Ingredients
- 3 cups green beans, sliced
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- ½ bunch mint leaves
- ½ bunch marjoram leaves
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 cup plain flour
- sea salt flakes and freshly-milled black pepper
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- vegetable oil, for frying
- ¼ cup sesame seeds, toasted
- 2 eggs yolks
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- juice of 1 lemon
- 2 tsp sesame oil
- 1½ cups vegetable oil
- 12 fine slices Serrano ham
- watercress and lemon wedges, to serve
Instructions
1 Mix the beans with the onion, herbs and half the garlic. Combine the milk and egg in a large bowl and whisk until smooth, then add the flour and bicarbonate of soda and stir thoroughly until a batter forms. Fold in the vegetable mixture and season generously with salt and pepper.
2 Heat vegetable oil in a skillet over a moderate heat and fry the batter in ¾ cup amounts. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip and continue cooking until just firm. Drain on kitchen paper and season with salt. The mixture should make 12 fritters.
3 Meanwhile, pound the sesame seeds in a mortar until a paste forms, then place in a jug with the yolks, mustard, lemon juice and remaining garlic. Puree with a stick blender. Add the sesame oil and vegetable oil in a steady stream while pureeing, until thickened. Season with salt. Serve the fritters with Serrano, watercress, lemon and sesame aioli.