A fritter is a batter containing meat, fruits or vegetables that has been fried.  So it has to be good, right?  It’s fried!  A friend gave me a recipe for zucchini fritters a few days ago and I decided to give them a try.  When you don’t plan your menu ahead of time you frequently have to improvise ingredients.  And sometimes the improvision is a great success.  That was the case here.  These fritters were an excellent side.  Even someone who doesn’t like vegetables will like these.

Ingredients:

2 medium size zucchini shredded

2 garlic cloves minced

2 shallots minced (about 1/4 cup)

1/4 chopped fresh parsley

zest of one lemon

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese shredded

1/2 cup flour

1 egg whisked

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Grate the zucchini and put it in a colander to drain for 10-15 minutes.

Dice the scallions, garlic cloves, and parsley.  Zest the lemon.

Grate the Parmesan cheese.

In a medium bowl combine the zucchini, flour, cayenne and salt and pepper.  Stir to combine.  Stir in the garlic, shallots, parsley and lemon zest.

Stir in the cheese and the whisked egg.  Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a tablespoon or so of canola oil on a griddle or fry pan over medium high heat.  Drop heaping tablespoons of the batter onto the hot griddle and cook 3-4 minutes per side until the fritters are golden brown.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and some applesauce.  I served them as a side with a pork loin and asparagus.

NOTE:  After draining the shredded zucchini you may still need to squeeze out any remaining liquid.  You can do this with your hands or wrap the zucchini in a clean cotton dish towel  and squeeze.

Zucchini is a very mild squash so feel free to experiment with different kinds of herbs like dill or cilantro or basil instead of parsley.