Zucchini Burgers
I used to dislike veggie burgers. There was something about the inevitable smell of patchouli that came along with them. Plus, the tie-dye and hemp shoes. It didn't promise much. Was there going to be anything to chew?
One day, when I was in graduate school at UW-Madison, birthplace of patchouli, I went out to lunch with some fellow earnest English types ("Of course Shakespeare was the first transsexual"). As we stepped into the restaurant, we got hit with the strangest question I've ever been asked from a hostess at her little stand: "Scent or no scent?"
This particular establishment actually had a scent-free section: a place for people who didn't wear cologne, didn't use scented hair products, didn't put on lotion. It was also run by the kind of vegetarians who would whip you with a celery stalk if you mentioned pork chops. I'll admit I was a tad worried: I wasn't too sure I didn't have some sort of scent somewhere. But I bit the bait, went to the scent-free section, and tucked into a vegetarian burger--to never once hesitate again.
These days, I crave the things as a simple lunch (or dinner). This recipe today is for Bruce's zucchini patties, great on a bun with lettuce and mustard as well as in a pita pocket with a creamy blue cheese dressing--or simply as Bruce and I had them: on a plate with a little Pickapeppa Sauce and some sliced tomatoes sprinkled with crunchy sea salt.
Here's the drill for 8 zucchini cakes:
Begin by shredding 3 pounds green or yellow zucchini through the large holes of a box grater into a colander sitting in the sink. Add 1 tablespoon salt, preferably kosher salt, and toss well. Leave the thing along for about half an hour.
Rinse the shreds really well, tossing several times under cool running water in the colander; then pick up those zucchini bits by the handfuls and squeeze them dry before you transfer them to a large bowl.
Grate a peeled, large, yellow onion through the large holes of that same box grater and into the bowl, then add 3 large eggs and 1/2 cup matzo meal. Yes, matzo meal. You can take Bruce out of Queens but you can't take Queens out of Bruce. If you don't happen to have a box of matzo meal sitting around from last Passover, use finely ground unseasoned bread crumbs. (You may have to give yours a spin in a food processor to grind them to the consistency of beach sand.) Of course, you can always go to the supermarket and buy a box of matzo meal. If your friends from church question what in the world you're doing, just tell them you've really gotten into "ethnic food." (By the way, there are two eggs in the picture, but when Bruce made them, he added a third because the two alone didn't cut it.)
Stir in 1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and 3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs. The other day, Bruce used oregano, chives, and sage--but I can also imagine thyme, parsley, and rosemary as part of the mix. Got any other suggestions? Let other readers in on your know-how in the comment section below.
Now you're ready to fry them up. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then swirl in some olive oil, maybe a tablespoon or two of the stuff. Scoop up 1/2 cup of the zucchini mixture, then mound it into the skillet in one quadrant. (Look at me, using my seventh-grade math!) Flatten the mound a bit with the bottom of the measuring cup, then make three more in the skillet.
Cook them until lightly browned, about 4 minutes; then use a spatula to flip them over. Another 3 minutes or so and they should be done. Transfer them to a plate and make four more. They may be a little moist inside--which is a good thing for a good chew. But if you like them even crunchier, reduce the heat to low and continue cooking, turning a couple times, until really well-browned all over.
Now here's the genius: this recipe's a make-ahead. Cool the patties to room temp, then cover a plate with plastic wrap and set it in the fridge for a couple days. When you're ready for your own zucchini-patty extravaganza, just reheat the patties on a large baking sheet in a preheated 400F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until crispy and ready to eat. You can even go scent-free--although at my current advanced age, I find that I have a whole assortment of scents, even when I'm not wearing cologne.
lunch, make-ahead, vegetables, vegetarian, zucchini
Reader Comments (5)
I know exactly what I am having for supper now! I'll report back after I've tried them. :)
Yum!! We had these for supper last night and they were fantastic. Then I reheated this morning, added a sprinkle of feta, black pepper and diced tomatoes on top. Heavenly. Thanks so much for this great recipe.
Terry:
Honestly, I can't think of a better dinner for late summer. I simply love them. Ingenious for breakfast. I was actually going to try one with (believe it or not) a little butter and honey for breakfast. Or I also considered pouring some thick Greek-style yogurt on it for breakfast. All sounds good to me. Thank you so much for your kind comments.
I just made this last night...they came out a little on the 'wet' side (the zucchinis were a little old, and I probably didn't do as good of a job squeezing as I could), but I made them with fresh chopped dill and ate the one I sampled with a little bit of homemade pesto spread on top...cooked to extra-crispy on the outside and yummy. I froze the rest, and I'm looking forward to see if they hold up or not after thawing--I wish I knew what I was thinking when I signed up for a full CSA share when I only cook for two.
Thank you so much for this blog. I am always excited to see new posts from you in my feed! :)
Marisa: And thank you for your kind words. As to the zucchini cakes, I'll bet it was a matter of squeezing. Go more slowly with smaller handfuls. Really work it! As to reheating, put the zucchini cakes on a baking sheet in a preheated 350F oven until they're crisp again--put them on that sheet straight out of the freezer. If you want them to get a little crunchier, give the baking sheet a very light coating of oil.
M.