17 May 2013

In Your Boxes This Week:

Asparagus

Green onions

Rhubarb

Radishes

Lettuce

Cilantro

David reports "very favorable conditions for planting" out on Yoder farm.  He's getting ready to plant long rows of tomatoes, sweet corn, string beans, peppers, and sweet potatoes.   The first spring Kennebec potatoes are starting to come up and he's got lots of greens, spinach, and lettuce in the early-summer CSA  pipeline.  

Radishes with Butter and Sea Salt

Well--it's foolish to call this a recipe.  The French do this with radishes and you should too (especially now, when these spring radishes are sweet and tender):  scrub, rinse, and stem a handful of radishes.  Cut them in half at the equator if you like.   Put out a little room temperature butter alongside a little vessel with some good, coarse sea salt.    Dip a bit of radish into the butter, sprinkle with a little sea salt.  Eat.  Repeat.  

Blanched Asparagus with Green Onion & Cilantro Vinaigrette

1 bunch asparagus, woody ends snapped off

4 green onions, chopped (both whites and greens)

2 T. minced cilantro

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and Pepper

Boil the asparagus in very salty water just until crisp tender (about four minutes).  Meanwhile, whisk together the green onion, lemon juice, olive oil and cilantro.  Season with salt and pepper.  Arrange the still hot asparagus on a plate (it will continue to cook a little on the plate), then drizzle with the vinaigrette.  

Rhubarb, Onion & Raisin Chutney

from Gourmet Magazine

1 1/2 pounds onions, halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices 

3 tablespoons vegetable oil 

1 cup golden raisins 

1/2 cup hot water 

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 

1/2 cup sugar 

1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (about 3 cups)

In a large saucepan cook the onions in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until they are softened. While the onions are cooking, in a bowl combine the raisins, 1/2 cup hot water, the vinegar, the cloves, and the sugar, let the mixture stand for 15 minutes, and stir it into the onions. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring, top it with the rhubarb (do not stir in the rhubarb), and cook the mixture, covered, at a slow boil for 5 minutes. Stir the mixture, cook it, uncovered, for 3 to 5 minutes more, or until the rhubarb is just tender, and season the chutney with salt and pepper. The chutney may be made 1 week in advance and kept in an airtight container and chilled. Serve the chutney warm or at room temperature.

3 May 2013

In Your CSA boxes this week:

Rhubarb

Spinach

Eggs

Ramps

Kale

Greens, greens, greens..... if you are tired of simply wilting them down or chopping them into soup, try this traditional Mediterranean savory pie.

Rustic “Chortopita”

You are probably familiar with “spanakopita,” the famous Greek spinach pies made with phyllo dough. In Greece, the more typical home-made version involves a simple dough in place of phyllo and any greens (“chorta”) available at the moment—the more pungent the better.

The dough:

In a large bowl, put 1.5 cups flour. Make a “well” in the center and into the well pour ½ cup of very cold water, 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Stir the well with a fork, drawing the flour in slowly until the flour and water mixture is nicely combined, then remove to a cutting board and knead the dough until it has a smooth consistency. You may need to flour your surface lightly to keep it from sticking. Wrap the finished ball of dough in plastic and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

The filling:
4-6 cups pungent greens**—kale, turnip greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, chard, spinach, etc.  Wash the greens carefully and spin or pat them dry, then chop them.

1 carrot, finely diced
1 large onion, diced
2 pieces bacon (optional) diced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. Feta cheese
Salt and Pepper
Dill (2 T. fresh or 2 tsp. Dried).

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the bacon and cook a few minutes, until some of the fat renders and it just begins to crisp. Add the onions and carrots with a pinch of salt and pepper and sauté until golden. add the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds. Then add the greens. Toss lightly, just to coat the greens with the onion mixture, and then wilt the greens for about four minutes. Allow to cool. Drain off any water that has gathered in the pan. Then toss in the feta, eggs and dill and set aside.

Lightly oil a pie dish. Remove the dough from the fridge, cut off a third of it and set aside. Roll the larger piece out on a lightly floured board into a thin circle, one large enough to fit into the pie dish. Arrange the piece in the dish, just as if you were making a pie, with the edges of the dough overlapping the edges of the dish. Press down to remove any air bubbles, then add the filling. Roll out the other piece of dough into a “lid” for the pie; place on top of the filling and then seal the two pieces of dough together with your fingers, making a seam along the edge. Brush the top lightly with olive oil and puncture in a few places with a sharp knife. Bake at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes, or until the pie begins to turn golden. Remove from the oven and let cool at least fifteen minutes before slicing.

**If using a very bitter green (like turnip greens), it’s best to mix in another less strong green like spinach. About 50/50 is what I’d recommend.

Home-made Rhubarb & Orange “Pop Tarts”

Roll out your own pie dough if you are feeling ambitious—but the store-bought dough sold in rolls works just fine.

One roll refrigerated pie dough

4 cups rhubarb, cut into ½ inch pieces
Powdered sugar

2 tsp. orange zest
3/4 cup sugar

½ cup fresh orange juice

In a small saucepan, bring the rhubarb, sugar, orange zest and juice to a boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb has fallen apart much of the liquid has cooked off. Then allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the pie dough into eight identical rectangles (each about 4” x 6”). Place four of the rectangles down on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and top with a generous spoonful of the rhubarb jam, being careful to keep it in the middle. Place another rectangle on top and use your fingers to seal the edges of each tart, trying not to trap large air pockets. Then use a fork to crimp all the edges together. Stab a few little holes into the top of each tart.

Bake until just beginning to turn golden—7-10 minutes, keeping a close eye on them. Some rhubarb will likely ooze out—don’t worry. Allow to cool for five minutes, then dust them with a generous amount of powdered sugar and serve (warning: the contents will remain mouth-searingly hot for a long time!).

26 April 2013

In Your Boxes This Week:

Baby Kale

Spinach

Watercress

Wild ramps

Ramps are wild leeks.  They are often the very first thing to emerge from the forest floor in this part of Pennsylvania and all over Appalachia.  The whole plant is edible (once you lop off the little root end, as with a scallion).  Use them like green onions or leeks or spring garlic--they are delicious with egg dishes and are also good very lightly sauteed in olive oil and then tossed with spaghetti and Parmigiano.

Ramp-"Truffled" Oven Fries

When tossed with potatoes and baked this way, the ramps offer the finished fries the earthy, slightly sulfurous flavor of truffle--the first time I made these I swore they were truffle fries.  They are extremely easy, though the parchment paper is a must.

4 medium russet potatoes, peeled (if organic, you might leave the peels on)

3 ramps, whites and greens chopped

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Line a heavy baking sheet with parchment paper.

Cut the potatoes into rather thin "french fry" links.  Transfer to a deep bowl, drizzle with a healthy amount of olive oil, the ramps, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.  Spread out on a single layer upon the parchment paper and put in the oven.  Turn the heat down to 425 and bake for fifteen minutes, then turn the potatoes so they brown on all sides.  They are finished when they are crisp, 20-25 minutes. 

Spring Salad with Baby Kale, Ramp Vinagrette, 

Citrus, Walnuts, and Feta

Many people assume you must braise or steam kale, but with a little knife work you'll find it makes an excellent salad green.  It's also very, very good for you.  This salad serves two.

4 cups baby kale, rinsed and spun dry, then chopped or torn into small pieces

4 ramps (chop--placing the greens and whites in separate containers)

1 grapefruit and one orange: cut into supremes and reserve any extra juice (see here: http://chefinyou.com/2010/01/how-to-supreme-fruits/) 

3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

4 T. Excellent extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. red wine vinegar

Salt and Pepper

Add a drop of olive oil to a skillet set over medium heat and gently toast the walnuts in a skillet, then toss them with a dash of salt.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, put the chopped whites of the ramps, the mustard, the vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of the juice reserved from cutting the fruit.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper, then whisk together to combine.  Continue whisking while adding the olive oil in a slow drizzle, until the vinaigrette emulsifies.

Toss the baby kale along with the ramp greens and arrange it on a large plate.  Top with the citrus supremes, the toasted walnuts, and the feta.   Drizzle with the vinaigrette just before serving.

Tips for Washing and Drying Spring Greens

Please note that David’s greens are not pre-washed like those you buy in the grocery store, which means they come bearing a trace of organic soil now and then, and even an occasional organic critter.  Washing these greens gently is crucial, since they are easily damaged.  The best way to do this is to fill a very large and deep bowl (or even a pasta pot) with very cold water.  Then submerge the greens in the water and wait five minutes: the heavy particles will sink to the bottom, allowing you to scoop the greens off the top with your hands.  Repeat that process two or three times until the water is clean.  If your greens are slightly wilted, add a teaspoon of white vinegar to the first rinse water—that usually perks them right up.

The very best device for drying greens is a salad spinner: they can be purchased for around ten dollars.  If you don’t have one, you can gently swaddle the greens in a large bath town, then pull the four corners together to make a kind of teardrop space.  Go out to the front porch and swing your arms around in a circle while hanging on tightly to the four corners (you don’t want your greens to go flying).  Your neighbors will think you are nuts, but the centrifugal force will pull the water from the greens into the towel. 

And remember to dress your greens LIGHTLY.  These delicate greens won’t need nearly as much dressing as you expect. 

April 19th, 2013

In this week’s box, you will receive:

Wild watercress

Wheat bread

Maple syrup

Spinach

Eggs

About Watercress:

See: http://watercress.co.uk/about/did-you-know/

• Watercress is the richest natural source of a compound referred to as PEITC, short for phenylethylisothiocyanate, which gives the plant its unique peppery flavor and in a wide number of respectable scientific studies has been shown to have powerful anti cancer properties.

• Gram for gram, watercress is a better source of vitamins C, B1, B6, K and E, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese and zinc than broccoli, apples or tomatoes. Watercress is brimming with beta-carotene and vitamin A equivalents. It also contains great quantities of Lutein and Zeaxanthin, types of carotenoids that act as antioxidants, meaning they can mop up potentially damaging free radicals. Quercetin, a type of flavonoid and a powerful antioxidant, is also found in greater quantities in watercress than broccoli and tomato

What to do with it:

•  Watercress is typically eaten raw, either as a salad green or as a peppery garnish for sandwiches, but watercress soup is also something to consider: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/04/watercress-soup

•  My favorite preparation for watercress is completely simple: wash it and spin it out (see below) and then toss it with a generous amount of very good olive oil and some coarse sea salt and ground pepper.  

A quick note about Yoder greens:

Like all his produce, David's greens are grown organically--which means you could just go ahead and eat the dirt (on this point your dentist might disagree). David tends to pre-rinse the greens on the farm to remove the larger bits and pieces, but I'd still recommend that you give them another rinse or two. Here's the easiest way to do that: fill a VERY large bowl with cold water and toss in the greens, flipping them over a few times gently. Then allow them to sit for a few minutes: the solid, unwanted bits will sink. Then scoop the greens off the top into a colander, dump that dirty water, and repeat once or twice more, until your rinse water looks clean. Before dressing your greens, we recommend using a salad spinner to get them nice and dry--this is a worthwhile ten dollar investment. Finally, don't be alarmed to find a critter sinking to the bottom of your rinse bowl, displaced from its home among the baby arugula, mustard greens, and romaine. These are the happiest bugs on earth and their presence offers you some evidence that your produce has been grown organically. Feel free to repatriate these bugs to your local compost pile.

Cranky Egg Salad & Watercress Sandwiches

The eggs get cranky with the addition of a bit of cayenne (entirely optional if you are feeling placid)

4 hard boiled eggs, cooled and diced

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1/3 cup mayonnaise

½ red onion, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Juice of ½ lemon
1 celery stalk, minced

Minced chives (optional)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard

Watercress, largest stems discarded, rinsed and spun dry

Toss all the wet ingredients together, then mix with the eggs, celery and onion. For traditional (albeit “cranky”) tea sandwiches, cut the crusts off some very good, fresh bread, then slather that bread with the egg salad and a small handful of watercress. Top with another piece of bread, then cut the sandwiches into triangles, and devour them with or without your best manners intact.

August 17, 2012

In your CSA delivery today, you'll receive:

SWEET CORN

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES AND CHERRY TOMATOES

STRING BEANS

KENEBEC POTATOES

LEEKS

SWEET PEPPERS

SWISS CHARD

David reports that we'll be seeing sweet corn for several more weeks, since we're just now getting into his third planting (of four).  The tomatoes are still producing very well (the San Marzanos are just really beginning to ripen now), though he's beginning to see a bit of blossom-end rot, which happens when the soil gets too dry.  David hesitates to send anything that doesn't look perfect, but I encouraged him to keep sending them our way: just get our your paring knife and just cut away any soft spots and you'll be enjoying some of the best tomatoes around.  Or leave any tomatoes you want behind and I'll dutifully devour every last one.

Penne with Swiss Chard, Cherry Tomatoes, Bacon, and Goat Cheese

Use either the soft kind of chevre you get in tubes at the grocery  store, or raid the Meadville Market House for the more solid  local goat cheeses—either works beautifully here.

1 pound penne pasta

2 pieces bacon, chopped                                                                                          

Sea salt & freshly-ground pepper

10-15 cherry tomatoes, sliced into quarters                                                   

1 bunch Chard, washed and thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, coarsely minced                                                                             

4 oz. goat cheese, cut into small pieces

3 T. olive oil                                                                                                                      

½  cup dry white wine

                                                               

Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.  Blanch the sliced chard for about thirty seconds, then drain well and set aside.  Cook your penne in the same water until al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, you can quickly assemble the sauce.   Heat a skillet on medium-high, add 2 T. of the olive oil and the bacon. Toss until most of the fat has rendered out and remove from the pan just as it begins to crisp.  Drain off most of the fat, add the remaining tablespoon of garlic and sauté the garlic for no more than thirty seconds, then add the tomatoes and toss for about three minutes, until they begin to soften.  Add the chard and the white wine, season with salt and pepper, and reduce the heat to medium-low.  When the pasta is finished cooking, drain it well and put it directly into the skillet.  Toss well to combine with the kale and tomato mixture, then turn off the heat.  Toss with the goat cheese, another pinch of salt and pepper, and garnish with a little more olive oil.  Serve immediately.

Simple Leek and Potato Soup

Don’t freak out about the cream here—milk will not do, unless you like your soup to have a curdled texture.

2 medium leeks, cleaned carefully and thinly sliced                                  

4-6 medium potatoes, thinly sliced

4 cups good stock, either chicken or vegetable                                            

1 cup heavy cream

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper                                                           

3 T. butter        

Herbs to garnish (parsley, chervil, sage or chives work nicely)            

Ground nutmeg, pinch

Heat the butter over medium in a deep skillet and sauté the leeks, without allowing them to brown at all, until very soft, about ten minutes.  Then add the potatoes and the stock and bring to a boil.  Simmer until the potatoes are very soft, about fifteen minutes, then add the cream and a pinch of nutmeg and  simmer for five more minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.  Working in batches, puree the mixture in a blender, but try not to over-puree the mixture or it will become tacky.  Return to the pan, check for seasoning, and heat over low before serving with minced fresh herbs.  

Sagaponack Corn Pudding

from Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 5 cups fresh yellow corn kernels cut off the cob (6 to 8 ears)
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup (6 ounces) grated extra-sharp cheddar, plus extra to sprinkle on top

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease the inside of an 8 to 10-cup baking dish.

Melt the butter in a very large saute pan and saute the corn and onion over medium-high heat for 4 minutes. Cool slightly.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, and half-and-half in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the cornmeal and then the ricotta. Add the basil, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add the cooked corn mixture and grated cheddar, and then pour into the baking dish. Sprinkle the top with more grated cheddar.

Place the dish in a larger pan and fill the pan 1/2 way up the sides of the dish with hot tap water. Bake thepudding for 40 to 45 minutes until the top begins to brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

3 August 2012

This week's CSA box screams 

SUMMERTIME:

Heirloom tomatoes

San Marzano (paste) tomatoes

Sweet corn

Green Peppers

Garlic

Green Beans

Cucumbers

and help yourself to more zucchini from a big box in the garage! 

****** 

Big news from Yoder farm: the first of David and Lydianne's seven children is getting married.  Menno Yoder is on the calendar to get hitched the second week of September.  Big congratulations to the Yoders on this momentous occasion!

Quick San Marzano Sauce

San Marzano (paste) tomatoes

1 thinly sliced clove of garlic to every four tomatoes 

3 leaves of basil for every four tomatoes

Excellent olive oil

Salt, Pepper, and Sugar

A pinch of cracked red pepper

Fill a large pot about half full with water and bring to a boil.  In the meantime, rinse and core as many San Marzano tomatoes as you have.   Fill your sink or a large bowl with very cold water and set aside.  Plunge cored tomatoes into the boiling water, about ten at a time, and leave them there for about 60 seconds, just long enough for the skins to begin to break.  Remove them with a slotted spoon directly into the cold water.  The skins should be very easy to peel off within seconds.  Remove peeled tomatoes whole to a colander.

When the peeled tomatoes are cool enough to handle, either finely chop them with a knife or run them through a food mill, being careful to capture all the juices.

To a saucepan heated over medium, add a generous pool of olive oil and then add the slice garlic and cook just until the garlic begins to sizzle (about thirty seconds), then immediately add the tomato pulp along with the basil and a good pinch of salt.

Simmer the tomatoes slowly until the sauce thickens (this will depend on how much moisture the fruit exudes).   Taste for salt and then season with a pinch of sugar, a few grinds of black pepper, and a pinch of cracked red pepper. 

Freezing Tomatoes

If you find canning intimidating, this is a simple way to “put up” paste tomatoes for winter.

Fill a large pot about half full with water and bring to a boil.  In the meantime, rinse and core as many tomatoes as you have.   Fill your sink or a large bowl with very cold water and set aside.  Plunge cored tomatoes into the boiling water, about ten at a time, and leave them there for about 60 seconds, just long enough for the skins to begin to break.  Remove them with a slotted spoon directly into the cold water.  The skins should be very easy to peel off within seconds.  Remove peeled tomatoes whole to a colander.

Place whole, peeled tomatoes—about a dozen at a time—in Ziploc freezer bags, sucking the air out with a straw before sealing to remove any excess air.  Freeze on cookie sheets so they stay flat for easy storage.

Roasted Tomato Confit

This is one of the best ways to prepare—and preserve—tomatoes.  This works for heirloom tomatoes and cherry tomatoes, but you can toss in some paste tomatoes for good measure too.

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees.  Core the stem end of each tomato and then cut it in half at the equator.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper; scatter basil leaves over parchment paper, place tomato halves cut side down directly on top of basil, toss on some whole, unpeeled garlic cloves, drizzle with olive oil and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper.  Place on the middle rack of the oven and roast for thirty minutes.  At this point, remove from the oven and carefully drain off (or spoon off) the collected liquid into a large bowl, reserving this liquid for later.**  Keep the tomatoes out of the oven just until they are cool enough to handle; pull the skins off each tomato slice and discard.  Lower the oven heat to 350 degrees.  Return tomatoes to the oven and roast for another forty minutes, draining the juice off into your bowl every 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

At this point, the tomatoes can be eaten just as they are, or incorporated into dishes (see below for some ideas).  They can also be preserved in two ways. 

First, for short-term storage, you can make a simple tomato confit.  Fill a tall narrow jar with the roasted tomatoes and press them down with a spoon to release any air pockets.  Pour olive oil over the tomatoes until an eighth inch layer of oil covers all the tomatoes.  These can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. 

Second, for long-term storage, you can freeze roasted tomatoes.  Put them in freezer bags and then squeeze all the air you can out of the bags before sealing.  Place them flat on to cookie sheets and freeze (this will make for easy storage later).

**As for the reserved tomato liquid.  It is astonishingly delicious and is the key ingredient to the risotto recipe, below.  Or freeze it and add it to your fall minestrone.

Roasted Tomato Risotto

10 ripe tomatoes, cored, and sliced in half                                          4 T. olive oil

2 cloves peeled garlic                                                                          1 large handful fresh basil

1.5 cups aborio rice                                                                             1 cup white wine

3 cups chicken stock                                                                           Salt and Pepper

1 small onion, minced                                                                         1 T. butter                  

½ cup whole milk                                                                                Parmesan cheese

Roast the tomatoes according to the instructions above, being careful to reserve the liquid you pour off the roasting fruit.

Combine chicken stock with the reserved tomato liquid and bring to a simmer.  Heat another large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium, add 2 T. olive oil and sauté minced onion until translucent, about three minutes.  Add the rice and “toast” while stirring continually for about two minutes.  Add the roasted tomatoes (along with the peeled garlic and de-stemmed basil from the roasting pan) and stir for another minute, then add the white wine and reduce the heat to a  simmer.  When the wine has been fully absorbed, begin adding the stock/tomato liquid, a ladle at a time, stirring every minute or so, until the rice becomes al dente.  To finish the risotto, add in one more splash of stock, the butter, the milk and a generous grating of fresh Parmesan cheese.  Garnish with more Parmesan just before serving.

Penne with Tomato-Herb Cream Sauce

1 pound penne (or your choice of pasta)                                 

1 pint cream ( at room temperature)

4 very ripe tomatoes, diced                                                                    

1 T. butter                              

Fresh herbs, minced (basil, oregano, parsley, chives, and sage work very well)

Nutmeg, salt & pepper                                                            

One onion, minced

Spoon diced tomatoes into a colander and sprinkle with a little salt.  Let strain, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes. 

While you make the following sauce, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook your pasta.  Sauce: In a deep saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.  When it begins to bubble, add minced onion and sauté for about three minutes.  Add minced herbs and stir just to coat with butter.  Continue stirring as you add the cream, a little at a time.  Season with a pinch of ground nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Bring to a very low simmer (you may need to lower the heat even more if it threatens to set on) for ten minutes, stirring frequently.  Add tomatoes to the cream and bring back to a simmer for an additional ten minutes.  Add cooked pasta into the sauce and toss well.  Serve with additional sprinklings of fresh herbs and garnish with Parmigiano.  Note: For a more substantial meal, you may add diced, grilled chicken breast meat or raw shrimp during the last five minutes of cooking the sauce.

Kolokithokeftedes

Kolokithokeftedes
Greek Zucchini Fritters

2 medium zucchini, coarsely grated
1 red onion, very finely chopped

1 clove garlic, minced (optional)

8 cherry tomatoes, finely minced (optional)
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
2 T. fresh mint, chopped
2 T. flat leaf parsley, chopped
¾ cup All-purpose flour
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil

Salt the grated zucchini generously and put in a fine sieve (or a salad spinner). Place a bowl or pan of water on top of the zucchini to weight it down. Drain for at least one hour, stirring occasionally. Remove them from the sieve and squeeze out any remaining excess moisture by hand.

Beat the egg and then whisk in the herbs, onion, garlic, feta, chopped tomatoes, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper.  Then add the grated zucchini and the flour.  The finished batter should be rather thick (it should stand up when heaped on a spoon). Add more water or flour to achieve that thickness (the initial measurements here are only guidelines; it will all depend on how much liquid your zucchini expel).

Heat a touch of olive oil in a non-stick pan. Drop heaping spoonfuls of the zucchini batter into the hot oil, pressing them down slightly to form small patties about three inches in diameter. Fry until lightly browned on each side (about five minutes per side). Remove to a paper towel and continue frying until all the zucchini mixture is gone. Serve hot or at room temperature with some squeezes of fresh lemon or some tzatziki.