Shrimp and Herb Fritters

Mix and match different herbs and spices for different versions of these crowd-pleasing fritters. (Victoria de la Maza)

A fabulous way to use lots of herbs and feed lots of people, these fritters are bound by breadcrumbs and eggs into dollar pancake-sized bites, delicious served as a tapa.

They can be made with any combination of soft herbs that you like—cilantro, flat-leaf parsley, tarragon—as long as the ratios stay the same. Add different spices, and use more or less as you desire. Basically, these fritters are a starting point for all sorts of different flavor combinations. This is my favorite.

Serves 4

• 2 cups dill, large stems removed, finely chopped
• 2 cups flat Italian parsley, stems removed, finely chopped
• 2 cups chives, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 cup shrimp, peeled and diced (cooked or uncooked)
• 6 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil for frying

In a bowl, mix together all ingredients except the olive oil until well combined.

Pour half the olive oil into a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Using a spoon, add batter to the pan to make 3 or 4 fritters at a time. Cook for about 2 minutes per side, flattening them with a spatula, until golden and crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Repeat with the rest of the batter, adding more oil if necessary. Serve warm.