zucchini love: stop 2 ::::
After my zucchini whoopie pie recipe, this is my second stop on the quest to use superfluous zucchini in less traditional ways than I have in the past. On my last post, I explained that I was faced with a monster-sized zucchini. What to do but go off the beaten path of zucchini bread. A windfall of marrow is my time to experiment. So, here is another zucchini recipe: latkes. I visited a sunny golden beet latkes recipe long ago.
I don’t have any allegiance to a specific latke recipe, be it potato, zucchini, sweet potato. My repertoire of Jewish food is fairly lacking, though fully appreciated in other kitchens (but I do admit my ceciarchiata taiglach is pretty spot-on and underrated by most). But I do know I like latkes crispy. The trouble with some of the vegetables used is the moisture slogging up the latkes. The key is the salty relax time the shredded zucchini takes and the magnanimous squeeze before mixing with the other ingredients. While I do these steps without fail the few times that I have made these latkes, I still end up with a sometimes less-than-crispy edge. Blame it on the distraction of motherhood: sometimes my latkes are ignored in the pan whilst I break up a teasing fight between Peach and Grub or tend to a fussy Sky-Girl. When frying, make sure to press the patties down, give them enough time in the pan to sizzle, then flip or remove when the sizzle stops. Oil soaks into the non-sizzling latkes sitting in the pan, thereby softening them. Enjoy the crispy edges immediately, serving with a flavored sour cream (smoked paprika, garlic and lemon, fresh thyme, whatever you like).
One year ago: watermelon-coconut breeze and apricot-mint fizz
Two years ago: panko-crusted baked chicken and roasted peppers with herbed breadcrumbs and peach leaf crème brûlée
Three years ago: homemade cherry pie lärabars and purple potato salad with gorgonzola and bacon and wedding mints
- about 4½ cups of shredded zucchini (561 g or approx 1 pound 4 ounces). NOTE: I think going up to 5 to 5½ cups would be okay, so long as your mixture holds together.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 to 2 large eggs (depends on how eggy you like the latkes and how much zucchini you are using)
- 1 onion, grated
- ¼ cup Ritz cracker crumbs = about 7 crackers (or use matzo)
- pinch of pepper
- oil for frying
- Mix shredded zucchini and ½ teaspoon salt in bowl and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Squeeze the zucchini well and set on paper towels to soak up extra juice. (Important set to help ensure crispiness!)
- Gently beat eggs and mix with onions, cracker crumbs, remaining salt, and pepper. Mix in squeezed zucchini.
- Heat pan with oil over medium-high heat, and drop about 1-2 tablespoonfuls of mixture per latke into pan. Fry each side until golden brown (a few minutes each side), repleting oil as needed between batches. Serve with smoked paprika or dilled sour cream.
