Red Kuri Squash and Quinoa Fritters with Crème Fraîche

Photo and styling by Bèatrice Peltre

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At home, everyone enjoys eating fritters. I particularly like to use the leftovers of cooked grains or roasted vegetables when making them. I created these out of the remainder of a red Kuri squash I had roasted for a lasagna dish, and some quinoa I cooked to accompany a chicken curry. Nothing goes to waste!

Makes 4 (3-inch) fritters

1 cup leftover roasted red Kuri squash
¼ cup minced white onion
1 cup cooked quinoa
1 large egg
1/3 cup buttermilk
¼ cup almond meal
¼ teaspoon lemon zest, minced
8 sage leaves, minced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
crème fraîche, to serve

In the bowl of your food processor, add the squash and onion and pulse to combine. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the cooked quinoa, egg, buttermilk, almond meal, lemon peel, sage and garlic; season with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan. When warm, form 4 (3-inch) patties. Cook patties on each side for 2–3 minutes, or until golden with a nice crust.

Serve warm with a side salad or roasted vegetables, if you like, and a generous dollop of lightly seasoned crème fraîche.

This recipe appeared in the Winter 2020 issue as part of a larger story on Leftovers and Food Waste.