Every week on Foodie Friday cookbook author and Gourmet Warehouse founder Caren McSherry joins CKNW’s Simi Sara with another recipe to wow your guests and up your game in the kitchen.
It’s that time of the year again when hobby farmers harvest their zucchini and unload their bounty on their nearest and dearest. Say ‘no’ to zucchini muffins and ‘yes’ to these delicious little cakes. It doubles as a great starter or sexy side.
What you need
For zucchini cakes
- 1 large free range egg
- 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 tablespoons finely minced shallots
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
- 1 large zucchini, skin on, grated using the medium shred. Moisture squeezed out, (about 2 cups grated) see note.
- 1 cup panko crumbs
- Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- Olive oil for frying
- Dill sprigs for garnish
For the sauce
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 1-2 Tablespoons creamy horseradish
How to do it
- Lightly beat the egg in a large bowl, add the crumbled feta, shallot, dill and mint
- Add in the squeezed grated zucchini and stir to combine
- Add the panko crumbs (they absorb excess moisture and allow the cake to be firm not soggy)
- Season with sea salt and pepper to taste
- Scoop golf ball sized portions of the zucchini mixture and form into patties. Set aside
- Mix together the 2 sauce ingredients, taste for hotness, adjust and set aside
- Heat a non stick fry pan on medium high heat, add a teaspoon of olive oil
- Working in batches, fry the zucchini cakes on both sides until golden, about 5 minutes per side
- As they are cooked, transfer to a paper lined tray to absorb any excess oil. You will need a tiny bit of oil to the pan for each batch
- Serve with a small dollup of horseradish cream and a tiny sprig of dill
This recipe makes approximately 20 cakes.
NOTE – To remove the moisture from the zucchini, place it in the centre of a cloth kitchen towel, bring the edges up to meet the middle, twist it hard and wring it hard. Voila, moisture removed. You can do the same with your bare hands, just squeeze in smaller amounts. Either way, do not skip this step, it is super important.
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