I am officially in hoodie and thick sweatpants mode and I love it. It’s like being wrapped by a thick reliable pillow 24/7. Good lounge wear is like the understanding boyfriend I never had. My gray hoodie and pajama bottoms are simultaneously my Netflix and cooking uniform. When in doubt, wear neutral colors.
With my cooking uniform on, it finally feels cool enough that standing next to a pan of hot oil before frying up something crispy actually sounds appealing. Besides, my thick gray uniform keeps the sizzling oil away from my skin. Netflix/food uniform/PJs/cooking armor – check it.
Now that I can comfortably fry whatever I want without breaking a sweat, it’s time to play with some food. This time, it’s a little healthy and a little naughty. Fried vegetables are still vegetables, right?
I’ve got something in the form of fritters for this post. To be exact – zucchini, potato, and leek fritters with fresh herbs. Consider this a lighter version of latkes. In fact, the flavors are similar to the ones found in the fried squash blossoms. Nothing wrong with that.
These are great as appetizers to share with friends, or to be eaten alone while watching “Luke Cage.” They’re also great in sandwiches as well. This one packs a lot of umami.
So give this one a try because it’ll keep your kitchen warm and your bellies happy.
Zucchini Leek Fritters
By W.
Makes about 10-12
1 cup grated russet potatoes
1 zucchini, grated
1 leek, finely chopped
1 scallion, finely chopped
1 minced garlic
1 egg
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon of chopped rosemary
1 teaspoon of chopped sage
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Salt and pepper
Pinch of cayenne
Vegetable oil
Wash the grated potatoes in a large bowl of cold water. Swish it around to loosen up the starch. Drain the potatoes and repeat the process. This time, the water should be clearer. Drain and place potatoes into a large bowl lined with a paper towel. Sprinkle some salt on to draw out the moisture. Add zucchini on top of potatoes and add salt again to draw out water.
While the potatoes and zucchini are resting, start chopping the leeks, garlic, rosemary, and sage. Place chopped ingredients into a medium bowl. Lift the paper towel from the bowl containing the potatoes and zucchini and dump them into the bowl with the other ingredients. Crack an egg in, add flour, season with salt and pepper, toss in paprika and cayenne.
Use a spatula to mix everything together. Set aside. Heat up a pan of oil over medium heat, oil should fill up the pan about 1/8″ high.
Use heaping spoonfuls to place fritter batter into the hot oil but don’t let them touch. Fry for about 2 minutes before flipping them over with tongs, they should be golden brown. Fry for another two minutes and move them to a plate lined with a paper towel. They’ll need to be fried in batches if the pan is small.
Once they’re all done frying, top them off with some sea salt. Maybe some aioli and fried sage, too. Serve immediately.
If you have leftovers, simply refrigerate them and toast them back to life.
