Pipi and mussel fritters with pickled cucumber

Pipi and mussel fritters with pickled cucumber. Photo / Babiche Martens

Makes 12 small fritters

Pickled cucumber
2 lebanese cucumbers
1 Tbs caster sugar
2 Tbs white wine vinegar
1 star anise
1 tsp fish sauce
1 small chilli, sliced

Fritters
10 pipis
5 mussels
1 shallot, finely diced
2 tsp parsley, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs self raising flour
2 eggs, separated
Half butter and half olive oil for frying
Lemon wedges
Flaky sea salt

1 To pickle the cucumber, trim the ends from both cucumbers. Using a peeler, peel the cucumber into strips.

2 Put the sugar, vinegar, star anise, fish sauce and chilli into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir to combine the ingredients. Pour the pickling liquid over the cucumber and leave to cool.

3 To make the fritters: briefly cook the pipis and mussels in simmering water, until the shells have just opened. Remove from the shells and let cool. Chop the shellfish. Finely dice the shallot and add the parsley, seasoning and flour. Separate the eggs and whisk in the yolks. Whisk the whites until stiff peaks form, then gently fold into the fritter mix.

4 Heat a fry pan and add 1 Tbs olive oil with 1 Tbs butter. When hot, add spoonfuls of the fritter mixture and cook for a minute or two on each side, depending on the size of the fritters.

5 To serve, top with slices of cucumber removed from the pickling liquid, wedges of lemon and a sprinkle of salt.