I love those leisurely trips to the hairdresser when you can kick back with a magazine and catch up on the gossip – the stuff you used to know about p.c (pre-child). I’m now so out of touch that I barely recognise the names in the celeb pages – and, dare I say it, I could be mother to most of them. (I’m sounding like my mother now!)

The thing about my hairdresser is that she’s a fitness enthusiast. Actually, it’s a bit more than enthusiasm, she is an inspirational woman who has run over 100 marathons. So, it’s no surprise that as well as the trashy mags, her salon space is also full of healthy eating and fitness guides. They’re a welcome distraction from the weeklies and are often crammed packed with recipe ideas and ways to cut back on the bad stuff but still serve tasty food. I was enjoying my read this week until I came across the highlighted piece about a glass of wine a day potentially being responsible for an extra six kilos of weight by year’s end. Helpful. Not. Febfast is looking like a solid option right now – if nothing else, it may mean I can stop giving away my favourite clothes that no longer fit.

Today’s post is unlikely to assist in the quest to ditch the extra kilos. It’s back to my new fav place, Ombra, for inspiration. Another small plate we enjoyed on both visits was the zucchini and onion fries. Tiny pieces of vegetables deep fried and salted. Yum. When is this combo not a success?

Our late planted zucchini has finally started to produce and Master Three was proud of himself as he picked the first one. He’s selective when it comes to veges and, and zucchini are usually a no go for him. What he does love is hot chips. So, I figured I’d marry his like with mine and see what we came up with.

Unsurprisingly, they tasted delicious.

What you’ll need

Zucchini, washed and dried, with top and tails cut off

Plain flour (you could use chickpea flour)

Salt and Pepper

Oil (I use olive, but not extra virgin olive)

Three easy steps

Grate the zucchini. If necessary, squeeze out excess liquid (and dry on paper towel).

Put some flour, with salt and pepper, in a bag (I use a clean old bread bag) and throw in the zucchini – depending on the quantity you have, you’ll want to do this in several batches.

Shake the bag until the zucchini are covered in flour. Put the zucchini in a sieve and give it a good shake over the sink to rid excess flour – it should be lightly coated rather than caked on. Repeat until you’ve floured all of the zucchini.

Coat the bottom of a fry pan with oil so it is a couple of millimetres high. When hot, sprinkle in the zucchini. Again, you’ll need to do this in batches as you don’t want it to clump together. Move the chips around, with a slotted spoon, to get an even-ish colour. 

Remove from pan when golden brown – three/four minutes (I didn’t time them exactly – you’ll know when they are done) and drain on paper towels. Cook the rest of the zucchini, keeping the already cooked batches warm in the oven (uncovered). Serve immediately. You may need extra seasoning- I didn’t. (Like anything fried, they will go soggy if left to go cold.)

To be fair, I think the Husband and I ate more than Master Three did. The verdict? Different (to Ombra), but not wrong. Sumptuous actually. Bring on the zucchini harvest, I may contemplate selling these from the gate.