Spicy Carrot Fritters with Grape Tomato Salsa

These fritters are more like potato latkes with carrots but I like the idea of a fritter with carrots so fritters it is!
You can control the amount of spiciness you like in these carrot fritters by adding more red pepper flakes to the batter or more jalapeno pepper to the tomato salsa.  I took the medium spicy road with a half a minced jalapeno and just a pinch of red pepper flakes.  Did I ever mention that carrots are my favorite vegetable?  Probably not but they are most definitely my favorites.  I have a row of carrots in my vegetable garden but I couldn't wait for them to get big enough make these carrot fritters.  I put a net over my garden to save my veggies from the birds and it actually worked pretty well.  Other than a few nibbles from bugs my garden was fairly successful this Winter and Spring with plenty of lettuce, arugula, herbs, radishes, beets, Swiss chard and bok choy, which was too cute to eat so now it's going to seed.  As soon is the rainy season is over I'm going to dig around in the garden and get ready for the Summer crops.  I'm going to expand my garden this year so I can add more tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and a few more herbs.  This weather is so crazy, I hope we have enough heat this Summer for the tomatoes, last year was a little cool.  That's one of the reasons I love to grow grape tomatoes, they grow like weeds, produce tons of tomatoes and are wonderful in salads all Summer long.  Note to self, make bowls of fresh grape tomato salsa this Summer and eat on everything!

Ingredients and Directions for Spicy Carrot Fritters and Grape Tomato Salsa
Adapted from Cooking From the Garden by Rosemary Campiformio


Makes 10 fritters

For the Salsa

1 basket of grape tomatoes (1 dry pint), cut in half
1/3 cup diced red onion, about 1/2 small onion
1/2-1 jalapeno, minced
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the Carrot Fritters

2 cups shredded carrots, about 3-4 carrots
1 large Russet potato, grated
1/4 cup scallion tops, minced, about 1 small bunch
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup flour
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup canola oil, for frying

In a medium bowl combine all the ingredients for the salsa and set aside.  In a large bowl combine all the ingredients for the carrot fritters.  Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat but don't let the oil smoke.
Scoop out the batter with a slotted spoon, allowing some of the liquid to drain out. (there will be liquid left in the bowl when you're finished)  Cook the fritters in 2 batches, frying 5 fritters at a time.  Place on a paper towel to drain and hold in a low oven if waiting to eat.
Top with the salsa and serve.