By Annemarie Ahearn
From our July 2017 issue
In July, a variety of green and yellow squashes are rapidly growing fat and long under the camouflage of giant leaves and vines, and it takes an observant eye to harvest them before they reach the size of a baseball bat and lose their flavor. For those who don’t have time to be so vigilant, this recipe lends itself to slightly overgrown zucchini, pattypan, or golden summer squash. The instruction calls for a vigorous shredding of the vegetable in either a box grater or a food processor. Squash are made almost entirely of water, so a heavy sprinkling of salt relieves them of liquid and fortifies them.
Zucchini Fritters
Makes about a dozen fritters
1 large or 2 medium zucchinis, shredded
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 spring onions or scallions, thinly sliced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 sprigs dill, fronds finely chopped
3 sprigs mint, leaves finely chopped
6 sprigs parsley, leaves finely chopped
freshly ground pepper
red pepper flakes
6 tablespoons canola oil
For the yogurt sauce:
1 clove garlic
pinch of salt
1 cup Greek yogurt
zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
red pepper flakes
Place the shredded zucchini in a mesh colander and toss with 1 teaspoon salt. Place over a bowl for 20-30 minutes.
In the meantime, make the yogurt sauce. Mash the garlic clove with a pinch of salt until it becomes a paste. Add next three incredients. Season to taste with salt and red pepper flakes.
Wring out the zucchini by pressing it against the mesh wiring of the strainer. Move to a bowl and add next seven ingredients. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. The consistency should be a thick batter easy to shape with two spoons. If it’s too thin, add a little flour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Add the canola oil to a medium or large cast-iron skillet. On a stovetop, bring the oil to 350 degrees, or to where a spoonful of batter sizzles in the pan. Shape the batter into golf ball–size fritters and drop them in the pan, three to four at a time. With a spatula, flatten them into fat disks and cook until golden brown, 3–4 minutes, then flip and repeat. Add a little extra oil if they’re sticking. Move fritters to a baking pan lined with paper towels. Once all of the fritters are browned, slip the paper towel out from under them and bake for 15 minutes. Serve hot with a side of yogurt sauce.