Cauliflower fritter & romesco pincho
Pinchos are originally from the Basque country in the north of Spain. They are similar to tapas, but smaller in size and with a slice of crusty bread as a base. We have been inspired by this traditional food to create four pinchos recipes full of flavour and using vegetables that you will find in your veg boxes. This pinchos recipe combines beautiful Mediterranean flavours. The Kalamata olives and fresh parsley add a great touch to the cauliflower fritters, and together with the romesco sauce, make a very tasty vegan pincho. Easy and fun to make, pinchos are perfect if you don’t have a lot of experience in the kitchen. But don’t underestimate the power of them - although simple to make, they are always very popular at parties and gatherings and make great canapés.
Cook's notes
This recipe compilation shows you that any vegetable can be used to make a pincho. We encourage you to create your own seasonal recipes, playing around by combining flavours, textures and colours. You will be surprised how rewarding this can be, especially, when you share it with your loved ones.
Ingredients
For the pincho:
- 6 slices baguette, cut at a sharp angle
For the romesco sauce:
- 15g sun dried tomatoes
- 2 red peppers
- 30g toasted hazelnuts
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 3 tbsp olive oil
For the fritters:
- 200g cauliflower, coarsely grated
- 50g Kalamata olives, roughly chopped
- 15g fresh parsley, finely chopped, plus extra for garnishing
- 80g gram flour
- ¼ tsp baking powder
Method
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Step 1
Preheat oven to 200°C/Gas 6.
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Step 2
Put the sun-dried tomatoes in a heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water until covered.
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Step 3
Put the red peppers on a baking tray. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until they are soft and charred.
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Step 4
Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine all the fritter ingredients. Slowly add enough water to bring the mixture together. You want a fairly thick but sticky consistency.
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Step 5
To fry the fritters, heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and add a thin layer of olive oil.
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Step 6
Once the oil is shimmering, scoop in a tablespoon size mound of the cauliflower mixture. Slightly press it down to flatten and try to create a similar shape to your baguette slice.
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Step 7
Fry for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until they’re golden brown and crispy. Cook as many fritters as you can fit in the pan at one time, but leaving space between them. You need 12 fritters (2 units per pincho).
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Step 8
When the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove the stems, peel away the skins and remove the seeds. Refrain from cleaning them under water or you will remove much of the wonderful roasted flavour.
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Step 9
Drain the sun-dried tomatoes and, in a blender, combine with the rest of romesco ingredients. Set aside.
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Step 10
Place the slices of baguette on your working surface and spread a thin layer of romesco sauce on each. Add 2 fritters, one on top of the other, and place a generous spoonful of sauce on top. Garnish with fresh parsley.