The Zucchini Project: Zucchini Corn Pancakes

Well, I don't know about you, but my zucchini crop is finally starting to fade, and here in Northern Colorado, it won't be long before heavy frosts put a rapid end to the sprawl that has taken over my back yard.  So, this is the final installment of my Zucchini Project, a pretty, green flecked pancake you can eat on its own with any sauce you like on top, or as a side with meat or hot or cold salads. Really, you could use these recipes with other vegetables just as easily, so I haven't been torturing you with my zucchini obsession the way you keep telling everybody I am. Quit complaining.

Zucchini Corn Pancakes

Serves 4

1 pound zucchini, grated
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup corn kernels, frozen, canned or roasted
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil

Place grated zucchini in a colander over the sink. Add salt and gently toss to combine; let sit for 10 minutes. Using a clean dish towel or cheese cloth, drain zucchini completely.

In a large bowl, combine zucchini, corn, eggs, basil, oregano and garlic powder; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Stir in cheese and flour until well combined.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Scoop tablespoons of batter for each pancake, flattening with a spatula, and cook until the underside is nicely golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side, about 1-2 minutes longer.

Serve hot; will keep in the refrigerator up to one week or in the freezer up to one month. 

The Zucchini Project: Zucchini Tots

I was never much for tater tots, honestly: what's the big deal?  They're just unseasoned mini hashbrowns.  But these highlight that delicate, almost mushroomy flavor that zucchini has so nicely.  Plus, they're crispy, so that's pretty good, isn't it?  You can bake these at a variety of temperatures--just keep an eye on them if you want to go a bit hotter or cooler.  In this way, you can pop these in the oven along with whatever main dish you're serving (I recommend some baked fish) and everything can be cooked together.

Zucchini Tots

Serves 6-8 as a side

cooking spray
1 packed cup grated zucchini
1 large egg
1/4 medium onion, minced
1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 tsp kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Grate the zucchini into a clean dish towel until you have 1 packed cup. Wring all of the excess water out of the zucchini; as you know by now, there will be a lot of water. In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon 1 tablespoon of mixture in your hands and roll into small ovals. Place on the cookie sheet and bake for 16 to 18 minutes, turning halfway through cooking until golden brown.

The Zucchini Project: Zucchini Onion Pie

This is really a take on a fall household favorite, my Cheesy Cauliflower Pie.  It works well with any vegetable, so try it all winter long with whatever you have in the fridge.

Zucchini Onion Pie Recipe

Serves 6

1 frozen or refrigerated premade crust
3 eggs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon prepared mustard (I prefer Dijon)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 cups sliced zucchini

1 small onion, chopped

Place frozen pie crust on a baking sheet, poke with a fork in a few places, and prebake at 400°F for about ten minutes, or until crust is getting flaky on bottom.  

In a large bowl, whisk the first seven ingredients. Stir in the zucchini and onion. Pour egg mixture into the pre-baked pie shell, return to oven, and lower the heat to 350°F.  Bake for 25-35 minutes or until lightly browned.

The Zucchini Project: Veggie-loaded Pork Burgers

Zucchini really does come through in this confetti-colored burger recipe, so I'm including it in my Zucchini Project collection. Substitute ground chicken, lamb, or beef if you don't like pork.  (PS--Why don't you like pork? It's delicious!)

Veggie-Loaded Pork Burgers

Makes 4-5 patties

1 lb. ground pork (or meat of your choice)
1 medium zucchini, coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen corn, thawed and drained
½ medium red bell pepper, finely diced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ cup fine bread crumbs (panko works well)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Form into patties and either cook on the grill over medium-high heat (turning carefully to avoid losing vegetables) or sear in some olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat on the stove.

The Zucchini Project: Peanut Butter Zucchini Bread

I told myself I wasn't going to resort to hiding my zucchini in baked goods for this project, but this recipe is just too good to pass up.  Heavily adapted from http://www.tastesoflizzyt.com/.  Lizzy, you are a genius.

Peanut Butter Zucchini Bread with Brown Sugar Streusel

Serves 12

3/4 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup canola oil
2 cups sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
2 cups grated zucchini
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder

Streusel Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons softened butter

Mix together the peanut butter, oil, sugar, eggs, vanilla, zucchini and peanut butter chips in a bowl. Add the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir thoroughly to combine into a smooth batter.

In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour and softened butter. Mix until the streusel is crumbly.

Grease and flour two loaf pans. Split the batter between the two pans. Divide the streusel topping between the two loaf pans, sprinkling the streusel on top. Conversely, you could grease two medium muffin pans (to make 24 muffins) and top with equal amounts of streusel. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 5 minutes, or start checking after 45 minutes if making muffins.

The Zucchini Project: Quick Pickles

I know, we pickle everything during gardening season.  Is this cheating?  I don't think so, because pickles are delicious.  I don't make them just to use leftover vegetables.  I love pickled things.  And if you want some more fussy steps, you can use these for your favorite oven "fried" pickle recipe, like this one.

Quick-Pickled Zucchini

2 – 2 1/4 lb zucchini (4 medium) (yellow summer squash works, too)
3 cloves of garlic, halved
2-3 bay leaves
6-8 pepper corns
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

Marinade Ingredients:
3 cups of boiling hot water
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup white vinegar (5% acidity)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp salt (we used sea salt, non-iodized)

Steam sterilize your clean jar: fill it with 1 cup boiling water, cover with lid and swirl boiling hot water inside the jar. Pour out water.

In the bottom of your clean jar, add garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns.

Combine all of your marinade ingredients and stir until sugar and salt are dissolved. Carefully pour over the layered zucchini in the jar.

Cover tightly with lid and let the jar cool to room temperature on the counter, then refrigerate overnight. From the time you pour in the water, it should marinate a minimum of 12 hours. Will keep in the fridge for about a month.

The Zucchini Project: Zucchini Chips

Like potato chips, only better for you. I guess.  Whatever, these are delicious with beer.

Zucchini Chips

Serves 2-4

1 lb (about 4 cups) thinly sliced zucchini
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
½ tsp olive oil
1 tsp white vinegar

Preheat oven to 230 degrees F.

In a medium bowl whisk salt, pepper, olive oil (if used), and vinegar. Add sliced zucchini and toss to coat.
Spread zucchini slices out in a single layer onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 1½ hours, making sure to check on them every 10 minutes after about an hour.

Eat immediately after removing from oven for maximum crunchiness. If they cool and get soft, reheat them in the microwave on high for 20 seconds at a time.


Pssst!: If you'd like to add some pep to your chips, use them as the base for this clever take on loaded nachos from The Betsy Life. 

The Zucchini Project: Julia Childs' Zucchini Tian

This isn't my first post attempting to address the love/hate relationship gardeners have with zucchini.  We grow it because we know we won't fail (a nuclear bomb might not kill the zucchini plants in my yard), but we quickly grow tired of the squash these prolific plants produce, from mid-summer well into fall.  When I don't plant zucchini seeds, I still end up with more than I crave thanks to neighbors who just can't seem to kick the habit. But you know what?  It's fresh food, pesticide free and straight from the garden.  So I'm not going to complain anymore. And neither should you.

I have posted a few recipes utilizing zucchini in (sometimes) creative ways this year and in years past, and they are referenced below for your reading pleasure.  But just so you can see that I'm not cheating here, I'm going to come up with a new recipe to use zucchini/summer squash every week that we still have them growing in the garden. Lord help me.

Today's recipe is an adaptation from a Julia Childs classic. The zucchini flavor (yes, it does exist) really stands out amidst this gooey, bubbling, comforting casserole that can stand on its own or pair as a hearty side dish to meats.  Mine adds a little acid and some herbs along with some added crunch on top to create a slightly more interesting bite.

Julia Childs' Zucchini Tian (with liberties)

Serve 6-8

2 to 2 1/2 pounds zucchini, trimmed and grated
1/2 cup plain white rice
1 cup chopped onions
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon herbes de Provence
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups warm liquid: zucchini juices plus milk, heated in a pan (watch this closely so that it doesn't curdle)
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese (save 2 tablespoons for later)

juice of 1/2 a lemon

1/2 cup fine breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper

Place the grated zucchini in a colander over a bowl to catch liquid. Toss with about a teaspoon of salt, mixing thoroughly. Let the squash drain 3 or 4 minutes, or until you are ready to proceed. Just before cooking, squeeze dry with your hands. 

While the shredded zucchini is draining, drop the rice into boiling salted water, bring rapidly back to the boil, and boil exactly 5 minutes; drain and set aside.

In a large frying pan, cook the onions over medium heat in the oil for about 10 minutes until tender and starting to brown. Stir in the grated and dried zucchini, herbes de Provence, and garlic. Toss and turn for 5 to 6 minutes until the zucchini is almost tender. Sprinkle in the flour, stir over moderate heat for 2 minutes, and remove from heat.

Gradually stir in the 2 1/2 cups warm liquid (zucchini juices plus milk, heated gently in a pan -- don't let it get so hot that the milk curdles!). Make sure the flour is well blended and smooth.

Remove from the heat, stir in the blanched rice and all but 2 tablespoons of the cheese. Add black pepper and more salt, if necessary, to taste. Turn into buttered baking dish and cook for about 30 minutes at 425F or until tian is bubbling and most liquid has been absorbed. Remove from oven, squeeze the lemon evenly over the top, scatter the breadcrumbs and remaining cheese evenly over the top, and return to oven to cook another 10 minutes, or until the surface is golden brown.  Allow to cool about 5 minutes before serving.

Past zucchini recipes from DFT...

“Fried” Squash Pasta

Mock Apple Cobbler

Summer Squash “Lasagna”

Zucchini Fritters

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