THE GREAT ZUCCHINI ROUNDUP

 

Big zucchini hiding in the shadows!

Hand-pollination is the secret. Never could I grow zucchini. The little zukes turned yellow and fell off the plant. This year, having built a fence to keep out the boars, Ben took over the gardening. When the first little zucchinis appeared, he shook the male flowers over the female flowers and, hey! Full-grown zucchinis. Lots of them. 

I’ve pulled up my favorite zucchini recipes. Here’s a new recipe for fried zucchini balls and a roundup of some good ones from before. 

Fried Zucchini Balls (recipe below). These are creamy-cheesy on the inside with a little texture from the shredded zucchini and crisp on the outside. Served with Greek yogurt-cilantro for dipping, they make good appetizers. Or, vegetarian dinner stuffed in pita pockets. 

Moroccan Chopped Zucchini Salad. Lots of fresh flavors, this salad goes well with grilled foods. See the recipe here. (The same post has another recipe for marinated zucchini.)

Cold Zucchini Vichyssoise. 

Chilled soup that's not gazpacho. This is similar to vichyssoise, but with zucchini in addition to the leeks and potatoes. (Recipe here.)

Zucchini and Cherry Tomato Clafoutis

Clafoutis is a French dessert, somewhere between quiche and cake, traditionally made with black cherries. This is a savory version with diced zucchini and cherry tomatoes. Get the recipe here.

Spaghetti and Zucchini Noodles with Pesto. 

Have you ever made "zoodles"? Spiral-cut zucchini makes a great stand-in for pasta. Here the zoodles are combined with real spaghetti, basil pesto, and cherry tomatoes. Summertime. The recipe--and another for Tortilla with Zucchini and Eggplant--is here.

Fake Chanquetes (Crispy Fried Zucchini)

Chanquetes are tiny, transparent fish, once a Málaga culinary trademark. Their fishing is now prohibited in order to prevent the larvae of other species being captured and sold as chanquetes. Grated zucchini, floured and fried, makes a credible counterfeit! Get the recipe here.

Zucchini Boats Stuffed with Quinoa, Vegetables, and Cheese. When the zucchini gets too big, nothing to do but hollow it out and stuff it with something. This version is vegetarian. Another version is Zucchini Tubs Stuffed with Shrimp. Both recipes are here. 

Pan-Fried Hake Fillets with Pisto. Pisto is the summer dish that goes with everything. Not to be confused with pesto, pisto is usually made with zucchini, peppers, onions, and tomatoes, sometimes with eggplant too. Here it serves as side dish and sauce for easy fried fish fillets. Get the recipe here.

Zucchini-Cheese Timbale

Here is a super easy summer dish--a timbale or vegetable flan that is baked in the microwave. The recipe is here.

Chocolate-Zucchini Cake.

Remember chocolate-zucchini cake? It's pretty good and this recipe is super fast because it bakes in the microwave. Serve it with raspberries and a dollop of whipped cream. Recipe here. (You'll find some more good ideas for using the microwave. Just yesterday I made a quickie baba ghanoush, eggplant pureed with tahini and garlic, by cooking the eggplant in the MW.) 

Fried Zucchini Balls

Bolitas de Calabacín

Makes 2 dozen (1-inch) balls

1 ½ pounds zucchini

2 tablespoons chopped onions

1 teaspoon salt

3 ounces queso fresco, mashed

3 ounces grated cheese

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup + fine dry bread crumbs

¼ teaspoon cumin

¼ teaspoon hot pimentón (paprika)

Flour for dredging

Olive oil for frying

Yogurt or dipping sauce to serve

Grate the zucchini. Place it in a colander with the onions and mix with the salt. Let drain 30 minutes. Squeeze out as much of the moisture as possible. (If desired, save the zucchini water for soup making.)

Combine the queso fresco, grated cheese, and egg in a mixing bowl. Add the drained zucchini and mix well. Add 1/3 cup of crumbs, cumin, and pimentón. Mix very well. Refrigerate the mixture 1 hour.

If the zucchini mixture seems very squishy, add 1 or 2 tablespoons more of bread crumbs. Shape into 1-inch balls. Roll them in flour to coat. If not ready to fry the balls, place them on a sheet pan and refrigerate, uncovered.

Heat oil in a pan to a depth of ½ inch. Fry the balls on medium-high until they are golden-brown on all sides. Don’t let them brown too quickly or the zucchini will not cook. 

Drain the balls on paper towels. Serve immediately with yogurt or dipping sauce to accompany.