What to do with all that zucchini! Part 1

Every spring I plant a small vegetable garden around the outside of my condo. I'm lucky I live in a corner unit and have lots of space to plant. I do raised beds all around the foundation of the condo on the side and back.  Every year I plant zucchini and every year I am disappointed because the cabbage moths take over and lay their eggs on the leaves, then the larvae get inside the stems and leaves and eat everything.  Hence, no zucchini. When I lived in New Hampshire I always had more zucchini than I knew what to do with.  I even wrote an article for our wive's club newspaper with a bunch of zucchini recipes. Sadly, I no longer have the paper or the recipes. Well this year is different!  I have zucchini!  Lots of it!  So today I am playing with my zucchini and seeing how many recipes I can come up with.

I'm starting off with zucchini pancakes.


1 large zucchini about 4 cups grated
1 teaspoon salt
1 small onion chopped (about 1/2 cup)
3 cloves garlic run through a garlic press
3 Tablespoons fresh basil leaves finely chopped
1.2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Bisquick
2 eggs beaten
3 tablespoons of olive oil.

Scrub zucchini to get off any prickly things and trim off the ends.  I grate mine in the food processor, but you can certainly use a box grater.  You will need about 4  cups.  Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the zucchini and mix well.  Put the zucchini in a strainer over a bowl and let sit for about 10 minutes.

While zucchini is draining, chop the onion, basil and run garlic through a garlic press.  Now take the zucchini and place in a clean dish towel.  Wrap the towel tightly around the zucchini and squeeze.  I got almost a cup of liquid from mine.  The drier you can get your zucchini, the better your pancakes will be.

Put zucchini, onion, garlic, pepper and basil in a bowl and mix well.  Add eggs, Bisquick, and cheese and mix well.  In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat until shimmering.  Add large rounded tablespoon fulls of the zucchini mixture to the oil and pat down.  Cook for about 2 - 3 minutes.  Turn and cook on the remaining side for the same amount of time.  I found it easier to cook them in small batches rather than put too many in the pan and run the risk of the oil dropping in temperature.

These can be made ahead and reheated in the oven for a few minutes.  I ate mine for lunch, but they would make a great side dish.  Enjoy!

Please share this recipe and blog with friends and family and please leave questions and comments in the comments section at the bottom of this post.

Happy Cooking!
Carol

a.k.a.
Nonnie