Veg out with Zucchini Fritters.....scarf them down with Tandoori Chicken. Definitely a Patio Meal!

The theme at I Heart Cooking Club is Veg Out. The entrée here is Tandoori Chicken and the perfect accompaniment is Nigel Slater’s recipe for zucchini fritters with feta. This is a meal I had been planning for a while. Both recipes were new to me so that can make for an interesting dinner when you don’t know if you’ll like both entrée and side dish.

The flavors complimented each other so very well. If you drink wine, it’s certainly a white wine meal. The fritters are something you can whip up fairly quickly but the Tandoori chicken meal needs prep the day before. It’s not work intensive, just a marinade you need to make the day before and toss the chicken in to sop up all the ooey goodness.

These zucchini fritters weren't too laborious to prepare. Not a quick fix but totally worth it.



Zucchini fritters served with roasted potatoes




PERfect patio meal! I may even ask for this meal for my birthday instead of my usual seafood dinner.



Nigel Slater’s Zucchini Cakes with Feta and Dill
From The Kitchen Diaries
· 1 lb zucchini (about 1 large or 2-3 small), shredded
· Pinch of salt
· 2 tbsp olive oil
· 1 large onion, finely diced
· 1 clove garlic, minced
· 3 tbsp all purpose flour (I used Namaste Foods Gluten Free Perfect Flour Blend)
· 1 small bunch dill, washed, dried, and finely chopped
· 1 egg, beaten
· 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
· Vegetable and/or olive oil for frying
· Lemon wedges to serve
·
Snip the ends off the zucchini and shred. You can use a grater or a food processor. Sprinkle the shredded zucchini with a little salt and set in a colander in the sink to drain for 30 minutes. After the 30 minutes passes, press the zucchini against the colander and ring it with your hands to remove as much excess water as possible. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in skillet. Once hot, sauté the onions 3-5 minutes until soft and aromatic. Add the garlic and the drained zucchini and sauté another 2-3 minutes until everything begins to brown. Add the flour and cook an additional minute. Remove from the heat and transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Add the dill, egg, and feta cheese and mix to combine.

Set a large skillet over medium heat and add a layer of oil to the bottom of the pan (about ¼ inch.) Allow to heat then spoon small pancake-size portions of the zucchini batter into the pan, leaving plenty of space between each. Cook until golden brown on the bottom – about 2-3 minutes, and then using a spatula, carefully flip the cakes over and cook an additional 2 minutes on the other side.

Transfer the cakes to paper towel to drain briefly. Sprinkle with a little salt and serve immediately with the lemon wedges.

Check out the other offerings at IHCC. Enjoy!