zucchini-carrot fritters

What's a girl to do when it's snowy outside (and she's a California driver in the snow...), she's promised her younger child they'd stay in their PJs all day (second reason why the supermarket's not an option), and she opens the fridge and finds a zucchini and some carrots starting to head past their prime? Quickly figure out something to make with them, of course! I've been pinning recipes I want to try and vaguely remembered some sort of veggie cake/patty/fritter. Hmmm, but not one with zucchini. Still, that idea sounds good. A quick google of "zucchini fritters" comes up with a few different ones, but this one from The Healthy Foodie sounds easy and I've got eggs, whole wheat flour and Parmesan on hand, so that's the one to try. They turned out great! We had them for lunch, but they would also make a nice savory breakfast.

Zucchini-Carrot Fritters

makes about 25 fritters

based on this recipe by The Healthy Foodie

1 medium-large zucchini

2 medium carrots

1/2 a medium onion

zest of 1 lemon

2 eggs

1 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded

4 Tablespoons (1/4 C) whole wheat flour

salt & pepper (optional)

olive oil (or your favorite cooking oil)

Shred the zucchini, carrots and onion. (I used the shredding attachment of my Cuisinart.) Transfer to a mixing bowl. Using a paper towel, press into the veggie mixture, trying to draw out any extra moisture. Add the remaining ingredients to the mixing bowl (lemon zest, eggs, flour, Parmesan cheese and a bit of salt & pepper). Blend with your hands until everything is combined. Heat a skillet over medium heat and drizzle with olive (or your choice of) oil. Drop Tablespoon-sized balls of batter into skillet. Press down with spatula to flatten the fritters so they cook evenly, and flip the fritter half way through cooking. Once they are cooked through and lightly browned on both sides, place fritters on a paper towel to remove excess oil. Enjoy warm on their own, topped with a bit of sour cream and applesauce, or drizzled with hot sauce. Can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge or freezer and reheated on a baking sheet (350 for 10 minutes, or so), so they crisp up again. Enjoy! 

July 2012 update - I baked these yesterday (instead of pan-frying them, see photo below) and it worked perfectly. So, this is another cooking option. I lightly drizzled oil (your choice of oil... use one that can withstand high heat. I used walnut oil.) on a rimmed baking sheet and evenly space the fritter batter. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes, and then broil the fritters until crispy brown (flipping so both sides are evenly browned). 

OK, now back to the original  pan-fried recipe. Here it is in pics, for those who like a step by step visual:

I medium-large zucchini + 2 carrots

+ 1/2 a medium onion (which I quartered so it would fit down the Cuisinart chute).

This is the Cuisinart blade I use to shred.

Transfer the shredded veggies to a mixing bowl.

Add 2 eggs, 1/4 cup of flour, and 1 cup of shredded Parmesan +

the zest of 1 lemon.

Drop Tablespoon-sized balls of batter into a heated fry pan that's been drizzled with olive oil (or whatever oil you like to cook with). Press down with the back of the measuring spoon to flatten the fritters, and do it again with the spatula when you flip them, so they cook evenly.

Once they're cooked through and lightly browned on both sides, transfer the fritters to a paper towel to remove any excess oil.

My younger son liked his served with a bit of sour cream in which to dip them. I had mine with a couple of shakes of hot sauce. I think they would also be good with a sweet drizzle of maple syrup for breakfast, or topped with a savory glop of Greek yogurt!