Halloumi, courgette and herb cakes (Gordon Ramsay)

 

I have lost count of the immense amount of squash/zucchini/courgette recipes that have come my way and been put to the test ... and this one belongs to the top three. It's really easy to make if you have the opportunity to use a food processor to grate the halloumi, squash and carrot. Of course you can grate the ingredients by hand but then it takes more time. The result is the same, provided that you don't grate your fingertips. The patties were easy to fry because of the short rest in the fridge. A winning concept if you like halloumi as much as I do!

Ingredients for 8 large or 16 small patties:

2 carrots, peeled and grated

1 courgette/zucchini/squash, grated (I took a middle-sized one)

500 g halloumi cheese, grated (this sounded a lot, so I only used 400 g, which was enough)

2-4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped

2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves

2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten

2-4 tablespoons breadcrumbs

olive oil, for frying

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Put the grated carrots and squash in a sieve or colander and sprinkle with a decent pinch of salt to draw out the moisture. Place over a bowl to drain for 5 minutes, then tip into a clean kitchen towel and squeeze out all the excess water.

2. Put the halloumi, carrot-squash mixture, spring onions, coriander and mint into a bowl, season and mix together. Add the beaten eggs and mix well, then stir in 2 tablespoons of the breadcrumbs. The mixture should be sticky enough to form into patties, if it's not add some more breadcrumbs. (I used about 3 tablespoons).

3. Shape the mixture into 8 larger patties, about 1 cm thick, or 16 smaller ones. To help shape the patties place a large spoonful of the mix onto a spoon and press against your hand and squeeze out any excess liquid. Leave in the fridge uncovered for at least 20-25 minutes to firm up.

4. Once you're ready to cook them, heat a large heavy-based frying pan over a medium heat. Add a dash of oil and fry the halloumi cakes (in batches if necessary) until dark golden and crisp on either side and hot all the way through.

5. Serve the cakes with a sauce or as a side dish. We enjoyed them with a slow-cooked venison neck that I cut into thick slices and glazed with an Asian-inspired glaze. You find the glaze recipe here in Swedish. And here in Finnish.