Phaidon’s new book Cooking for Your Kids: At Home With the World’s Greatest Chefs is filled with great dishes that famous chefs like to prepare for their sons and daughters. A few of these are the kind of dishes that you might prefer to whip up while the kids are out of the kitchen, though plenty of them call for a few younger cooks in the kitchen.
For a fun, and healthy alternative to hotdogs or burgers, try putting together the garden “fish” finger sticks, by Najat Kaanache of the Nur restaurant in Fez, Morocco.
“My daughter, Nur, and I love to make these vegetable ‘fish’ fingers,” says the chef. “They’re a simple and healthy lunch and offer her plenty of opportunities to help, from forming the veggie mash into fingers to rolling them in breadcrumbs.”
See also: Abel and Cole’s Buckwheat with Saffron Yogurt and Asparagus
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups (100 g) of fresh breadcrumbs
- 7 oz (200 g) of sweet potatoes, cut into wedges
- Two shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 3½ oz (100 g) of carrots, peeled and halved
- 3½ oz (100 g) of beets, peeled and halved
- Four tablespoons olive oil
- Four garlic cloves, minced
- 2½ tablespoons (5 g) of rosemary leaves
- 2 oz (50 g) of broccoli, chopped
- 3½ oz (100 g) of fresh peas.
For the dipping sauce: - Juice of one lemon
- Tablespoon of mayonnaise
- Two teaspoons of honey
- Teaspoon of cilantro (coriander) leaves
- Four tablespoons all-purpose (plain) flour
- A pinch of freshly ground black pepper;
- A pinch of smoked paprika
- Two eggs
- 1⁄8 a teaspoon of salt
…as well as olive oil, for shallow frying, four burger rolls or hot dog buns, and lettuce and tomato.
See also: Yondu’s Umami Barbecue Vegetables
Instructions
- First preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/Gas Mark 4).
- Spread the breadcrumbs on a sheet pan and bake until light browned, about 10 minutes. Then increase the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C/Gas Mark 5).
- Toss the sweet potatoes, shallots, carrots, and beets with the olive oil, garlic, and rosemary sprigs. Place the potatoes, shallots, carrots, and beets on a sheet pan, loosely cover with foil, and put in the oven.
- Spread the chopped broccoli on another sheet pan and put in the oven after 15 minutes. After another 15 minutes, add the peas to the broccoli. Shuffle to toss.
- After 15–20 more minutes, remove all the vegetables. Transfer the roasted vegetables to a bowl and use a fork to mash them together. Then whisk together the lemon juice, mayonnaise, honey, and cilantro (coriander) until well incorporated.
- Next you need to beat the eggs with the salt in a small bowl. Roll the vegetable mash into “fish stick” shapes, about 2 inches (5 cm) long and ½ inch (1.25 cm) wide. Lay them side by side on a tray. Cover and refrigerate for five minutes. Pour three inches (7.5 cm) of olive oil into a frying pan and heat over medium-high heat.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, sift together the flour, pepper, and paprika. Spread the breadcrumbs on a plate.
- Dip the vegetable sticks in the egg wash, then in the breadcrumbs, gently shaking to remove excess.
- Place them in the oil and fry until golden brown.
Serve either in burger rolls or hot dog buns with dipping sauce and lettuce and tomato.
See also: Rukmini Iyer’s Mushroom and Black Bean Burgers with Peanut and Lime
See also: Mary Berry’s Leek & Dill Quiche with a Choice of Toppings
