Sending Out Some Zucchini Love

Photo Credit: ILoveButter on Flickr.

Plagued with too much summer squash? Here's a tip - dump the guilt and be ruthless. The big ones are tough, filled with seeds and not worth your time. Compost is a lovely thing - consider those too-big squashes as nutrients for next year's garden and be done with them.

As for the smaller, more tender lovelies, here is one of my favorite recipes. Any summer squash works beautifully - zucchini, yellow crookneck, pattypan... The flecks of different colors of skin in the fritters make them all the prettier.

I grate the squash in a food processor, which makes quick work of it. If you get carried away and grate too much (I often do this - I become mesmerized by the whirring blades and before you know it I have six cups of grated squash...) it stores really well in a covered container in the fridge.

There are lots of recipes for Squash Fritters; I like this one because the cornmeal gives it a nice tooth, and the onion provides a nice balance. When you lay each spoonful of batter into the sizzling oil, spread it out a bit so that the fritter will cook all the way through.

Now, go forth and fry!


Summer Squash Fritters

2 cups grated summer squash (zucchini, crook neck, pattypan)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 small onion, chopped
1 egg, beaten
pepper to taste

oil for frying

Mix all ingredients together.
Drop by teaspoon into hot oil.
Brown one side.
Flip and brown the other side.
Drain on newspaper, sprinkle with a bit of sea salt.

These are great just as is, but are even better when topped with a dab of sour cream and a spot of salsa.

Yum!