As a child, there was just one fritter in my life: my mother's corn fritters. They were sweet, salty, hot and crispy — a special treat that everyone in the family requested for their birthday dinner.
I was well into adulthood before I realized that fritters didn't have to be corn. In fact, fritters come in all sorts of sizes, shapes and flavors. Some are round, others flat. Some are sweet, like a doughnut. Others are savory, like a latke or potato pancake.
Carrots, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, apples, pears and any number of other fruits and vegetables can all be transformed into a delicious fritter. Over the years, though, one other vegetable has become a go-to for me almost as much as corn, and that's zucchini.
Unlike corn, which needs a pancake/cornbread-like mixture to hold it together, zucchini, with its long, shredded strands that entwine ever so slightly, doesn't need a heavy batter. This recipe calls on eggs and panko crumbs as its only binder, which gives these fritters a lightness not always found in flour-based fritters.
Zucchini sometimes gets a bad rap, often being described as bland and watery. It's a good-for-you vegetable that's not always good. But as the base for fritters, zucchini takes on a sexiness only a bath in hot oil can give it.
Before it can take that dip, though, it must go through one important step.
Zucchini's watery reputation isn't without merit. It can shed a lot of liquid, and that can ruin an otherwise delightful fritter. In order to draw it out before the vegetable is combined with other ingredients, it must be salted, allowed to sit and drain, then squeezed in paper towels until dry (well, as dry as it can get).
If you don't take this step, your fritter will either turn out heavy and greasy, or simply fall apart in the cooking process. Neither is the intended outcome.
Once dried, the zucchini is mixed together with green onions, fresh basil, garlic and Parmesan, along with the egg and panko. While this supporting cast may seem like it would overwhelm the delicate flavor of the star vegetable, they simply highlight it, lifting it up enough to let it shine.
With its crispy edges and tender insides, all this dish needs is a squeeze of lemon and perhaps a dollop of sour cream for dipping.
While nothing will ever replace my mother's corn fritters, these end-of-summer beauties come close.
Zucchini Basil and Parmesan Fritters
Serves 4.
Note: Simple and flavor-packed, these fritters — crispy on the edges and tender on the inside — are sure to convert anyone into a zucchini lover. From Meredith Deeds.
• 3 c. coarsely grated zucchini
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 c. panko crumbs
• 1/2 c. thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 c. thinly sliced basil, plus more for garnish
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tbsp. olive oil, divided
• Flaky sea salt
• Lemon wedges
• Sour cream
Directions
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place a rack inside a large, rimmed baking sheet.
In a large colander, toss the zucchini with salt. Place over a bowl and let sit for 15 minutes. Wrap the zucchini in paper towels and squeeze out the excess liquid.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix together the eggs, garlic, panko crumbs, green onions, Parmesan, basil and pepper. Stir in the drained zucchini and let sit for 5 minutes.
Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Drop large spoonfuls (about 2 tablespoons) of the batter into the skillet. Use the back of a spoon to gently press the batter into 2-inch-wide fritters. Fry until golden brown on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Transfer the fritters to the rack in the baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. Carefully wipe the skillet clean with paper towels. Return the skillet to medium-high heat, add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and repeat with the remaining batter.
Transfer the fritters to a serving plate and garnish with a sprinkling of sea salt, Parmesan and thinly sliced basil. Serve hot with sour cream and lemon wedges on the side.
Meredith Deeds is a cookbook author and food writer from Edina. Reach her at meredithdeeds@gmail.com. Follow her on Instagram at @meredithdeeds.