Happy National Zucchini Day, everyone! Sometimes I think these national food holidays are a little silly, but I can really get behind one that encourages more in-season veggies in your diet (or more ice cream – I’m still human, after all). I’m a little bit new to zucchini, or at least, new to the world of zucchini used in something other than a sugar-laden baked bread or muffin, but I’ve been enjoying it in healthier recipes a lot lately.
One of those recipes was for zucchini croquettes, or rounds of this green summer squash coated in bread crumbs and baked perfection. The zucchini remained firm, giving it substance, and the flavors were very subtle and, dare I say it? Plain. I do like a clean palate every once in a while, and it isn’t that the meal was bland – just not bursting with spice and herbs and other ingredients I normally gravitate toward. I paired it with a simple sautéed cabbage with a little white bean dip stirred in for good measure. The cabbage reminded me of Brussels sprouts with less of a bite – not a wow factor dish, but certainly an enjoyable one. The only thing that might make this meal better would be a sprinkling of cheese – maybe a little parmesan, the real stuff – but other than that, it was wonderful as is.
On a side note, I cannot tell you why I don't have a picture of this meal. My camera did go on the fritz at one point and lost a few documented meals, and perhaps this was one of them, but for some reason I'm missing this one in my files. I'm sorry about that! The original post has some beautiful snapshots, though, if you're curious as to what the croquettes look like before trying them out yourself.
Past Zucchini Recipes: Zucchini Chips, Egyptian Edamame Stew, Balsamic Chicken Skillet, Pesto Veggie Pasta
Baked Zucchini Croquettes over Cabbage, adapted from Dulcis in Furno
Yield: 2 servings
The Ingredients
1 zucchini
3 tablespoons egg whites
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs*
garlic powder, dried oregano & basil, to taste
3 tablespoons egg whites
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs*
garlic powder, dried oregano & basil, to taste
2 cups green cabbage, coarsely chopped
¼ cup white bean puree
The Method
Wash, dry and cut the zucchini into 1-inch slices, and set aside to rest for 2 hours. When ready to resume cooking, place the cabbage in a steamer in a pot of very shallow water over medium-low to begin to soften. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pour the egg whites into a small bowl. Combine the flour, garlic powder, oregano and basil in a shallow dish, and add the bread crumbs to a third bowl or dish. Dip each zucchini slice first into the egg whites, then the flour, back into the egg whites, and finally into the breadcrumbs. Place on a foiled and lightly greased baking dish and bake for 14 minutes, turning each slice over halfway through. The surfaces should be slightly cracked and golden.
While the zucchini is baking, empty the water from the steamer pot and place the cabbage directly into the pan. Stir in the bean dip and keep warm until the zucchini croquettes are ready.
Notes:
*Be sure to use high quality breadcrumbs, as you can really taste them in the end. I always use homemade, which I make from processing the ends of whole grain bread loaves, but a nice whole grain panko might be nice, too, for some added crunch.
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