VEGGIE MINT, MUSHY PEA AND BACON PATTIES

Friday night isn't usually fish and chips night in our house however I was in the mood for this British classic yesterday and there is only one side dish you could possibly have with it, mushy peas. You know me though, I'm always trying to elevate simple dishes and that is how these pea, mint, spinach and veggie bacon parties were born. With a delicious crispy golden breadcrumb coating and some sharp cheddar cheese to add a bit of oomph, these bad boys are also really simple to rustle up as a great vegetarian main as well.

The inspiration for this recipe came from the latest issue of Veggie magazine. I have adapted one of their recipes and added a few bits and bobs that I enjoy a lot more. This includes Quorn bacon to add a bit of "meatiness" to the patties whist keeping them veggie friendly. You can use an alternative meat free bacon if you wish or leave it out altogether if you're not a fan.

My patties also use fresh mint leaves. Pea and mint is a classic combination so I knew it was definitely going to work. Don't use dried mint if you can, there is something about the fresh leaves that really lift the patties to the next level.

Finally for the golden breadcrumb coating I've used Panko breadcrumbs. I think if you are looking for crunch then using Panko breadcrumbs is a no brainer. You can use fine breadcrumbs if you wish but just make sure the patties are really well coated in them so you still get that magnificent crunch.

The rest of the ingredients I will leave as they are as its not really my recipe to tinker with (just the bits above but don't tell anyone!). What I will say before we start is that you do need to chill the patties for 1 hour after you mold them so they don't fall apart so make sure you have one to make them before you start. The consistency of the patties is also down to you. I prefer a bit of chunkiness so I don't mash them to oblivion but if you want to make them more smooth that's up to you.

You're also working with hot oil so please be careful and have a damp tea towel nearby in the event of a fire. I always recommend with  deep fry recipes that you use a cooking thermometer to measure the temperature of the oil effectively however if you don't have one you can test the oil is hot enough by dropping a few breadcrumbs into the oil and they should rise to the top of the oil and fizz instantly.

If you're ready then let's go. Recipe below will make ample patties for five! They also great for freezing when you get to the chilling stage. Just wrap them in baking paper and then film and pop in the freezer and then when you want to eat them simply defrost, coat with breadcrumbs and fry.

Pea, Mint And Veggie Bacon Patties

360g (Drained Weight) Tinned Marrowfat Peas

1 Finely Diced White Onion

120g Finely Diced Quorn Bacon

30g Butter

Juice Of 1 Lemon

50g Finely Chopped Uncooked Spinach

Handfull Finely Chopped Fresh Mint Leaves

50g Finely Grated Cheddar Cheese

2 Whole Medium Eggs

Salt And Pepper To Season

120g Panko Breadcrumbs

1. Begin by placing the peas, onion, Quorn bacon, butter, lemon juice, spinach, mint leaves, cheese and one of the eggs into a bowl and season liberally with salt and pepper. Give everything a good mix together, beat and mash until you reach the desired consistency and the mixture will hold together if you take a handfull and shape in a ball.
2. Line a baking tray with grease proof paper and divide the mixture into five. Shape the fifths into patties roughly 2cm thick and place onto the baking tray. Pop the five patties on the tray into the fridge to chill for one hour.
3. After one hour, take a large pan and pour in enough vegetable oil so the depth of the oil is 1cm and heat to 180 degrees.
4. Whilst the oil heats up, crack the remaining egg in a bowl and beat before pouring into a plate big enough to fit the patties and then tip the breadcrumbs onto another plate of the same size. 
5. Dip the patties one by one into the egg first until fully coated all over, lift up and allow any excess to drip off and then place into the breadcrumbs and fully coat the patties all over. Pop the now bread patties back onto the baking tray.
6. Once the oil has reached 180 degrees, fry the patties in batches. Fry them on each side for around four minutes until the breadcrumb coating is golden brown all over. Remove from the pan and drain on some kitchen paper to remove any excess oil.

The patties should be served straight away so that they stay piping hot in the centre however if you do want to fry them ahead of time and then serve later you can pop them into an oven at 220 degrees (200 fan) for ten minutes to heat them through again. Whatever you decide to do you should have a delicious breadcrumb coating to the patties which will give a satisfying crunch as you glide a knife though it to get to the fabulous vibrant green innards. The bacon adds a smokiness to patties whilst the classic combo of pea and mint harmonize beautifully together to create a marvelous twist on a classic side dish. Pure minty mushy pea magic!