I’ve officially pea-ked; I reckon this is my best food-waste-fighting recipe to date.
These crispy and delicious pea & potato fritters started life as nothing more than a botched order at the chip shop, and a couple of slices of stale bread.
Due to a recent mix-up at my local chippy, I found myself with FOUR full cartons of mushy peas that no-one in my house wanted to eat (don’t blame them, TBH).
In the freezer, I already had a full Tupperware of chips from my last over-zealous order; I usually freeze these and turn them into curry fries when I get back from the pub (pan fry from frozen in a little oil, with onions and curry powder, then top with a fried egg).
But this time, I had something different in mind – and my spark of an idea paid off. These herby pea and potato fritters are easy to make in a big batch, and can be cooked in a frying pan or just whacked in the oven.
Leftover Mushy Pea & Chip Shop Chip Fritters
Below is the full ingredient list and method; I haven’t included measurements as you’ll need to adjust these depending on how much leftover mushy peas and chips you have to deal with.
Ingredients
- Leftover chip shop chips
- Leftover chip shop mushy peas
- A handful of fresh mint, chopped
- A handful of fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 slices of stale, wholemeal bread
- Juice of a whole lemon
- Plain flour for thickening, dusting & coating
- 2 organic eggs
- Salt & back pepper to season
Method
- First, make the breadcrumbs. Grate two slices of stale wholemeal bread or use a food processor to create coarse breadcrumbs. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Tip the leftover chips and mushy peas into a food processor with one egg, the lemon juice, and the freshly chopped herbs. Blend until you have the consistency of loose mashed potato. If the mixture is too dry, add another egg. If the mixture is too wet, add flour.
- Set out three plates; cover one with a shallow layer of flour, the other with a shallow layer of breadcrumbs, and on the final, pour out a beaten egg.
- Using floured hands, scoop out handfuls of the pea & potato mixture, and drop onto the flour plate to form into balls – using the flour to bind and prevent the mixture sticking to your hands. Press the ball flat to create a burger shape, then quickly drop into the beaten egg and coat both sides in egg, not letting it get too wet.
- Finally, drop the fritter into the breadcrumbs and make sure each side gets evenly coated and the crumbs stick to the egg. Set aside on a clean plate to rest.
- Repeat until all of the mixture is used up, then pop the fritters into the fridge for 30 mins to firm up.
- To cook, either shallow fry in a little oil until golden brown or pop into a hot oven (220c) for 30 mins until crispy on the outside and piping hot in the middle.
- You can serve the fritters with chutney, ketchup, mayo, tartare sauce or a poached egg – anything you fancy!
But why is limiting food waste important?
The latest UK Food Trends Survey shows that despite a drop in food waste during the pandemic, self-reported food waste has rebounded to pre-lockdown levels – and more food is going to waste in UK homes as life returns to normal. The findings come from Love Food Hate Waste and is a snapshot of the UK’s food behaviours post-lockdown, from the longest-running survey of its kind.
As a result, the campaigning organisation is asking everyone to remember that Wasting Food Feeds Climate Change. Sarah Clayton, Head of Citizen Behaviour Change at WRAP, explained:
“One of the few positives of the lockdowns was people taking up new habits that prevent food from going to waste. We’ve seen more people getting creative with their cooking; using up ingredients and leftovers. But the return of busy lifestyles means we are falling back into our old ways, and that risks these key skills not being used. It is imperative we remember that wasting food feeds climate change, and most food waste happens in the home.”
Find out more, by visiting: https://www.lovefoodhatewaste.com.
