http://www.care2.com/greenliving/the-green-dish-zucchini-shoestrings.html
The Green Dish: Zucchini Shoestrings
By Melissa Breyer, Senior Editor, Healthy and Green Living
It was bound to happen, the zucchini would come. And come and come and come. In the northeast they are still a manageable size, but here in Southern California where I am visiting my mom: Holy cow. The zucchinis are huge. Her garden is swamped with baseball bat-sized yellow and green squash that are nearly terrifying in the visions of zucchini-only meals-for-months that their sheer size seem to suggest. Would we be able to eat anything else on our visit?
Fortunately my sister came armed with strong ammo: A recipe for shoestring zucchini fries. She made mincemeat of the mammoth dirigibles, and they were so delicious. Rosemary-tinged and crispy, with the sweet moist squash flavor bursting through in the middle of each bite. It actually made me wish we hadn’t used them all up! Not to worry. As I looked over at the garden, there were more growing right before my very eyes.
Zucchini Shoestrings
We used both yellow and green zucchini, that worked nicely. We didn’t make any sauce for these, they were so lovely on their own, but a dipping sauce would be fun too. Next time (tonight?) I’d like to try maybe Alice Waters’ Aioli or maybe skip the rosemary and shower them with cilantro and an Asian dipping sauce.
1 very large zucchini
1 teaspoon salt
Several sprigs of rosemary
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1. Cut the squash lengthwise into halves, and then cut into 1/4 inch slices, then cut those into 1/8.
2. Sprinkle and toss with salt in a colander and set in the sink to drain for 30 minutes. After draining, squeeze out as much water as you can with your hands.
3. Heat oil in a skillet–you want the oil very hot, but not smoking.
4. Toss zucchini with flour in a bowl, then add it to the oil in batches. Cook for about 5 minutes until zucchini is just golden, then toss in a few leaves of rosemary. Cook for another minute until zucchini is golden.
5. Drain zucchini on paper towel and serve immediately.
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9 comments
add your comment »Thanks for the recipe:) We are eating zucchini bread from the freezer this winter.
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I grew huge zuccini and yellow squash from organic seed. Don't harvest them young, and they get big and are very delicious, just peal before cooking, unless baking or steaming halves.
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I love zucchini and will try your recipe. Thank you
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The Care2 group for Healthy Cooking had a great thread on members favorite zucchini recipes a few weeks back.
http://www.care2.com/c2c/groups/disc.html?gpp=48&pst=1095547
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This reminds me of the Zucchini 'fingers' Little Caesars Pizza Stations used to sell about 10 years ago here in Michigan. They served them with warm pizza sauce to dip them in. I always thought they were such a nice alternative to French Fries, but obviously they didn't sell well enough to keep them.
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We have large sized zucchini here in Ohio. Does anyone know a thing or two about freezing it? I've been making bread out of it and got alot of it - 5 plants in garden. Got any good tips?
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don't forget to shred some & freeze it to make zucchini bread and cookies with later (when it's cool enough outside to turn the oven on)!
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mmmmmmmmmmmmm the things i learn here.
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Even in northern California, the squash are huge these days. I was at the farmer's market yesterday and was astounded at the tables piled high with mutant, 5-lb zucchini. This is not to say I didn't buy some. :)
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