zucchini-parmesan fritters with lemon-basil buttermilk sauce

Summertime is famous for its surplus of tomatoes and zucchini. I happen to be easily swayed by their pretty colors when I'm in the grocery store - so much that sometimes I overdo it. Today was a day with an overabundance of zucchini. I made zucchini bread to start, but still had about two cups of the shredded green left over. I couldn't bear to trash it and it wasn't enough to saute as a full side dish. So I decided to make up my own fritter recipe, which turned out to be a simple mix up of a little shredded veg, Parmesan, a beaten egg and breadcrumbs, fried in a little olive oil. Oh yeah, and served with a lemony-basil buttermilk dipping sauce. The result? "Hubs approved" and no leftovers.

Zucchini-Parmesan Fritters with Lemon-Basil Buttermilk Sauce
Fritters

• 2 cups shredded zucchini, squeezed dry (you can use any shredded squash or carrots instead)
• 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/4 c shredded Parmesan (or any hard cheese)
• 2 tbsp fresh herbs, julienned (I used sage and basil from my garden, use what you have)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil

1. In a shallow dish, stir the Panko and some salt and pepper together.
2. In a small bowl, mix the shredded zucchini, Parmesan, egg, 1 tbsp sage (or other fresh herb) and a small handful of the breadcrumbs until thoroughly combined. Form into 3-4 patties and dip each into the breadcrumb mixture, patting to help them stick. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to help it set.
3. Over medium heat, add olive oil to the pan and wait until it begins to shimmer. Add the fritters to the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. After a three minutes or so, flip the patty, smoosh it down, and allow it to brown on the other side. When browned on both sides (go for a deep, golden brown), remove it onto a paper-towel lined plate. Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

Sauce
In a small bowl, mix 1/4 c buttermilk with 1/2-3/4 c sour cream. Add the lemon juice and basil, as well as some salt and pepper. Stir well and serve atop the fritters.

Like this? Try these:

• Fried eggs & veggie fritters
• Deep-fried zucchini bites
• Italian-style vegetables

fried eggs & veggie fritters

Yet another weekend for brunch, this time I was on a quest to once again use up a surplus of veggies from my organic produce box. The hubs was craving eggs, but I didn't want the standard fried-egg sandwich or eggs-grits combo. I wanted fresh. And I wanted veg.

Veggie fritters and eggs it was. Plus, it gave me the chance to use my food processor for the second time in one weekend (the other opportunity was for a ginger-honey-soy marinade for beef). These fritters are so flexible; just use whatever veggies you have hanging out in the fridge. Cook your eggs however you like, but I recommend over-easy style. The fritters sopped up the runny yolk, really upping the wow factor.

The next time we make these, I'll top them with fresh, crumbled goat cheese and maybe a drop of truffle oil or salt. My toes are curling just thinking about it.

Veggie Fritters with Fried Eggs (adapted from Mark Bittman)

• 1 egg, plus more for frying as an accompanyment
• 3 c grated veggies (carrot, zucchini, squash ... whatever)
• 1/2 an onion, grated
• 1-2 tbsp fresh herbs (I did home-grown rosemary)
• 1/4 c whole-wheat flour
• Salt, pepper
• Olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 200*. Mix the grated veg with the egg, flour, herbs and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Divide evenly into 8-10 balls and patty, making sure to smoosh them until they're very thin. (If they don't hold together well, add a little more flour.)
2. Heat a pan swirled with olive oil over medium heat. Drop the fritters into the pan, three or four at a time, and fry ~5 minutes on each side. Flip and smoosh them into the pan. When they are adequately browned on each side, move them to a plate and pop them in the oven to keep warm. Repeat.
3. Serve immediately with fresh fried eggs. Top with goat cheese and truffle oil or salt if you have it.