Recipe: Southwest Corn and Zucchini Fritters

Zucchini is one vegetable that never lets me down, especially in winter months. I rarely have trouble locating zucchini that's reasonably fresh in most markets in town. Corn is a bit "iffy," but feel free to substitute frozen corn (thawed and well-drained) in this recipe.

Yield: 6 servings

Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 large zucchini (8 ounces)
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Chihuahua or Jack cheese
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup chopped scallions
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, crushed (or cumin powder)
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup fresh or frozen whole kernel corn
• 2-4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups purchased tomatillo salsa

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees.

2.Coarsely shred zucchini; Drain on several layers of paper towels, pressing down and patting dry to remove excess moisture.

3. In a large bowl, stir together eggs, cheese, flour, scallion, cumin, and salt. Stir in zucchini and corn.

4. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat. When oil sizzles when a dollop of batter is placed into the pan, drop rounded tablespoons of the zucchini mixture into hot oil. Cook for 2 minutes on each side or until both sides are golden brown. Place cooked zucchini on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Place in warm oven.

5. Repeat frying remaining cakes. Spoon tomatillo sauce over fritters and serve.

This recipe was written by Peggy Lampman and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on Jan. 18, 2011.