In Michigan, a plate of zucchini fritters served in August is a popular dish, as true to the season as a slice of apple pie plated up in October. But you’ll find these tasty fritters are global fare, with folks like us tangled in the same zucchini vine looping around the planet. This month, I imagine queries for "zucchini recipes” are being tapped into search engines by the millisecond.

Zucchini fritters are especially popular as appetizers on small plate menus. In Greece or Turkey, for example, you could enjoy zucchini fritters, seasoned with feta and lemon, on a traditional “mezes”; or as part of an “antipasti”, topped with tapanade, in Italy. I found the following Pine Nut Sauce recipe in a Spanish tapas cookbook (“Tapas” recipe collection; author unknown).

These fritters will be the appetizer portion of a Spanish inspired dinner. I'll also serve some Spanish sheep's milk cheeses, Spanish olives and Marcona almonds. Tomorrow’s feed will be the main course of Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with Lump Crab and Shrimp with Fresh Herb Croutons.

Yield: 6-7 (3-inch) Fritters with Pine Nut Sauce
Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients for Zucchini Fritters

2-3 small-medium sized zucchini (2 cups, before wringing out water)
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely chopped lemon zest, plus addition threads of zest for garnish
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano
1/2 cup torn basil leaves
1 cup olive oil (for frying)

Directions for Zucchini Fritters

1. Trim ends from zucchini and coarsely grate, using the largest holes on a box grater. Line a colander with paper towels and place zucchini on towels. Wrap towels around zucchini and wring out as much water as possible, changing towels if necessary.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. Stir in egg, garlic, Parmesan and basil, then incorporate grated zucchini into the mixture. (At this point, the batter may be made and refrigerated, covered, up to 3 hours in advance.)
3. Preheat oven to 225Ëš.
4. Pour the oil into a large sauté pan to a depth of 1/4 inch. Heat oil over medium-high heat until oil shimmers and bubbles when a bit of zucchini batter is placed into oil. For each fritter, place 2 tablespoons batter, 3 inches in diameter by 1/4 inch thick, into hot oil. Fry patties until golden brown and crisp on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
5. Transfer the fritters to a paper towel-lined plate and place in warm oven until ready to serve. (Do not let fritters sit longer than 30 minutes in the oven; they are best quickly drained and eaten.) Repeat with another batch, adding more oil as needed.
6. Before serving, top fritters with Pine Nut Sauce (recipe follows) and garnish with additional lemon zest.

Ingredients for Pine Nut Sauce

2/3 cup pine nuts
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon basil, chopped

Directions for Pine Nut Sauce

Place pine nuts in food processor; purée. With motor running, add garlic, extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water to form a purée. Add kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Stir in basil.
(May be made up to 48 hours in advance but add basil at the last minute. Bring to room temperature before serving.)