Tag Archives: zucchini

Zucchini Fritters with Lemon Mustard Aioli

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Zucchini Fritters with Lemon Herb Aioli

  • 2 medium zucchini
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon (1 lemon) freshly grated lemon zest
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh herbs – flat leaf parsley, basil & chives
  • 1 medium clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

  1. Using the large holes of a box grater, grate zucchini into a medium bowl. If you have really juicy zucchini, make sure to drain out liquid by allowing it to rest in strainer, or wrap in a towel and squeeze liquid out. Add salt, lemon zest, chopped herbs, garlic, pepper, and eggs. Mix well to combine. Slowly add flour, stirring so no lumps form.

  2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat until oil sizzles when you drop a small amount of zucchini mixture into the pan. Carefully drop about 2 tablespoons zucchini mixture into pan; repeat, spacing fritters a few inches apart.

  3. Cook fritters until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Turn fritters, and continue cooking until golden, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer fritters to a plate; set aside in a warm place. Cook remaining zucchini mixture, adding more oil to pan if necessary. Garnish with parsley sprigs and lemon wedges, if desired.

  4. Serve with lemon/herb/mustard aioli.

Aioli:  Combine 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp grainy dijon mustard, 1 tsp horseradish, juice of 1/2 a lemon, generous amount of freshly chopped herbs.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Roasted Vegetables

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This works really well all year long in a hot oven, and even better on a grilling basket on your barbecue.

Preheat oven to 400. Use any assortment you like of vegetables, I usually try to go for color and cut the items so they cook at about the same rate – i.e., onions, broccoli and cauliflower take a little longer to cook so either cut them smaller or put them in the oven first, adding the peppers, zucchini and tomato after the first 15 min of cooking time.

Once you have all your vegetables prepped, toss in a generous amount of really good quality extra virgin olive oil, a couple cloves of crushed garlic and a good handful of fresh herbs.  Season with salt and pepper.

Turn vegetables out of oil seasoning onto roasting surface.  Reserve bowl that the oil and seasonings are in.

Roast until just tender and little brown carmelized bits appear.  Anywhere from 30-45 minutes.Toss again into the olive oil, seasoning mix just to brighten up the flavours a bit – taste for seasonings and dust with freshly ground pepper and salt to taste. 

Vegetable Samfaina

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This hearty vegetable dish is so comforting, a great meal for a vegetarian or fantastic side dish for many occasions.  Try it with whatever vegetables you have on hand and create your own favorite.

1 large white onion, roughly chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp each of basil, parsley and oregano

2 smaller zucchini (quartered lengthwise and in about 1″ chunks

1 eggplant, cut in similar pieces to zucchini

2 cups mixed colored peppers – cut in rough chunks

1 28 oz can good quality tomatoes

extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Cover bottom of saucepan with olive oil and saute onions until they just start to soften and get little brown bits of carmelization.  Add garlic and the rest of the vegetables – stir well and add tomatoes. Taste for seasoning and add a bit of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper as needed.

Allow to stew at a very gentle boil until all the vegetables have softened and are tender, (about 30 minutes) but still hold their shape.  Taste again, and adjust seasonings if needed.

Don’t you just feel like a taste?

Feta Greek Chicken Burgers

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You are going to love these Greek style chicken, pork burgers

studded with herbs and feta cheese!  

Great dinner when served with Quinoa Couscous Salad

Burgers are really just ideas … following are the ingredients in my burgers, with an approximate portion plan:

equal portions ground chicken and hot italian sausage meat (approx 1 pound each)

2 tbsp minced basil

2 tbsp minced mint

1 large minced garlic clove

3 scallions, sliced fine

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tsp each of salt and pepper

Lightly toss all ingredients together until just mixed.  Do not overmix your meat or it will end up with the texture of a meatloaf!  Form burger patties and place onto lined baking sheet.  Set aside, either in freezer or fridge until you are ready to grill and they have had time to rest.

Grill on greased surface until cooked through.

Serve with:

Grilled thin slices zucchini (lightly coated with olive oil, salt and pepper)

Grilled thick tomato slices (dusted with salt and pepper)

Coat each side of your pita style bun with a generous dollop of mint/dill yogurt sauce:

MINT/DILL YOGURT SAUCE

1 cup greek style yogurt

1/2 cup grated, drained cucumber

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp finely chopped dill

1 tbsp minced mint (try to say that a few times!)

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients, and put in fridge to set up and allow flavours to blend.