Camouflaged vegetables

When I get home from work - and I've said this before - the kitchen is a daunting prospect. The responsibility of dinner looms in the not-so-far distance. I'm always looking for something that won't take me away from my must-see-TV and my must-lie-down couch.

Plus, I'm always looking to get some vegetation into our carnivorous diet, and that's difficult when your life partner won't eat them if he can see them.

This recipe is an oldie but a goodie; I remember it from childhood, when I also hated vegetables. I ate these, though.

Zucchini Pancakes

About 2 zucchinis, grated
-I have a food processor with a grating attachment.
makes things deliciously easy
2 scallions, chopped
1/4-1/2 cup flour
1 or 2 eggs
a good tumble of feta cheese crumbles
a handful mint, chopped
a handful of basil, chopped
oil for cooking
sour cream for eating

1) Wrap the grated zucchinis in a paper towel, and squeeze as much water out of them as possible. You can do this twice. You want them dry, or the texture of the pancakes will be wrong.

2) Combine zucchini, scallions, mint, basil and feta in a mixing bowl.

3) Beat the eggs.

4) Add flour and egg(s) to the vegetable mixture - go slowly. You want the texture not too dry, not too runny. Fold mixture with a fork. FYI, as you mix and as you cook, the texture will get runnier because zucchinis will release more water.



5) Heat some oil in a non-stick pan. If you're a health nut, you can probably just use the non-stick pan, but the pancakes will be dry.

6) Drop batter in about a table spoon at a time. Don't let them touch, or they'll conglomerate. Don't touch them for about 2 minutes, then carefully see if the bottom has cooked enough to keep the pancake together. Then flip. Color should be golden brown.

7) I usually lay them out on a paper towel to soak up some of the oil.

8) Serve with lemon, or lime, and sour cream or Greek yogurt.

Voila. It's easier than it seems.




Be aware that although you can nuke these if you have leftovers, they are really best on the day they were cooked, when they're crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. The next day there is a high chance that they will be soggy and uninteresting.