feta cheese crumbled, or 1 3/4 oz
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped mint or parsley
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • 1/4-1/3 cup sunflower or other neutral oil for sautéing

Lime Yogurt Sauce

  • 3/4 cup Greek yogurt or about 175 ml
  • 1/2 tsp ground coriander
  • juice from lime above
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp Espelette pepper
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

Lime Yogurt Sauce

  1. Mix together all the ingredients for the soured cream sauce in a small bowl. Taste, and re-season if desired. Set aside in the fridge until ready to serve.

Zucchini Fritters

  1. Place the barberries in a small bowl. Heat the sugar and water in a small sauce pan or microwave over medium-high heat until the sugar is melted completely. Pour this over the barberries. Let them sit and soften for about 15 minutes.
  2. Toast the pine nuts in a clean skillet over medium heat, tossing regularly so that the nuts don't scorch. This should take about 5 minutes. Set the nuts aside to cool.

  3. Place the grated zucchini in a colander and sprinkle over 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside for 10minutes, then squeeze them to remove all the remaining liquid: You can do this in a tea towel in sections if so desired.

  4. Transfer the zucchini to a large bowl and add the red onion, garlic, lime zest, flour, baking powder, eggs, ground coriander, cardamom, Espelette and a grind of black pepper.

  5. Mix well to form a uniform batter, then fold in the halloumi and feta gently.

  6. Drain the barberries and add to the mixture, along with the cooled pine nuts and mint.

  7. Taste and see if you want some salt, you may not, since the cheese contains some.

  8. Pour enough oil into a large frying pan so it completely covers the bottom and place on a medium heat.

  9. Once hot, add separate heaped dessertspoons of mixture (about 2 tbsp worth) to the pan, spacing them well apart and flattening each fritter slightly into lovely rounds. Cook for 4-5 minutes, turning once halfway through, until golden and crisp on both sides.

  10. Transfer to a paper-lined plate and sprinkle with salt. You can keep them warm in a 300F oven while you continue with the remaining batter. Add more oil if needed. You should get 12-14 fritters from the batter. Serve with the Yogurt Sauce.

  11. Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge and re-heated in an air fryer or skillet over medium heat.

Recipe Notes

If you would like to serve these as a small one or two bite nibbles, feel free to make the fritters smaller.