Nicely crisped and dressed with just a bit of home made honey mustard drizzled over the top, these veggie cakes are a nice change from the more usual zucchini-and-tomato combination. And this recipe, based on one from Williams-Sonoma, while fried, contains very little more than veggies and herbs, with a beaten egg, and just a bit of flour to hold it all together.
We had ours along side a strawberry and romaine salad with some barbecued ribs and thought it a quite nice dinner.
INGREDIENTS
•4 yellow squash
•4 zucchini
•1/2 tsp salt
•1/2 sweet onion
•1 egg, lightly beaten
•2 cloves garlic, minced
•1 tbsp flour
•1/2 tsp dried oregano
•1/2 tsp dried thyme
•1/2 tsp dried basil
•1/2 tsp black pepper
•2 tbsp vegetable oil
Remove the ends then grate the zucchini and yellow squash and toss in a large bowl with the salt.
Let rest for five minutes, then wrap in a clean towel and squeeze out and discard any excess liquid. Return to the bowl.
Grate the onion and add to the bowl along with the beaten egg, flour, herbs and pepper and stir to mix well.
Heat a tablespoon of the veggie oil in a large skillet over medium high heat and drop the zucchini mixture by heaping tablespoon into the pan.
Press the cakes down with the back of a spoon to compress, fry for three or four minutes – until the bottom of the cakes are nicely browned, then flip and cook for another three or four minutes to brown the other side. Remove to a platter and keep warm, then repeat with the remaining zucchini.
OR
My first batch of cakes came out kinda wonky – with bits and pieces dropping off every time I even thought of flipping or otherwise moving a cake – so for my second batch (this recipe will make a dozen or so cakes), I packed some of the zucchini mixture into a ring form and pressed it in place to make a tightly compacted cake before adding to the hot oil in the skillet.
Much more better.
Cook each (now) patty for three or four minutes, then flip and cook for another three or four minutes, until nicely browned on both sides, adding more oil as needed. Transfer the cooked cakes to a platter and keep warm while you form and cook the remaining pancakes.
So, are these as good as batter-heavy deep fat fried zucchini cakes?
Of course not, but, they’re pretty darned tasty, and a lot better for you than than that other version.
And the way I figure, I’ve saved enough fat and calories to more than allow for that nice drizzle of honey mustard over the top.
I do love it when a plan comes together.