This is one of my favourite winter lunches. I normally use comté (it has a tendency to always find it`s way into my fridge), but all mature cheeses with a bit of flavour, for example gruyere or cheddar, will work amazingly. I use the herbs I have on hand. Now I still have a little tarragon left on my balcony here in Paris, so I use that and a little parsley. Chives or dill will also be delicious!
Ingredients
- 180 g parsnips
- 50 g mature cheese
- 1 tbsp leaf parsley
- 1 tsp fresh tarragon
- 80 g yellow onion
- 1 x eggs
- 2 tbsp plain white flour
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp harissa
- 3 tbsp crème fraîche
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 pinch chili flakes
Method
- Peel and grate the parsnip. Make sure you have 180g after grating. Grate the cheese and finely slice onion, tarragon and parsley.
- Mix together parsnip, parsley, onion, egg, cheese, flour and 1 tbsp olive oil in a bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pan fry a little test in order to check if you are happy with the seasoning.
- Shape flat, round patties with your hands and pan fry them on medium heat in olive oil on both sides until they are crispy and golden. I like to add a knob of butter and a crushed garlic clove (just crush it under the side of a knife) to the pan towards the end of the cooking time. Sprinkle with a little salt.
- Stir together harissa and crème fraîche. Adjust the amount of harissa to your liking. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste.
- Arrange the patties on a plate and serve with the dip, chopped parsley and a pinch of chili flakes. A fresh salad is delicious on the side.
