ZUCCHINI BACON FRITTERS WITH BASIL-MAYO DIPPING SAUCE
Fried zucchini is a classic snack, but watch what happens when it's amped up with smoky bacon and spicy jalapeño. The fragrant, floral basil dipping sauce is a terrific complement to the tender, light zucchini bites, filling your mouth with the scent of summer. (Editors' note: This recipe is solely the creation of Andrea Albin and has not been formally tested by the test kitchen.)
Provided by Andrea Albin
Categories Blender Appetizer Cocktail Party Mayonnaise Basil Bacon Zucchini Summer Deep-Fry Gourmet Sugar Conscious Kidney Friendly Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free
Yield Makes about 40 fritters
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Make basil mayo:
- Purée basil with mayonnaise, water, and lemon juice in a blender. Transfer to a small bowl and chill until ready to use.
- Make fritters:
- Preheat oven to 200°F.
- Heat 3 inches oil to 350°F in a deep 5-quart pot over medium-high heat.
- Meanwhile, whisk together flour, baking powder, cayenne, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Stir together zucchini, jalapeño, chives, and a pinch of salt in another bowl. Add egg, milk, and bacon to zucchini mixture and toss to coat zucchini. Stir in flour mixture until incorporated.
- Fry small spoonfuls of batter in batches of about 10, turning occasionally, until golden-brown all over, 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Return oil to 350°F between batches.
- Serve fritters with basil mayo.
ZUCCHINI FRITTERS WITH SOUR CREAM SAUCE
adapted from smitten kitchen! love her :) These fritters keep well, either chilled in the fridge for the better part of a week and or frozen in a well-sealed package for months. When you're ready to use them, simply spread them out on a tray in a 325 degree oven until they're hot and crisp again.
Provided by sofie-a-toast
Categories Vegetable
Time 25m
Yield 10 fritters
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Trim ends off zucchini and grate them either on the large holes of a box grater or, if you have one, using the shredding blade of a food processor. The latter is my favorite as I'm convinced it creates the coarsest and most rope-like strands and frankly, I like my fritters to look like mops.
- In a large bowl, toss zucchini with 1 teaspoon coarse salt and set aside for 10 minutes. Wring out the zucchini in one of the following ways: pressing it against the holes of a colander with a wooden spoon to extract the water, squeezing out small handfuls at a time, or wrapping it up in a clean dishtowel or piece of cheese cloth and wringing away. You'll be shocked (I was!) by the amount of liquid you'll lose, but this is a good thing as it will save the fritters from sogginess.
- Return deflated mass of zucchini shreds to bowl. Taste and if you think it could benefit from more salt (most rinses down the drain), add a little bit more; we found 1/4 teaspoon more just right. Stir in scallions, ginger, garlic, lemon zest, and egg and some freshly ground black pepper. In a tiny dish, stir together flour and baking powder, then stir the mixture into the zucchini batter.
- In a large heavy skillet - cast iron is dreamy here - heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Drop small bunches of the zucchini mixture onto the skillet only a few at a time so they don't become crowded and lightly nudge them flatter with the back of your spatula. Cook the fritters over moderately high heat until the edges underneath are golden, about 3 to 4 minutes. If you find this happening too quickly, reduce the heat to medium. Flip the fritters and fry them on the other side until browned underneath again, about 2 to 3 minutes more. Drain briefly on paper towels then transfer to baking sheet and then into the warm oven until needed. Repeat process, keeping the pan well-oiled, with remaining batter. I like to make sure that the fritters have at least 10 minutes in the oven to finish setting and getting extra crisp.
- For the topping, if using, stir together the sauce ingredients and adjust the flavors to your taste. Dollop on each fritter before serving. These fritters are also delicious with a poached or fried egg on top, trust me.
ZUCCHINI NOODLES WITH BASIL PESTO AND BACON
There's no pasta in this dish, just fresh zucchini noodles tossed in a delicious bacon and pesto sauce.
Provided by Monica P.
Categories Fruits and Vegetables Vegetables Squash
Time 30m
Yield 2
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Lay bacon slices on a large baking tray.
- Broil in the preheated oven until crispy, 9 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a large plate lined with absorbent kitchen paper and allow to cool and harden.
- Crumble the cooled bacon into smaller pieces and combine with pesto sauce.
- Use a spiralizer or julienne peeler to cut zucchini into noodles, snipping midway to prevent them from getting too long.
- Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add zucchini and garlic and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add pesto-bacon mixture and heat for 2 minutes longer. Toss well so the noodles are evenly coated. Taste and season with salt if needed.
- Top with freshly grated Parmiggiano-Reggiano cheese so it can melt while the dish is still warm. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Top with arugula, but do not mix it in. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 568.1 calories, Carbohydrate 22.4 g, Cholesterol 57.2 mg, Fat 44.9 g, Fiber 7.3 g, Protein 24.9 g, SaturatedFat 11.6 g, Sodium 1206.9 mg, Sugar 9.3 g
Tips:
- For the best results, use fresh zucchini. If you only have frozen zucchini, thaw it completely and squeeze out any excess moisture before using.
- Be careful not to overcook the zucchini bacon fritters. They should be cooked until golden brown and crispy on the outside, but still tender and moist on the inside.
- Serve the zucchini bacon fritters immediately with the basil mayo dipping sauce. The fritters are best when eaten fresh and hot.
- To make the basil mayo dipping sauce, simply combine mayonnaise, sour cream, chopped basil, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste. You can also add a touch of cayenne pepper for a little spice.
- If you don't have time to make the basil mayo dipping sauce, you can serve the zucchini bacon fritters with your favorite dipping sauce, such as ranch dressing or ketchup.
Conclusion:
Zucchini bacon fritters are a delicious and easy-to-make appetizer or side dish. They are perfect for parties or potlucks, and they are also a great way to use up leftover zucchini. The fritters are crispy on the outside, tender and moist on the inside, and they are full of flavor. The basil mayo dipping sauce adds a creamy and tangy flavor that complements the fritters perfectly. If you are looking for a new and exciting way to enjoy zucchini, give these fritters a try.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love