These little broccoli fritters develop golden-brown edges and stay soft inside. The fresh dip of yogurt, lemon and dill makes them ideal as a first course or as part of a light meal.
Beignets are small bites cooked in batter; the name doesn’t refer to one fixed recipe. This version is a modern vegetable beignet: finely chopped broccoli makes up most of the mixture, with egg and flour to bind it. That way, you can clearly taste the broccoli rather than a thick layer of batter. The herbs keep everything fresh, while the yogurt and lemon dip adds creaminess and tang.
Broccoli is readily available in the Netherlands all year round. Choose a firm head with compact, dark green florets, and use the peeled stem too: cut it into small cubes so it cooks at about the same rate as the florets. Finely chopping the broccoli is important. Large pieces make the fritters fall apart and harder to flip. A knife works well; you can also use a food processor, but don’t process the broccoli into a purée.
Since the broccoli goes into the batter raw, the pieces need to be small and the fritters need time to cook through. So don’t make them too large, and keep the heat at medium. This gives the outside time to brown while the vegetable cooks. Covering the pan for part of the cooking time helps the heat reach the center; then remove the lid so the edges can crisp up again. If the pan is too hot, the fritters will brown before the broccoli softens.
The amount of flour may vary slightly, depending on how moist the broccoli is and the size of the egg. The batter should be firm enough to spoon into the pan, but it doesn’t need to be dry or kneadable. If the mixture is very loose, add a tablespoon of flour. Fresh parsley and chives give a mild herbal flavor; finely chopped cilantro can be an alternative. Here, dill is mainly for the dip, where its fresh flavor pairs well with lemon.
Serve the fritters straight from the pan, when their edges are at their crispiest, with the dip on the side. Two or three per person make a good first course; served with a salad and some bread, they make a light lunch. You can mix the yogurt dip ahead of time and keep it chilled. Store any leftover fritters covered in the refrigerator and reheat them in a hot oven until heated through; a microwave will make the outside less crispy.
Cut the broccoli, including the peeled stem, into very small pieces about 3–5 mm in size. Pat the pieces dry if they are moist.
Beat the egg in a large bowl. Stir in the flour, parsley, chives, salt and pepper. Fold in the broccoli until everything is evenly coated.
In a small bowl, mix the yogurt with the lemon zest, lemon juice and dill. Set the dip aside.
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add a tablespoon of oil. Spoon about one heaped tablespoon of batter into the pan for each fritter and press it down lightly. Cook in batches, leaving space between the fritters.
Cook the fritters for 3 minutes on the first side. Turn them over, reduce the heat slightly and cook covered for another 3 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for another 1–2 minutes if needed, until both sides are golden brown and the broccoli is cooked through. Add a little oil for each subsequent batch.
Briefly drain the fritters on paper towels and serve warm with the lemon-herb dip.
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