Celeraic Fritters with Pears, Walnuts, Radicchio and Caper Mayonnaise.

Ingredients

Serves 4

Batter:

  • 140g plain flour 
  • Pinch of salt 
  • 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil 
  • Water 
  • 1 large egg white

Dressing:

  • 6 tablespoons olive oil  
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice 
  • ½ teaspoon honey  
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Other:

  • 120g celeriac weighed after peeling and cut into fine julienne like long match sticks 
  • 12 watercress sprigs and 12 radicchio leaves or a mixture of leaves 
  • 1 x pear, cut in quarters lengthways, cored and sliced thinly  
  • 16 walnuts halves  
  • 4 generous teaspoons mayonnaise 
  • 28 capers  
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper  

Method

  1. Make the batter for frying the fritters first. Place the flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add the olive oil and whisk in enough water to form a smooth batter the consistency of thick cream. Chill for 30 minutes and fold in the stiffly beaten egg white.
  2. Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Taste and correct seasoning.
  3. When ready to cook the fritters, heat 10cm of sunflower oil to 180c / 350f  in a heavy cast iron or stainless steel saucepan. If you have a deep fat fryer that will work perfectly.
  4. Mix the celeriac julienne through the batter. You have enough mixture to make 4 fritters. Gently drop large spoonfuls of the mixture in to the hot oil and cook until crisp and golden brown on both sides.
  5. Remove from the oil, drain on kitchen paper and keep warm in an oven. They will remain crisp for 20 minutes or so.
  6. To serve, place the salad leaves, sliced pear and walnuts in a large bowl and dress with the well mixed dressing. Divide between 4 plates. Place a fritter on top of each salad.
  7. Drop 1 teaspoon of mayonnaise on top of the fritters and scatter on the capers. Add a few grains of sea salt and serve immediately.