Well Fed Network

I’ve well documented my love of Nigella Lawson here on Well Fed and elsewhere, but this has to be the best use of zucchini (apart from compulsive baking of zucchini bread and/or muffins, including these amazing ones from Sarah’s Cucina Bella) I’ve seen in a long time. Her zucchini fritters with mint and feta make the best use of what the gardens are yielding right now, and can be served warm or at room temperature. We ate it the other night with a CSA-full salad and a simple dressing. It’s from her book Forever Summer, and yields about two dozen.

Ingredients:

4 zucchini (approx. 1 pounds)
5-6 scallions, finely chopped
9 ounces feta cheese
small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
small bunch fresh mint, chopped, plus extra to sprinkle over at the end
1 tablespoon dried mint
1 teaspoon paprika
scant 1 cup all-purpose flour
salt and pepper
3 eggs, beaten
olive oil for frying
3-4 limes

Instructions:

1. Coarsely grate the zucchini with either the grating blade in the food processor or by hand. Spread the little shards out on a tea towel and leave for about 20 minutes to get rid of any excess wetness.
2. Put the chopped scallions in a bowl and crumble in the feta. Stir in the chopped parsley and mint, along with the dried mint and paprika. Add the flour and season well with salt and pepper. Gradually add the beaten egg and mix thoroughly before stirring in the drained, grated zucchini. Don’t be alarmed by the unflowing straggly lumpiness of this batter; it’s meant to be this way.
3. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan and drop heaped dessertspoons of the moisture into the hot oil, flattening the little cakes down the back of the spoon as you go. Cook these little patties for about 2 minutes each side until golden, and then transfer to a couple of waiting plates.
4. Chop up the limes and tumble them about the edges of the plates. Sprinkle over a little more chopped mint and eat them just as they are, spritzed with lime juice as you go.